[EM] hello from DLW of "A New Kind of Party":long time electoral reform enthusiast/iconoclast-wannabe...

[David L Wetzell]

>
> .
>>
>> [wrt PAL]It's interesting.  I'd rather just argue before the supreme
>> court that the law that prohibits multi-seat federal elections is
>> unconstitutional because of its harmful effects on minority voters and the
>> fact that the specific election rule used by states should be up to the
>> states.
>>
>
> I think the chances of that idea flying with the SCOTUS any time in the
> next 20 years are virtually nil. For me, the best option for PR is a
> seriously empowered grassroots push, on the level of the progressive
> movement or the civil rights movement (and something which hasn't happened
> since the latter, including the anti-Vietnam movement), which starts with
> local victories in cities and state legislatures and moves to push congress
> to make PR legal. It is not inconceivable that #OWS could develop into such
> a movement; I think that the Tea Party, on the other hand, has shot its wad.
>

dlw: unless, of course, the grass/net-roots movement were to include
protesting for the SCOTUS to do the right thing.  And the truth is
that Clarence
Thomas<http://www.google.com/search?gcx=c&ix=c2&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=%22clarence+thomas%22+%22cumulative+voting%22>is
on record saying good things about cumulative voting to help
minorities.
 I think he'd be okay with leaving it up to states, since in our two-party
system, it's hard to imagine more than 5-seat PR(droop quota) getting to
see the light of day.

>
>>
>
>>
>>> I realize that right now I am just a guy, so far nowhere near in
>>> Fairvote's league for effective organization for reform, so I could forgive
>>> you for discounting my "crazy ideas" and pragmatically supporting IRV. But
>>> I'm working on a kick-ass website and web service - something that will be
>>> like http://modernballots.com/ but even better, and with a "donate"
>>> button that will have (I hope) an existing, large-membership
>>> good-government organization behind it. Can't say too much more right now.
>>>
>>
>>  I've been where you are and still am for the most part.
>> Beware of the power of the ego to rationalize tilting against windmills...
>>
>>>
>>> In other words: "I have a bunch of vaporware. What do you bring to the
>>> table?" :)
>>>
>>
> Part of my motive for my empty bragging was to probe what your plans and
> skills, as opposed to your goals, are. I guess putting it in ironic quotes
> was not the best way to show that the question was serious, though friendly.
>

I don't think it's an exaggeration to say I'm generally respected by
leading electoral reform advocate folks for my thinking on this matter.
 I've pushed for later developments in FairVote a number of times, and so
while whether there's any influence going on from me would be hard to
prove, it is my plan right now is to work with in tandem with them as the
de facto leaders of American electoral reform.

I'm not the type to start up and lead a new org.  And, while I'm free-lance
now, it seems that when American forms of PR get big as an alternative to
CFR that progressives and centrists can rally around at the state levels,
then I imagine I could get coopted into an organization's think-tank.

dlw

>
> JQ
>
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