[EM] Proxy - bicameral

[Dr. Ernie Prabhakar]

Hi Adam,

On May 17, 2004, at 11:35 AM, Adam H Tarr wrote:

>> Right now, decisions are typically a force between options 2 and 3,
>> excluding the 'radical middle' option.
>
> Some method of allowing the assembly to sort through options easily 
> would be
> nice.  But it's not really crucial, since (again) it should be 
> relatively easy
> for multiple options to get out of parliament.  But it would be nice 
> to tie
> mutually exclusive options (like the three above) into one package, to
> streamline the voting process.

My concern is to ensure that the process is friendly to multiple-choice 
options.  My fear is that the traditional yes/no vote could easily be 
used to hold the assembly 'hostage', by only giving them a choice 
between the lesser of two evils.   At the very least, we should make 
sure we don't encode anything to prevent it.

Is the current focus on yes/no voting embodied in the Constituation 
(perhaps in the way it defines vetoes and decisions), or is it really 
an artifact of Robert's Rules?

> It's also possible that members of parliament would themselves be 
> powerful
> proxies, unless that was specifically forbidden by law.

Ooh, very interesting point.    Hmm, I wonder if that's a good or bad 
thing...

-- Ernie P.

-----------
Ernest N. Prabhakar, Ph.D. <DrErnie at RadicalCentrism.org>
RadicalCentrism.org is an anti-partisan think tank near Sacramento, 
California, dedicated to developing and promoting the ideals of 
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Centrist Manifesto: Ground Rules of Civil Society 
<http://RadicalCentrism.org/manifesto.html>