The Forward Party released the results of its latest Controlling What You Series this week, asking supporters their thoughts on the influence of money in politics over recent decades and what types of reforms they would like to see.
The party collected support input on four specific examples, with results released on Wednesday. The series is intended to gather input that helps shape the party’s views and future priorities. Unlike previous releases, this installment did not include a slider poll on the Forward Party website, which has typically been used to gauge supporter enthusiasm the specific featured topics being explored.
According to an X poll which received 571 responses, a lower turnout compared to prior wees, 61.1% said reform efforts should focus most on insider trading. Curbing gifts to politicians ranked second with 18.7% of responses, followed by family business dealings at 13.3% and political cryptocurrency profits at 6.8%.
In a summary of user comments, the party found the most consistent theme to be support for blind trusts and banning individual stock trading for elected officials.
“The number one suggestion you all made was that we need to outlaw the trading of individual stocks by elected officials,” the party wrote. “You proposed requiring all elected officials to have their money fully managed in blind trusts while they’re in office to ensure that there’s no way for any insider trading to occur.”
The organization also emailed supporters early last week asking them to participate in a related installment focused on how the United States is preparing the next generation for the workforce. However, Independent Political Report is unaware of the party releasing those findings as of this article.
The most prominent form of insider trading, as that term was understood for decades, is the stock buyback. It should be made illegal again. On the same line, dividends should be treated as a business expense, thus giving corporate profits to all stock owners, not to a select few.