Posted on 04/17/2010 8:17:55 AM PDT by Big Bureaucracy
The US Congress is a redundant body. Two hundred years ago “We the people” had to send our representatives to Washington DC because it was just not possible to fit all of us under the Capitol roof. Today we don’t really need representatives. We can easily vote on any piece of legislature electronically while eating chips on our couch.
Technologies give us the chance to abandon the sleazy politicians and to govern through a Virtual Congress where every registered voter is a Congressmen or Congresswoman or Congress-something-in-between. Here is how the Virtual Congress can work. Every bill proposal can be downloaded into the Virtual Clerk docket. Voters can choose which bill to co-sponsor. If a certain bill gets enough support (let’s say 500 000 thumps up) national Up-or-Down vote for the bill is announced by the computer.
All registered voters represent themselves and through electronic signature vote to approve or kill the bill. 60% “yes” votes are needed for the bill to pass. If approved the bill is printed directly on the President’s desk. Imagine all the special interests fighting for your attention instead of circling the Capitol all day long. Imagine you getting a sweetheart mortgage deal instead of Senator Dodd. Imagine you getting Caribbean vacation instead of Rep. Rangel. Imagine you too will be called Senator not only Barbara Boxer.
(Excerpt) Read more at bigbureaucracy.com ...
Good one! It is true on every voting system.
Stalin also said: no people - no problem :)
You have no problem with the government that doesn’t care what the people opinion polls say and ram trough every bill they want. I guess you like ObamaCare :)
A better idea would be to shut down that hellhole called DC, put in caretaker status about 10 months out of the year. They can do their business by teleconference right in their own district, where they will have to face their constituents constantly. Might take a little of that elitist wind out of their sails.
I trust ordinary people more than I trust politicians. I like the idea of a virtual country, where you have the freedom live according to your beliefs. Your tax rate would reflect this. For example, libertarians would pay the least, Democrats the most. Your taxes would be targeted to specific programs that you support. For example, a military that protects us against foreign enemies would be on my list. Also public infrastructure like roads. This would connect each person to a government they can support, knowing that their tax money is not going to fund abortions, for example. It would be very difficult, nearly impossible, for any group to dominate the others.
Real reform needs to include all three branches. The judiciary is a political body with no political accountability. All judges should be elected.
Having a Republican form of gov’t isn’t merely a conservative platform. Look at the Founder’s comments and you will see an overt fear of ‘the tryanny of the majority’.
THIS is why progressives have worked so hard to interchange the meanings of these words: democracy and republic.
I cringe everytime I hear America referred to as a democracy. We are a REPUBLIC and for good reason.
Indeed, that Congress has already acted and catered to the idea that they are a democratic body is a large part of our current problem. Why bother respecting the Constitution if you can just get 51% of the vote?
I see most of the folks in the forum agree with you. I guess it is a good first step on the way to the Virtual Congress.
I’m saying that some people shouldn’t be voting period. Not for representatives and certainly not directly on bills.
Hell Yes!!!!!
Our reps can all vote from the slammer!
Where they belong!!!!!!
Semper See Clearly!!!!!
The difference between the democracy and the republic is that the later is bound by a constitution.
Republic requires a Constitution that sets limits to the power. Republic does not require senators - our Constitution requires Senators.
The US Constitution sets a Congress - in the congress the majority rules (democracy). The laws produced by the Congress have to obey the Constitution (Republic).
Republic does not ask for politicians, but for document that sets limits and rules for the powers.
It is OK to say that my Virtual Congress is unconstitutional today. But there is no problem for it to be part of a future Republic.
I said - registered voters.
China is also a Republic - just with a crappy Constitution.
I agree that direct voting is against our current Constitution.
That’s a very good question, and it’s the problem I have with proposals for direct democracy / citizen initiative. The answer, I think, is that they will be written by well funded interest groups.
It would be interesting is someone with some substantial knowledge of the Federalist papers etc. could give a response to this post in terms of the republican insights of the founding generation of the u.s..
I realise it isn’t meant as an entirely serious proposal.
I put it in the humor section. It is a fun discussion though.
The bills are currently written by interest groups.
Whaaaaat? How do you draw that conclusion about me from a post which says I wouldn't trust Internet based polling as a means of government?
1) Not everyone can sit down 24 hours a day studying bills. That’s why we have elected representatives in the first place. People who have jobs don’t have time to make informed decisions on legislation. So that leaves us with unemployed people who often are that way for a reason.
2)There isn’t always good internet connectivity in all areas of the country, especially in rural areas, also known as areas where people have jobs, also known as “Red country”.
But other than that, yes, let’s run our government like an online poll. What could possibly go wrong there?
People having jobs is a good point in favor of representatives.
Sorry - I misunderstood. I thought you were talking about polling (as pollstering) - not about polling (as in voting) :)
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