[EM] Direct Democracy vs "Representative" Democracy

[Curt Siffert]

I like that, but one thing that strikes me about it is that it would 
still require a person to make a judgment on every issue - whether they 
want to keep their proxy, or vote directly, or switch their proxy, etc.

People like to categorize, and many like to go the 
forest-instead-of-the-trees route.  Many would rather just feel like 
someone is doing a good job at representing their interests.

 From that, what would probably happen is that some proxies would end up 
amassing a huge number of voters.

The other thing is - if everything is merely voted on, how are the 
bills revised and hashed out?  Who does that?

All this points me back to the idea that I'm still really quite 
intrigued about - Direct Representation.  The one over on Dave 
Robinson's site.  You still have your representatives, but there's a 
direct link rather than a geographical one.  That means those interest 
groups that are significant nationwide but always in the minority in a 
locality (atheism comes most quickly to mind) have representation.  If 
any representative falls below the mathematically-designed cutoff point 
required to be in the body, then they're voted out, in effect.  People 
can switch their representatives when they want, and the 
representatives are there to both hash out/amend issues, and also form 
voting coalitions.


On May 11, 2004, at 8:56 PM, MIKE OSSIPOFF wrote:

> . My DD proposal is Proxy DD. Voters have an anonymous voter 
> registration number. When they vote by telepoll technology, or by 
> library computer, etc., it's determined whther their number has voted 
> yet.
>
> And the voter can designate a proxy, or even (under one version of the 
> proposal) a ranknig of proxies. If you don't vote on an issue, then 
> your voting power on that issue goes to your designated  proxy. If 
> proxy rankings are used, then if your 1st proxy doesn't vote on it, 
> the voting power on it goes to your 2nd proxy, etc. Alternatively you 
> could specifly your permission for your voting power to go to your 
> proxy's proxy if he doesn't vote on the issue.
>
> So there's representation if you want it, but it's voluntary, 
> individually chosen, and can be changed aty a moment's notice by the 
> voter. You're not stuck with a "representative" that you might not 
> even likie.
>
> Mike Ossipoff
>
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