Submissions/Why Elections Are The Problem And How to Make Democracy Real

From Wikimania 2012 • Washington, D.C., USA

This is a rejected submission for Wikimania 2012.

Submission no.

809

Title of the submission
WHY ELECTIONS ARE THE PROBLEM AND HOW TO MAKE DEMOCRACY REAL
Type of submission (workshop, tutorial, panel, presentation)
Presentation
Author of the submission
David W. Grant
E-mail address
<dgrant@thecommonlot.com>
Username
MedianMale
Country of origin
USA
Affiliation, if any (organization, company etc.)
Common Lot Productions
Personal homepage or blog
www.TheCommonLot.com
Abstract (at least 300 words to describe your proposal)

An argument to implement a proportionally representative Citizen Legislature by using sortitional (random) selection of all who are willing and able to serve. Aristotle wrote: "It is accepted as democratic when public offices are allocated by lot; and as oligarchic when they are filled by election." By no longer voting for candidates, the legal bribes known as 'campaign contributions' would be eliminated. To assure competence, all citizens who wished to place themselves in the allotment pool would be required to demonstrate basic understanding of the existing system by passing the same citizenship test given to immigrants. Sortitionally selected representatives would act in the Citizen Legislature just as a jury does, selecting from among the proposals presented to it. They would begin their service with extensive orientation and training. They would have a professional staff to assist them. They would be adequately compensated. This is not at all the same as everyone voting for everything via, for instance, the internet. Time and leisure for study and deliberation is required. That is why representation is necessary. The statistical certainty of the Law of Large Numbers insures that sortitional selection will result in accurate representation of the many political positions and various identities of the American population. This Citizen Legislature would, for the first time, represent ALL Americans. This would be the world's first truly representative democracy.

Track

<Wikis and the Public Sector>

Length of presentation/talk
25 Minutes
Will you attend Wikimania if your submission is not accepted?
Yes
Slides or further information (optional)
See www.TheCommonLot.com
Special request as to time of presentations
none


Interested attendees

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  1. Zellfaze (talk) 20:11, 19 March 2012 (UTC) Interested, but is this really something for Wikimania?[reply]
  2. Add your username here.