America Needs Democracy, Including Open Government
What America needs today is a democratic movement. It’s obvious that the Democratic movement for “Hope and Change” has failed.
What’s so controversial about posting proposed legislation on the Internet for 72 hours to allow people to review it before a vote? Democrats oppose it. In my opinion, the major fault of the proposal is that 72 hours if far too short.
Certainly, refusing to let the public know what is being considered in Congress is not acceptable. It doesn’t seem to be one of those things you can just chalk up to a difference of opinion. The country belongs to its citizens. Congress belongs to its citizens. The money being spent belongs to its citizens. The results are our results. Representatives have been hired to represent us, not to form an exclusive power elite that churns away at some unknown plan in secret. Those bills are our bills. Resulting legislation is our legislation.
At the very least, those who disobey need to be recalled – taken out of service – fired. The idea that the public would wait patiently until the next election, allowing as much damage as possible to be done in the mean time, is the very peak of irresponsibility. If we want a serious chance at reducing corruption, further action is needed. Someone must look more closely, put allegations before grand juries, and see that corrupt politicians are prosecuted.
Let’s consider how other countries handle proposed legislation. Sweden operates a participatory democracy where “special interest group” is not a dirty word. It has for example, sign up sheets for special interests. When legislation is proposed, the government informs those on the list that there is pending legislation. Meetings are held to allow experts behind the bill to present information to those who are interested. Those who are interested in commenting on the bill are provided with copies. Sufficient time is allowed so that members of the public can review and comment.
It’s all part of “open government” – one of the buzz phrases thrown around by Barack Obama during his election campaign. Sweden provides and example of what it’s like when you actually have one. Moreover, it’s an inseparable part of real democracy. As former Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev recently asked, “What is democracy when people don’t take part in it?” The act of refusing to allow the public to consider bills before passage hits at a fundamental level. It’s in the range of crimes against humanity – even if the timid might characterize it something closer to misdemeanor. Recall – impeachment – whatever – it’s the type of behavior that citizens of the civilized world should never tolerate.
Sweden has another advantage that allows it to hold government in line without too much fuss. Their multi-party parliamentary system allows voters to to more finely tune the balance of power. When large parties shift their agenda to something outside of the mainstream, they cease to be large parties. There are internal struggles for the heart of every political party, of course. Nonetheless, voters are not faced with the eternal struggle of “saving” the big two for the sake of the country. When a party ceases to serve the people, there will be another party ready to replace it.
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October 21st, 2009 at 4:53 am
I’m sorry to rain on this parade, but democracy is nothing but tyranny by the majority and does NOT work for Free People. What this country (USA) needs is to return to being a Constitutional Federal Republic.
October 21st, 2009 at 5:42 am
Denver,
The article does not present pure democracy as a solution to anything. It’s not a purely theoretical article at all, and must be understood in real-world context.
October 21st, 2009 at 8:10 am
Roger
I agree 100% regarding legislation being debated before being voted on (especially when special interest groups write the legislation).
Obama is expected to sign over America’s sovereignty to the United Nations in Copenhagen soon (which can only be regarded as treason with or without a debate). Our currency is now as worthless as our Constitution and nobody seems to notice – nobody seems to care.
On a completely different note – Harry Crouch from California is trying to assemble a team to conduct the upcoming Child Support Guideline Review for California. Email me at gzs@gndzerosrv.com and I will brief you on the details (I don’t have your recent e-mail address).
October 21st, 2009 at 8:50 am
Honestly, ask yourself…if your ‘representatives’ are not even aware much of the time what is actually inside bills before they vote on them, what makes you think the American People are going to be?
While I do agree with you that there is certainly nothing wrong (and it should be done) with having bills posted for open public review and that our legislation process moves far, far too fast….you’re missing the fundamental problem.
The fundamental problem is that the large majority of Americans are uninformed, too lazy to actually do something, and too readily willing to believe the propaganda spit at them by the news media and politicians et al.
THAT is the problem that needs to be fixed. Putting bills out in the open does absolutely no good if no one is reading them, let alone acting on them.
Although in truth, some will. The same ones that always have, the vocal minorities. Of late that has primarily been special interest groups.
October 21st, 2009 at 10:50 am
Samhaine
It is the role of special interest groups to be especially interested in the things they’re especially interested in. MSM has attacked honest sigs ruthlessly in the past. Actually, they’ve often spread the propaganda against groups to build prejudice of corrupt legislation in the first place.
Certainly it is impossible for individuals to keep up with everything. But citizen participation is essential – else we get what we’ve gotten – a run-away corrupt government that’s stealing and destroying everything as quickly as they possibly can.
Who watches the watchers? We do.
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:12 am
I am afraid Denver is correct, we need to go back to a republic, a rebublic based on democratic principles. That means going back to the constitution and holding our government accountable. Being able to kick their arrogant and out of control asses out in the street would be a great thing to have. Making it to where their activities are monitored by the people is a better idea. But there is no substitute for public involvement , dare I say public passion about keeping our servants under control so we the owners of this country can stay free.
And that freedom is precious, it cost the lives of millions of our people.
It angers and aggravates me that some “lazy ass” looking for free ride would sacrifice not only his freedom and rights, but would sacrifice mine too! By inviting our servant to have more power and control, at the expense of my right of self determination and sticking me with the bill!
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I agree with you completely Roger. That is, however, part of the problem.
Outside of the minorities who know how to critically think, there is a significant portion of the American public who either:
- Wasn’t taught and educated properly about how things should work in a Democratic Republic;
- Doesn’t care how things are supposed to be as long as they have their placations;
- Is too stupid to know up from down;
- Is too lazy to actually do anything
This is the fundamental problem, and I agree with you. The government is completely out of control. And it is precisely completely out of control because the People either A) did nothing to stop it or B) actively encouraged/wanted it or C) Believed the deceptions and thought they were doing something noble that has now gone very wrong. And once the government has power, it will never, ever easily let it go.
I’m not saying people need to keep up with everything, that is patently impossible. There simply isn’t enough time to sift through all the data and sort the proverbial wheat from the chaff.
But there are a larger number who just refuse to even try, because it requires effort to think.