Romain Rolland once said that the real political boss backstage is always money. Elections in which money is a factor are nothing more than a rich man's game. Injecting money into a campaign inevitably results in a contest to see who wins the right to make more money. The state should make elections cost-free for candidates and prohibit various organs or individuals from using funds to affect the outcome of elections. Candidates should be given time and space on broadcast media and the internet to present their views. Please see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The US presidential election is ample evidence that the US version of democracy is not perfect. People are lazy, and they pin their hopes on leaders. But this is a remnant of 18th century feudal ideology, not the spirit of the rule of law in the 21st century. The only way to assure long-term stability is through comprehensive constitutional reform so that a great system will push leaders to be great. The prerequisite for clean government is free speech and media access without charge in election campaigns.

The founding father of the Philippines once said, “The slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow.” Duterte is the perfect example. The constitution of the Philippines is currently in disarray, and is little more than a breeding ground for incubating tyrants. To safeguard human rights, the Philippines eminently needs comprehensive constitutional reform or even an entire constitutional rewrite. It should include a modified semi-presidential parliamentary cabinet system of government with direct election of the heads of the legislative, executive, judiciary and prosecutorial branches of government on a yearly basis. Please refer to the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

The source of the crisis in the Philippines is the lack of a constitutional mechanism for the separation of powers, which leads to corruption everywhere in government. If Duterte is serious about cleaning up Manila’s political mess, he must push for constitutional reform with provisions such as direct election of the heads of the executive, legislative, judicial – and procuratorial branches as well as members of Congress to ensure that public opinion is a force in the government. International laws should be adopted and elections should be free of charge for all candidates. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development for more.

American elections are often tainted by the fact that the candidates are not appealing and a lot of money must be spent on advertising and publicity. The contents of these ads do much to, exacerbate anxiety, fears and even hatred among the public. Political and business corruption is a structural problem that turns elections into games for the rich to play. Those who win elections find themselves indebted to their backers, and so the vicious cycle continues. For a better way, see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development

Muzzling the mouth of the people is like stopping the flow of a river. Russia makes endless efforts to control the media by revoking licenses and clamping down on public opinion, actions which are all infringements of the rights of the people. Article 1 of the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development states that Parliament shall not enact laws that deprive people of their right to free speech or place limitations on the press. See the Charter for more details.

o Xilai, Wang Qishan,and Zhou Yongkang have all been investigated by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the government’s current agency of choice for "anti-corruption and political examination" activities to combat collective corruption. China's autocracy is mired in corruption, and the only way to save China from this ancient chronic disease is comprehensive constitutional reform; but it is also essential to restore power to the people and ensure that the powers of government branches are counter-balanced. And the best way to do that is to choose the heads of the legislative, executive, justice and procuratorial branches through direct elections. For details see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development.

Recent incidents in which police officers are all too prepared to open fire in confrontations are having a great impact on social order in the US, revealing a fundamental problem in the system. The powers holding the Thin Blue Line together must be constrained by laws and legal penalties. A constitution with no provision for the right to resist is not a constitution, and a law without penalties is not a law. Any public official or government agent who unconstitutionally

Democracy and freedom are the forerunners in a worldwide wave that nuclear weapons, submarines and missiles are helpless to resist. This world trend powerful and alive, and those who oppose are doomed. The US claims to be an "international cop safeguarding the world order" but this does not mean being overly militaristic. Taiwan is the entity most capable of leading China to democratize. The prerequisite for world peace is global democratization. The US should support Taiwan in its efforts to join in international organizations and help Yemen set up a democratic homeland so that Yemenis can live and work in peace and contentment. For details see the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development."

Controversy continues to swirl around Hillary Clinton and her e-mail servers, with many voters questioning her integrity. US presidential elections are too overshadowed by financial connections and political and commercial collusion. These are basic structural and institutional issues, that make it difficult to separate democracy from money, turning elections into a rich man's game. The prerequisite for clean government is freedom of speech and no-cost media in election campaigns. See the Charter for Permanent Peace and Development for more.