Re:Attorney General: Aaron Swartz Case Was a ‘Good Use of Pr...
by dlss on Wednesday March 06, 2013 @08:49PM
(#5335425)
We could make prosecutorial bullying an issue in the next election... right?
Sigh. Maybe that's just me not being jaded enough :p
Re:Attorney General: Aaron Swartz Case Was a ‘Good Use of Pr...
by javajosh on Wednesday March 06, 2013 @08:57PM
(#5335464)
We could introduce popular control of government between elections. I believe this is called "direct democracy". (It may introduce other problems, of course.)
Our election process is totally broken. The parties are the kingmakers. They have vast fundraising and promotional networks that extend into every state and key regions of each state, with powerful connections to incumbent governments. Which is kind of surprising because it seems like neither party is very good.
The only other network that has that kind of reach is the Internet. think it's worth thinking about the possibility that the internet could displace traditional political parties.
Re:Attorney General: Aaron Swartz Case Was a ‘Good Use of Pr...
by gamblor956 on Thursday March 07, 2013 @01:17AM
(#5336414)
Given the average education and intelligence of most Americans, you most certainly do not want a nuclear-capable nation run by direct democracy.
We have legislators for a reason: to act as a brake on the mob, not to echo it.
Re:Attorney General: Aaron Swartz Case Was a ‘Good Use of Pr...
by javajosh on Thursday March 07, 2013 @07:35PM
(#5341400)
I hate it when people disparage the average American. What makes you think you're in a position to do that? And more to the point, why do you assume that politicians are better than the average American? I'd argue that they are actually worse. I reckon that my housekeeper would take the job of governing far more seriously and show far more common sense than a politician.
Even more sadly is I can think of no rational practical way to address this problem, period.
What does keeping it in mind for the next election do? When the election rolls around you basically have the choice between an asshole owned by the corporate lobbyists and another asshole owned by the same corporate lobbyists but who doesn't mind if gay people get married and women have abortions. Neither is going to fix this shit.
The only way this changes is if the election system changes to instant-runoff or another system that breaks down the two-party system, but guess how popular that idea is with the people whom the current system put into power?