So where is the opposition to Bush anyway ?
POSTED BY: GinoBiffaroni
UPDATED: Wednesday, September 14, 2005 02:11
VIEWED: 10908
PAGE 11 of 13
Quote:At the risk of demonstrating my ignorance, I'd do away with the representative part, and have direct vote for all issues. You would have to pass a very basic test to show reading comprehension to register to vote. The vote would be relatively simple, since prolly fully 3/4 of the people would never vote for such large numbers of issues, so the count would be quick. And only interested parties would vote on things, so awareness of the issues should be high- that would be a plus also.
Originally posted by Geezer:
Politics is an unfortunate companion of a representative democracy. If you can explain how to run one without politics, I'd be interested to hear.
*braces for the comeback*
Chrisisall
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:Quote:At the risk of demonstrating my ignorance, I'd do away with the representative part, and have direct vote for all issues. You would have to pass a very basic test to show reading comprehension to register to vote. The vote would be relatively simple, since prolly fully 3/4 of the people would never vote for such large numbers of issues, so the count would be quick. And only interested parties would vote on things, so awareness of the issues should be high- that would be a plus also.
Originally posted by Geezer:
Politics is an unfortunate companion of a representative democracy. If you can explain how to run one without politics, I'd be interested to hear.
*braces for the comeback*
Chrisisall
I have given the question of what might be a better political system for Canada some thought...
Amongst my reading, I found the system the Swiss had to be the most interesting:
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/bk/buku/buku2005/index.html
In this system they have what they call direct democracy where if the population gets pissed enough they can over-rule the government, if your up to it give it a read... referendums and recall votes are something else they use in an interesting way.
BTW It is easier to have them mail you the book explaining their system, which they do for free
The Swiss Confederation: a brief guide 2005 -
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/bk/order/index.html
Don't think they give a shit
I'm with Signy and Rue
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i am just so sick and tired of people hating PEOPLE. it's the stupid party system that's to blame for creating so much hatred. curse necessary evils!
of course i do own a shirt that says viva la reagan revolution . . . that looks just like one of those che shirts, BUT IT'S FUN! 
you've got to forgive me! (my friend has one that says "we'll always have clinton" and we wear them on the same day!)
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Quote:
Originally posted by chrisisall:
At the risk of demonstrating my ignorance, I'd do away with the representative part, and have direct vote for all issues. You would have to pass a very basic test to show reading comprehension to register to vote. The vote would be relatively simple, since prolly fully 3/4 of the people would never vote for such large numbers of issues, so the count would be quick. And only interested parties would vote on things, so awareness of the issues should be high- that would be a plus also.
*braces for the comeback*
Chrisisall
In theory, I'd agree with most of this, but the practical problems seem to be insurmountable.
Someone still has to decide the issues. This could be done, perhaps, by presenting a petition with enough signatures, but politics would be involved in getting enough interest to accumulate the required signatures.
There'd still have to be some sort of bureaucracy to accept the petition and hold the plebicite to determine if it could be enacted.
You'd also be giving control of the entire country to the most populous areas of the country. What if the folks in New York and California decided to make Montana a nuclear waste dump?
Thousands of pieces of legislation are passed by the Congress annually, not to mention those passed by state, county, and city governments. How much time do you have to become informed on each of these, without any help, while still earning a living?
Reading comprehension tests were one of the most common versions of the "Jim Crow" laws enacted in the South to disenfranchise blacks. I'm not sure that they would go over big.
I sympathize with your desire for a more representative form of government, but direct democracy is beyond the capabilities of anything larger than a small town. I'd be happy if more people actually paid attention to what was going on.
AP has a blurb about an email FEMA director Brown sent to his family and friends.
http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=104&sid=567943
Regardless of my feeling about him, this phrase resonates with me:
"This country is devouring itself, the 24-hour news cycle is numbing our ability to think for ourselves."
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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i'm 17!
*giggles*
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Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:
I have given the question of what might be a better political system for Canada some thought...
Amongst my reading, I found the system the Swiss had to be the most interesting:
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/bk/buku/buku2005/index.html
In this system they have what they call direct democracy where if the population gets pissed enough they can over-rule the government, if your up to it give it a read... referendums and recall votes are something else they use in an interesting way.
BTW It is easier to have them mail you the book explaining their system, which they do for free
The Swiss Confederation: a brief guide 2005 -
http://www.admin.ch/ch/e/bk/order/index.html
Interesting. On brief scan, a lot is like our (US) Federal, state, and local government, but with more direct citizen involvement. I'll send for the book. Thanks for the link.
Chris. You seeing this? Could be useful info for a more direct system.
Cool beans.
Edit: Order placed. Neato!
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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Quote:You hadda bring reality into this, didn't you?
Originally posted by Geezer:
Thousands of pieces of legislation are passed by the Congress annually, not to mention those passed by state, county, and city governments. How much time do you have to become informed on each of these, without any help, while still earning a living?
Okay, I demonstrated it Chrisisall
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Quote:
Originally posted by reallykaylee:
i'm 17!
*giggles*
You can be my honorary grand-daughter anytime.
"Keep the Shiny side up"
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Quote:Actually, legally, yes they do (bear all the onus). Changes were made to the emergency response system this past January that puts the onus directly on the Federal government to be THE responding agency in a Federal State of Emergency. That was done to clear up the lines of authority that were so tangled during 9-11. Until then, FEMA was pretty much an afterthought in disaster situations... handing out papers for government loans for the most part.
IMHO, the Federal Government does not bear all the onus for mistakes made - while acknowledging that mistakes were made..
Yes indeed mistakes were made at all levels (except, as far as I can tell, at the Mayoral level). But aside from the mistakes, there is the fact that the entire upper echelon of Bush's administration and Bush himself, did not interrupt their palns to actually deal with the disaster. While FEMA was foundering there was no follow-up. No- "How's it going? Is everything in place? Are people being rescued?" Bush stuck to his schedule for TWO DAYS after the levees broke before finally getting involved. What can one make of THAT??
Please don't think they give a shit.
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You can be my honorary grand-daughter anytime.
thanks granddaddy!
this makes me think of firefly- not suprising because just about everything does- and book and kaylee!
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