[net.politics] An Experiment in Democracy: to all net subscribers

jmg@houxk.UUCP (09/01/83)

	I would like to propose an experiment in democracy or as someone
called it "electronic democracy" (not my description) utilizing the net.
I ask for your cooperation in making this experiment work. For the purposes
of the experiment assume the following:

	1. everyone on the net is a citizen of the U.S.
	2. a constitutional ammendment has passed which will gradually
	   transfer all the powers of the congress to the citizens of
	   the U.S.
	3. all citizens have a box attached to their phone which enables
	   them to vote on public questions (for those who don't have a
	   phone, facilities are provided at the nearest firehouse or other
	   public building).
	4. the clerical functions peripheral to the lawmaking process are
	   still handled by the congressional pages and congressional staffs
	   using a computer system.
	5. Every law passed by the electorate supercedes previous laws passed
	   by congress.
	6. Any law not superceded naturally remains in effect.
	7. the president, the judiciary and the rest of the government
	   bureaucracy continue to operate as in the past with the same
	   relationships toward the electorate as they previously had with
	   the congress.

	The first order of business is to organize an agenda. The subscribers
on the net will submit proposed topics such as auto safety, air pollution or
foreign aid to me by mail or post them on the net. After the topics have been
received they will be posted on the net for a vote on priority of business.
After that vote proposals will be accepted for items of legislation on that
topic. When a piece of legislation has been composed it will be submitted for
a vote of the electorate.
	I hope that this experiment can be carried out in an intelligent and
serious manner and I hope to hear from you all soon.

						Joe McGhee