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

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

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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Zellfaze (talk) 20:11, 19 March 2012 (UTC) Interested, but is this really something for Wikimania?[reply]
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