Thursday, July 21, 2011 — So, here we are, pole-axed by what is probably but a hint of summers to come, our government paralyzed by an intransigent cult elected by the least informed, most easily manipulated sector of the electorate, and some of the nation’s best minds are advocating that we break through this impasse with a National Initiative for Democracy, a “meta-legislative proposal that would allow citizens, independently of Congress and the Executive, to propose and vote on laws.”
What, because Proposition 13 worked so well for California?
Granted, NI4D would “outlaw the use of funds from non-natural persons (for example corporate funds) in initiative elections,” and “outlaw non-natural persons (for example corporations) from sponsoring initiatives.” But everything it did would be accomplished in the same toxic atmosphere that got the current crop of half-baked, home-cooked geniuses elected that is now shooting craps with the nation’s credit rating.
We’re close enough to Armageddon already, thank you. Let’s attack the real problem. Whether we go forward with NI4D or without it, we’re doomed unless our information consumption changes. For decades now we have been gulping down corporate news — the informational equivalent of Four Loko — as if it were spring water. And we wonder why we’re puking in the gutter.
Criticizing someone else’s solution without offering one or your own is generally recognized as unhelpful. Fair enough. Stay tuned.
“…to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant; that the intrinsic embarrassment, inseparable from the selection of the proper objects (which is always a choice of difficulties), ought to be a decisive motive for a candid construction of the conduct of the government in making it, and for a spirit of acquiescence in the measures for obtaining revenue, which the public exigencies may at any time dictate.”
George Washington
http://napoleonlive.info/economics/facts-about-taxes-2/
With Global Warming accelerating with such phlegmatic, laissez faire attitudes by the ruling class, don’t worry, we won’t be around long enough for this to matter! So, here’s to Eaarth!! Carpe Diem!
This comment assumes that the National Initiative will result in the failures of California’s system. This is very far from reality and shows that the writer has limited knowledge of the National Initiative that could be corrected by a detailed visit to its website. http://ni4d.us/
Suffice to say that direct democracy has given the Swiss 200 years of peace though surrounded by warring nations, no boom and bust economy, the best education and healthcare, a healthy environment and one of the highest per capita incomes in the world despite having few natural resources. http://ni4d.us/fossedal_2002
No system of government is perfect, but direct democracy allows for a continuous improvement of government by all the people instead of gridlock by compromised professional politicians. If the people don’t like a law, they can change it or parts of it quickly and more importantly people can make the laws. They don’t have to wait four years to have a referendum because initiatives are continuous and cheap and easy to carry out with current technology.
I think the proliferation of whistleblowing groups like WikiLeaks, OpenLeaks, etc., and the information they disseminate, could go a long way in curtailing the influence of corporate media, if that information was used in the deliberations processes that the NI4D proposes. I would even say that it is likely that such information would be sought out by citizens involved in such deliberations.
If corporations own everything, news will be corporate: that’s obvious enough. But unless you’re prepared to democratize the corporations, the solution is to turn the propaganda off.
You mention some important aspects of NI4D in your third paragraph. However, you omit any mention of the deliberative aspects of NI4D. Have you looked at http://ni4d.us/en/consultation ? Are you aware of Health Democracy Oregon?