Word of the Left

Insomniac commentary on current issues and Marxist theory with a Maoist spin.


Direct Democracy

Alot of people are running around claiming we're fighting in Iraq because of democracy like we have here in the US. They have know idea what they're talking about. We currently have a representive republic because we elect officials to vote 'in our interests'. Well I'm not interested in any politicians because they're all corrupt fatsos who spit lies constantly. I think we need direct democracy. Direct democracy? Yes. Some people think its impossible but not in this day and age. Now in the electronic age we're able to anything via internet. So why not vote on bills via internet. It'd be easy. You'd have a citizen account and your own password. Each day, You'd log in and vote like people vote on internet polls. It'd take less than 5 minutes and would make this democracy really a democracy

4 Responses to “Direct Democracy”

  1. # Anonymous Anonymous

    The problem is, though, when you come down it, computers are insecure.

    Not because computers are insecure, but because people are insecure. The very first time anything like this happened, I'd write a keylogger and I'd send it to everyone I know (in the guise of a legitimate program) and tell them to send it on, and, in that way, harvest citizen ids/passwords.

    Then maybe send the list to the FBI, just to fuck with them.  

  2. # Anonymous Anonymous

    The problem with this is that people don't have enough time to stay informed to take an educated vote every day and then people might just pick something to vote for or against out of a hat!  

  3. # Anonymous Anonymous

    The problem with direct democracy is that noone would have enough time to be constantly informed on the issues and people might just pick what to vote on by fliping a coin. So having elections and votes every few years at least allows people to at least have a small idea of what their voting for!  

  4. # Anonymous Anonymous

    There are a few problems with this:
    1. Direct democracy has been used before. Ancient Athens used a system of issues being decided by popular opinion. However, the only people allowed to vote were free, male, landowners over 30. The US, of course, is not completely comprised of these people Also, the US is so much bigger than Ancient Athens.
    2. Congress sifts through hundreds of bills and propositions a day. Thus, to think that voting on a computer for these would take "just five minutes" doesn't make sense.
    3. If the country went to war, who would be in charge of arming the soldiers? Paying the soldiers? Paying for arms developement? Who would decide how much money would be spent?
    4. Most towns in New England already use direct democracy in town hall meetings. You're asking the US to adopt a system that it not only is too big for, but also already uses it in many places.
    God, that was long!  

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