Comments on: Good Morning and Good Night in America http://blog.oup.com/2008/11/democracy/ Academic insights for the thinking world. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:14:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Evan Ravitz http://blog.oup.com/2008/11/democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-147957 Evan Ravitz Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:31:50 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2299#comment-147957 Yes, tell us another about the luxury of "representatives" in Congress who OK torture, perpetual war and debt, domestic spying, bailouts for the parasite class, ad nauseum. Actually, in 24 more advanced states (including MA next door to you) we have a hybrid direct/representative democracy. It's the ultimate check and balance on those who otherwise would be absolutely corrupted by power. Solutions to initiative problems have been generally agreed on and available for many decades. But legislators NEVER improve the process, only make it harder (not affecting the wealthy much) and hobbling it in various ways (this year, with AZ Prop. 105 and CO Ref. O, both wisely defeated by voters). Voters on ballot initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for such deliberative process is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org. Also http://healthydemocracyoregon.org/ and http://cirwa.org In Switzerland, petitions are left at government offices and stores for people to read and sign at leisure, so there are less aggressive petitioners, more informed signers, and less $ required. The Swiss vote on initiatives 3-7 times a year so there's never too many on one ballot. Because they have real power, the Swiss read more newspapers/capita than anyone else. In Switzerland, representatives are humbler and more representative after centuries of local and cantonal (state) ballot initiatives, and national initiatives since 1891. They call their system "co-determination." This works for all relationships! Evan Ravitz, founder, Vote.org Yes, tell us another about the luxury of “representatives” in Congress who OK torture, perpetual war and debt, domestic spying, bailouts for the parasite class, ad nauseum.

Actually, in 24 more advanced states (including MA next door to you) we have a hybrid direct/representative democracy. It’s the ultimate check and balance on those who otherwise would be absolutely corrupted by power.

Solutions to initiative problems have been generally agreed on and available for many decades. But legislators NEVER improve the process, only make it harder (not affecting the wealthy much) and hobbling it in various ways (this year, with AZ Prop. 105 and CO Ref. O, both wisely defeated by voters).

Voters on ballot initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for such deliberative process is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org. Also http://healthydemocracyoregon.org/ and http://cirwa.org

In Switzerland, petitions are left at government offices and stores for people to read and sign at leisure, so there are less aggressive petitioners, more informed signers, and less $ required. The Swiss vote on initiatives 3-7 times a year so there’s never too many on one ballot. Because they have real power, the Swiss read more newspapers/capita than anyone else.

In Switzerland, representatives are humbler and more representative after centuries of local and cantonal (state) ballot initiatives, and national initiatives since 1891. They call their system “co-determination.” This works for all relationships!

Evan Ravitz, founder, Vote.org

]]> By: Jonathan Dozier-Ezell http://blog.oup.com/2008/11/democracy/comment-page-1/#comment-147956 Jonathan Dozier-Ezell Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:05:21 +0000 http://blog.oup.com/?p=2299#comment-147956 While I agree with the American right (and possibly privilege) to forget about who is leading the country, I don't think forgetting will be that easy. The current media-frenzy dynamic will cause the mainstream to devour itself like the last cannibal on a deserted island. I do think that American interest will lag, but the current events pushers won't give up without a fight. And without interested readers, a beleaguered medium like newsprint will be hard-pressed to react fast enough. While I agree with the American right (and possibly privilege) to forget about who is leading the country, I don’t think forgetting will be that easy. The current media-frenzy dynamic will cause the mainstream to devour itself like the last cannibal on a deserted island. I do think that American interest will lag, but the current events pushers won’t give up without a fight. And without interested readers, a beleaguered medium like newsprint will be hard-pressed to react fast enough.

]]>