Some quotes from a interesting blog post based on a Phd thesis:
"Doing the same old thing using new technology *will not* politically re-enfranchise people."
"political disengagement is growing because modern democracies do not support strong participatory or direct democracy"
"Based on Dunne's study it would appear that public disengagement is not something that web 2.0 tools can solve alone. Rather the political and social system in which these tools exist must change for people to reconnect with politics."
The most evolved project for a hybrid direct/representative democracy is led by former Sen. Mike Gravel. U.S. Registered voters can now vote to ratify the National Initiative for Democracy at Vote.org, much as citizens ratified the Constitution at the Conventions when the Legislatures wouldn't!
Until then you can beg the Obama admin to do the right thing at Change.gov
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1 comment:
Not having yet read the thesis my initial response to the two quotes is very positive.
But I disagree with your use of the word "ratify". Were a majority of registered voters to vote for the NI4D the People would be enacting the NI4D not ratifying it. It's an important distinction.
The NI4D itself refers to its own enactment by the People but not to its ratification.
I voted "No" to the NI4D in its present form.
For a modified version of the NI4D that addresses my socio-political concerns please view the Federal Democracy Amendment of the Federal Initiative for Direct Democracy (FIDD) at http://groups.google.com/group/ni4dus/web/federal-democracy-amendment; and the Federal Democracy Act at
http://groups.google.com/group/ni4dus/web/the-federal-democracy-act.
Luis
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