esk@wucs.UUCP (05/02/84)
[Ah, that was a good year, that was!]
I think that many of us are overlooking some of the reasons behind
our current form of government. Governing our country is no minor job,
we supposedly elect our representatives so that they (or more
importantly, their staffs) can devote themselves full time to that job.
I think the idea of a true participatory democracy, where the people do
all the decision making, is rather naive for any large organization.
Town Meetings in New England are fine for a town, for a country I don't
think they have much of a chance. Just to consider our population
trying to consider something such as foreign policy when most people
can't even tell you the capital (sp?) of Canada, much less what is going
on somewhere in Africa or Southeast Asia right now. How can we be
expected to make a choice based on anything other than chance (or based
on the advertising of various special interest groups - much like we
have now!) when most of the population is grossly undereducated on law,
history, current events or economics.
Now, I realize that much of time (most, or all, of the time?) it
seems our elected representatives don't seem to do a very good job as
far as making intelligent policy decisions for us. I agree that
something should be done about this state of affairs. When being a
politician is almost synonymous with being corrupt, something is wrong!
I just think that participatory democracy is not a very viable,
realistic alternative to suggest.
Sorry if I seem to be cracking down on a proposal without anything
concrete to suggest as a solution, but I thought that this idea needed a
little closer examination.
Eric Kaylor
No, I'll stop.... No, not the thumb screws!!!! Aghhhhhh......
....ihnp4!afinitc!wucs!eskscw@cepu.UUCP (05/05/84)
Another problem with PD is that the electorate is vulnerable to demagogery
RD is *RELATATIVELY* insensitive to this. Even more so with staggered elections
(the Senate). It provides some time for refelection and thought while also the
ability to throw the bastridiges out and bring in the new ones as required.
--
Stephen C. Woods (VA Wadsworth Med Ctr./UCLA Dept. of Neurology)
uucp: { {ihnp4, uiucdcs}!bradley, hao, trwrb, sdcsvax!bmcg}!cepu!scw
ARPA: cepu!scw@ucla-locus location: N 34 06'37" W 118 25'43"