[EM] Proxy

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hi Mike,

On May 15, 2004, at 11:51 AM, MIKE OSSIPOFF wrote:
> So that's 3 reasons why financial disincentive for proxies needn't be 
> a problem: 1) Rich proxies; 2) Contributions required to be small, or 
> (better yet) contributions whose sum is required to be below a 
> specified amount that is just enough to live on, or just enough to 
> fairly compensate the amount of work involved--including strictly 
> scrutinized and reasonable operating costs; 3) Govt payment of proxies 
> on a per-voter basis.

I dunno; perhaps I'm not clear on what problems proxies are supposed to 
solve.   By making the decision-making process more fine-grained, I can 
see how it could generate more proportional representation among the 
decision makers, and avoid some the systematic bias of electioneering.

However, I think Kurt raised a valid point - one which I recall was a 
concern of the U.S. "Founding Fathers."  Previously (if memory serves) 
Parliament was a ratifying body, merely approving or disapproving of 
the king's decrees.   The challenge was how to turn that into a 
*legistlative* body for actually creating laws.  That's why they took 
the somewhat risky step of two-year elections even for the House of 
Reps, rather than annual - to allow a more professionalized approach to 
legislature.

I personally think the issue is less about who gets to *vote* on ideas, 
than who gets to *define* the options voted on.   That's something 
which requires time, expertise, staffing, and coalition building.   
Frankly, that's something that I think even our California legislature 
(as dysfunctional as it is!) tends to do better than the 'rule-by-voter 
initiative' direct democracy of our referendum (as necessary as it 
is!).

It sometimes seems to me like we on this list spend a lot of time 
worrying about how best to choose among various alternatives, but 
relatively little worrying about how those alternatives are articulated 
in the first place.    Perhaps I'm wrong - does anyone else think that 
is important, and have concrete suggestions for how to improve it?

-- Ernie P.