We can have excellence in our political system once the representative mandate flows directly from the individual voters to individual legislators. This is done by an electoral system of direct representation. The country is divided into voting districts according to population concentrations and representatives are directly elected, by name, in each district. Legislators maintain a dual responsibility of serving the interests of their districts while making the laws that govern our shared resources and destiny. This makes the lawmakers accessible to individuals on a local level and it fairly distributes the decision-making across geographic and demographic lines. Every citizen, regardless of party affiliation, will have an elected local representative who receives suggestions and grievances and represents the citizen's interests at the national level. No longer will there be such biased concentrations of legislators from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Israel has long needed this type of regional representation to assure that no region of the country, from Metullah to Eilat, is under-represented in the Knesset. Under a system of direct elections, candidates succeed politically by building consensus, improving the status quo creatively and responsively in order to build a broad base of support. As individual members of Knesset will need support from one another to pass beneficial legislation, there will be a greater incentive to seek out the win-win solution rather than the zero-sum gain. Israel needs this system to reward the finest public servants with the privilege of representing us in the legislature. To be sure, political parties would still exist. However, parties would be organizations to support candidates and citizens with common perspectives and values. They would no longer operate as sub-governments doling out political favors and influence. The quality of collective conduct in our government is a direct result of the extent that each individual legislator acts responsibly. Our Knesset should be the proving ground of public service and social ingenuity. Unfortunately, as scandals and the lack of accountability continue to characterize the political business as usual, our political leadership increasingly becomes a source of national shame. Our nation cannot excel, cannot even hope to carry its own weight, with the malaise, the apathy, and the despair that is our political reality. Part of the direct representation solution must include a true separation between government branches. This would prohibit legislators from serving as ministers of the executive branch. It would prevent excessive influence of the prime minister upon legislators and ensure that the legislators would concentrate on representing the interests of their districts. This is a necessary safeguard to prevent conflicts of interest. Each branch of government retains its functioning independence and its ability to check on the other branches. This presidential system would promote a strong executive office that could fill ministerial positions with qualified professionals rather than political favor-seekers. Direct representational elections would go a long way towards instilling a wider appreciation for individual responsibility in our society. In campaigning for elections, our representatives become more visible and familiar, more responsible and responsive to us. Their conduct must exceed general standards rather than flaunt and abuse the trappings of political power. If they simply act as rubber stamps of their parties, if they serve us poorly, their constituents will vote their displeasure. If they serve us well, they become models of the individual responsibility and achievement worthy of our respect. We need the kind of dedicated, creative individuals who will be our local heroes and our national heroes. We need direct elections for the Knesset so that we can be proud of those who serve us, who unite us in policy and law. We need this to become proud of ourselves.

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