[Election-Methods] Partisan Politics

[Fred Gohlke]

Good Afternoon, Juho

Is it possible you have not read my February 4th post, "Selecting 
Leaders From the People"?  It describes an election method I call Active 
Democracy.  If not, that may explain some of the confusion in our 
discussion.  Throughout our exchange, I've been under the impression 
that you understood my references were to that election method.  It was 
only when I read your most recent post that I realized you may not have 
read it.


re: "I note that you make the assumption that nobody will vote for himself."

That is one of the stipulations in the Active Democracy concept.


re: "This might mean that candidate nomination is not done by parties."

Exactly.  Candidates are selected by the electorate FROM the electorate.


re: "... financing is a problem area of its own."

That is one of the strengths of the Active Democracy concept.  There is 
no campaigning, none of the mass manipulation that characterizes 
campaigns, and no need for campaign funds.


re: "This might mean that party disciplinary actions would be forbidden."

We don't have to forbid them.  The parties will have no way to 
discipline the people we select as our representatives.


re: "I see this as careful finetuning of the rules to maintain 
independent decision making by the representatives."

That is the goal.


I hope you'll read (or re-read) the February 4th post.  It explains how 
the method harnesses our natural pursuit of our own interest to select 
the best of our number as our representatives in government.  It shows 
how the advancement of participants will depend on their perceived 
integrity as well as the probity with which they fulfill their public 
obligations.


Now, a correction to yesterday's post about the dynamics of voting.  My 
assertion that "if a selection is not made, each person knows how the 
other two voted" is not correct.  It is possible that a member of the 
group failed to vote.  In that case, each person's vote (or failure to 
vote) can not be determined by logic.

Since selection requires two votes, if a group member refuses to vote, 
the group will be unable to select one of its members and will be 
disqualified.  One of the benefits is that this taxes the members 
persuasive ability.  Another is that recalcitrant people eliminate 
themselves from the process.

Fred