General Discussion

brooklynite

(94,331 posts)

39. No, it doesn't

Wed Oct 1, 2014, 01:57 PM

Oct 2014

Because, unless you're going to start from scratch in new territory, you have an existing community with existing issues that need to be addressed. Imposing a multi-layered direct democracy assembly structure and THEN figuring out how it works is guaranteed to let a lot of important issues fall through the cracks in the meantime.

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Why not start direct democracy cities? [View all] True Blue Door Oct 2014 OP

Because Democracy means 500 million different things to 300 million citizens? randome Oct 2014 #1

That's kind of the point. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #2

Buying land, setting up infrastructure, all that costs money. randome Oct 2014 #3

I wasn't proposing working against the system. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #9

Sounds a lot like political messaging to me. Which is a good thing. randome Oct 2014 #11

Indeed, Occupy is the inspiration for the idea. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #16

That's a good idea, but where does the money come from MineralMan Oct 2014 #4

There are any number of ways. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #10

OK. Then I suggest you get started on this project. MineralMan Oct 2014 #14

Sorry, I'm poor. No property for me. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #17

Herding cats would be easier...nt greytdemocrat Oct 2014 #5

A new political party may be birthed: the Demo-cat-ic Party! randome Oct 2014 #6

Only if it fell victim to the counterculture BS I mentioned. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #12

people had to go back to school and it got cold outside snooper2 Oct 2014 #7

Heh, yeah that's pretty much the long and short of it. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #13

And the new iPhone came out nt Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #19

I don't think these experiments work out very well. DemocratSinceBirth Oct 2014 #8

Athens worked exceedingly well, for a while. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #15

I'm not sure I saw your definition of "direct democracy" anywhere in that word salad Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #18

I don't see how a literate adult could see it as "word salad". True Blue Door Oct 2014 #20

You have some writing skills, I'll grant you that. Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #22

Direct democracy: Open assemblies of citizens regularly debating and voting. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #24

That is clear as mud, and I am unfamiliar with the laws that currently forbid assembly. Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #25

There are no such laws. That's the point. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #26

I suspect you want people forcibly assembled. Dreamer Tatum Oct 2014 #27

Of course not. I want them to understand the value of the option. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #28

Isn't that called a ballot initiative tabbycat31 Oct 2014 #21

They're a start, certainly. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #23

Current human nature makes that sort of model difficult. NuclearDem Oct 2014 #29

As I note, we can experiment with different formulations. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #31

You may not be aware of this, but such a system already exists MineralMan Oct 2014 #30

Ah, thanks. I was only vaguely aware of it. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #32

You may be missing my point. MineralMan Oct 2014 #33

In more complex cities, it could function as a branch of government True Blue Door Oct 2014 #35

I am almost certain that a system like you describe will MineralMan Oct 2014 #36

Your analogy between direct democracy and participation in representative democracy True Blue Door Oct 2014 #38

But we do have experience with "assembly democracy." MineralMan Oct 2014 #41

If you know for certain that communities changed, how many? True Blue Door Oct 2014 #46

I don't have those numbers. You'll have to look them up yourself. MineralMan Oct 2014 #48

I wouldn't know where to look, and I suspect neither do you. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #49

How many people can participate in Direct Democracy...and how many want to? brooklynite Oct 2014 #34

The "how" comes after the decision to do it, not before. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #37

No, it doesn't brooklynite Oct 2014 #39

"Multi-layered"? That isn't what I said at all. It's as flat as a pancake. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #43

Not true NobodyHere Oct 2014 #42

No, it's like being born and THEN deciding what your career is going to be. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #44

Of all forms of govt I am aware of..... NCTraveler Oct 2014 #40

I don't think representation is mutually exclusive with direct democracy. True Blue Door Oct 2014 #45

Direct democracy never works tuhaybey Oct 2014 #47

How many words you just used are derived from the language of the Athenian Greeks? True Blue Door Oct 2014 #50

You aren't countering anything I said tuhaybey Oct 2014 #52

Take over an abandoned military base. hunter Oct 2014 #51

Or resort. KamaAina Oct 2014 #53