EnclosureUSA.com presents a small portion of the text taken from my book Cap-Com, The Economics Of Balance, 1995 -- Reviewing the historical phenomenon of enclosure is essential to understanding the nature of our latter-day "free market" capitalism with its gross and growing imbalance of power between capital and labor, and the socio-economic impotence of the vast wage-laboring majority.

Ten Steps for Radical Revolution in USA

by Bill Quigley / January 23rd, 2012

1. Human rights must be taken absolutely seriously. Every single person is entitled to dignity and human rights. No application needed. No exclusions at all. This is our highest priority.

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The League of Women Voters of South Carolina recently screened "Patriocracy," a new film by Brian Malone, who attended the screening and participated in a question and answer event afterward. The film focuses on the question of whether the US political system is broken because politics have become too partisan and the unwillingness of polarized groups to compromise. My primary motivation in writing this review stems from roughly 60-second segment of the 60-minute film that featured Americans Elect COO Elliot Ackerman making the familiar and discredited argument that if we can bank and shop online we can vote online. If one were doing a film about cures for cancer, and time were given to someone explaining theories of the arrangement of crystals around the patient, the science would be called into question. If one were doing a film about nuclear energy and time were given to someone explaining that the answer lay in extending the half life of uranium by a factor of four to six, the science would be called into question. If one were doing a film about the possible evils of the Citizens United decision of SCOTUS, and time were given to someone discussing how to have the House of Representatives solve the problem by passing a law, then the legal judgement would be called into question, and the judgement of the filmmaker would be called into question in permitting a bogus argument like that to be included in what was purported to be a legitimate film.

Capitalism is not dead. But it is severely ill and its chronic contagion is spreading through the economic and social fibres of the world. However, it can be saved and resurrected, but only at the cost of a massive transfusion of blood, sweat, suffering and destruction. Such is the nature of a system based on competition and where material profit is the over-riding priority.

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"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." -- James Madison, 1788

As the USA is destroyed from within, exactly as the original founders of the country warned, it is important to announce that some of its citizens did protest. Most citizens DID NOT protest, being too ignorant and preoccupied to even know there was a problem, exactly as the usurpers had planned. The struggle to maintain their own everyday comfort is the only thing most Americans can see as they are sold into slavery by their own so-called representatives and public servants.

It's not just me noticing. Others have foreseen this woeful turn of events:

"If ye love wealth greater than liberty, the tranquility of servitude greater than the animating contest for freedom, go home from us in peace. We seek not your counsel, nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you; and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." -- Samuel Adams

"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests." -- Patrick Henry

"The means of defense against foreign danger historically have become the instruments of tyranny at home." -- James Madison

"If ever time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in Government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin." -- Samuel Adams

"It is the duty of the patriot to protect his country from its government." -- Thomas Paine

Nine out of ten times the first objection that people make to direct democracy is the possibility of ending up with demagogues whipping their fellow citizens up to all kinds of ridiculous things. "Look at Hitler," they say, which is interesting, because while Hitler never came in remote contact with direct democracy, he'd be something of a poster boy for how electoral systems can work in favour of demagogues.

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Republicans during Tuesday's New Hampshire primary will use a technology recognizable to Washington and Lincoln to make their choices Posted at Scientific American: Voters in the recent Iowa caucuses and Tuesday's New Hampshire primary will rely on paper ballots as they have for generations. In the very next primary on January 21, South Carolinians will vote with backlit touch-screen computers. In an age of electronic banking and online college degrees, why hasn't the rest of the nation gone the way of the Palmetto State? The reason is simple and resonates with the contentious debate that has yet to be resolved after at least 15 years of wrangling over the issue of electronic voting. No one has yet figured out a straightforward method of ensuring that one of the most revered democratic institutions—in this case, electing a U.S. president—can be double checked for fraud, particularly when paperless e-voting systems are used. Voters can cast their ballot in a variety of ways, depending upon the method adopted by their election district. This includes paper ballots, punch cards, two different types of touch-screen electronic voting system (one that prints out a receipt verifying your vote and one that does not), optical scanners used to digitize paper ballots, or some combination of these. New Hampshire, like nearly two-thirds of the country, has a paper ballot system that voters mark up and turn in to election officials who count the ballots either by electrical scanners or by hand. With the optical-scan approach, if the ballot is not filled out properly or is unreadable, the scanner will not accept the vote and the voter can fix his or her ballot before leaving the polling place, Dill says.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -

Maybe the best person to take on issue number one -- the economy -- should be an economist?

At least, that's the thought of Laurence Kotlikoff, an economics professor at Boston University. He's planning on throwing his hat in the ring next week, announcing he's running for president as a third-party candidate.

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By Ethan Martin

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Jan 3, 2011

Dear Friend of the Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy:

Why Uruguay?

By now, you may have seen our invitation to join us from Nov. 14-16 in Montevideo, Uruguay for the 2012 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy. Yes, it is a very long trip, for most everyone involved in the global forum process. And yes, it is a small country. But we think it is a visit that you should make.

Uruguay has one of the world’s oldest systems of direct democracy, with early roots in the 19^th century and a full constitutional provision for direct democracy since 1936. And its example has become relevant, as Latin America’s leading model and practitioner of direct democracy.

Over the past 20 years, Latin America has thrown off the vestiges of military rules and experienced a wave of constitutional reform to cement democratic gains. In virtually every country, constitutional reform has included the introduction of initiative, referendum and other modern direct democracy mechanisms. Citizens in Bolivia, Peru and Colombia have used them robustly.

But even as these tools have been added to constitutions, citizens have been unable to use them in many countries, because of a lack of democratic infrastructure. In some countries, the executive branch has used the tools to consolidate control and limit the power of citizens. 

As Latin American citizens fight to win control of such tools, they have looked to Uruguay, where citizens have utilized the tools both locally and nationally on key issues, from treaties to pensions.

But Uruguay’s case also has cautions. The country has high hurdles for citizens’ initiatives: 10 percent of the citizenry for proposals to change the constitution and 25 percent of the citizenry to roll back laws. Its three-step referendum process is among the most complicated and onerous in the world. Uruguay’s example also shows how having the right to initiative is not enough; while Uruguay’s constitution recognizes a popular initiative for lawmaking, other constitutional provisions and political practice in the country have blocked the application of this tool.

This reality has sparked a lively debate in the country about how to reform direct democracy. That debate has echoed the global discussion of how to create tools that empower the vast majority of people – the “99 percent” in recent parlance – without being 1 percent. That is a debate being had in California and Germany and South Korea and everywhere around the world. But it is particularly immediate in Uruguay, and in Latin America.

This global forum will allows participants to observe and enter that debate, as the forum includes a meeting of hundreds of political scientists from across Latin America. At the same time, the forum will include reports on direct democracy developments on five other continents, as well as election officials from around the world who are expected to join us.

Also, we’ll hear follow-ups on work that began in the three previous forums -- in Aarau in 2008, in Seoul in 2009, and in San Francisco in 2010. These include the development of best practices for modern direct democracy and a new and improved “Navigator to Modern Direct Democracy” tool for data collection and analysis.

We look forward to seeing you this November in Uruguay—the center of the direct democratic world!

Sincerely,

Joe Mathews                                           Bruno Kaufmann

Co-presidents, Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

P.S. For those who arrive early, a two-day briefing tour of Uruguayan direct democracy is planned for Nov. 12-13. And outings are also being designed for Saturday, Nov. 17. More details to follow.

 

 

When it comes to elections, what does California do well? What could California do better? How have we led, and how have we perhaps lagged behind? These are questions that a diverse group of individuals and organizations asked themselves and one another over the course of three months, with an aim to envision the future of California's elections. Download the Roadmap for Future California Elections (pdf) It turned out to be an extraordinary conversation and a process which could very well serve as a model for other states as well. One driving force in the process was the convening organization, the James Irvine Foundation, which has long worked on issues of importance to Californians. The participants included a diverse range of representatives with a concern for voters and not-yet voters, for elections and how they function, and for California's democracy.

Even though some are predicting the end of the world in 2012, there is a possibility it could turn out better than 2011 (a low bar). Many people who are not part of the political class continue to advance civilization and make things better for us — like the late Steve Jobs.

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What has Occupy Wall Street accomplished? Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Ted Deutch introduced a constitutional amendment to revoke corporate personhood. What's corporate personhood? Unbelievably, our federal court system decided that corporations have the same rights as people. They can own property, make TV commercials, and spend vast amounts of money buying politicians and elections. Despite the fact that corporations are people who do not eat, sleep, die, pay a fair share of taxes or get drafted in time of war. Revoke corporate personhood.

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The White House released the following press release yesterday, December 21, 2011.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
December 21, 2011

Statement by the Press Secretary on Syria

The United States continues to believe that the only way to bring about the change that the Syrian people deserve is for Bashar al-Assad to leave power.  The words of the Assad regime have no credibility when they continue to be followed by outrageous and deplorable actions.  Only two days following the Assad regime’s decision to sign the Arab League initiative, they have already flagrantly violated their commitment to end violence and withdraw security forces from residential areas.  The United States is deeply disturbed by credible reports that the Assad regime continues to indiscriminately kill scores of civilians and army defectors, while destroying homes and shops and arresting protesters without due process.  While Syrian security forces have also taken casualties, the overwhelming majority of the violence and loss of life in Syria stems from the actions of the Assad regime, and we call on all parties to put an end to violence.

Time and again, the Assad regime has demonstrated that it does not deserve to rule Syria.  It’s time for this suffering and killing to stop. It’s time for the immediate and full implementation of all terms of the Arab League agreement, including the full withdrawal of security forces, the release of political prisoners, and unfettered access by monitors and international media to all parts of Syria.  It’s time for the Syrian people to have the universal rights that they deserve.  The Assad regime is already facing growing isolation and sanctions that are choking off its resources.  We urge Syria’s few remaining supporters in the international community to warn Damascus that if the Arab League initiative is once again not fully implemented, the international community will take additional steps to pressure the Assad regime to stop its crackdown.  Bashar al-Assad should have no doubt that the world is watching, and neither the international community nor the Syrian people accept his legitimacy.

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The People released the following press release today, December 22, 2011.

Body of the Republic
For Immediate Release
December 22, 2011

Statement by the People on the USA

The United States continues to believe that the only way to bring about the change that the American people deserve is for Barack Obama to leave power.  The words of the Obama regime have no credibility when they continue to be followed by outrageous and deplorable actions.  Only a few days following the Obama regime’s decision to sign the National Defense Authorization Act, they have already flagrantly violated their commitment to defend the Constitution and withdraw from chipping away at citizens' rights.  The United States is deeply disturbed by credible reports that the Obama regime continues to indiscriminately arrest scores of civilians and army defectors, while ignoring constitutional rights and arresting protesters without due process.  While police security forces have also taken criticism, the overwhelming majority of the violence and loss of freedoms in America stems from the actions of the Obama regime, and we call on all parties to put an end to this treason.

Time and again, the Obama regime has demonstrated that it does not deserve to rule America.  It’s time for this deception and manipulation to stop. It’s time for the immediate and full implementation of all the terms of the Bill of Rights, including the full withdrawal of militarized police forces from our soil, the release of political prisoners, and unfettered access by citizen monitors and media to all parts of American government.  It’s time for the American people to have the universal rights that they deserve.  The Obama regime is already facing growing isolation and resistance that are choking off its deceitful and unlawful behavior.  We urge America’s few remaining supporters in the international community to warn Washington that if the United States Constitution is once again not fully implemented, the international community will take additional steps to pressure the Obama regime to stop its crackdown.  Barack Obama should have no doubt that the world is watching, and that neither the international community nor the American people accept his legitimacy.

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By Mark Hand

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­After a tumultuous 2011 in which many of the trends we had forecast became headline news around the world, we are now forewarning of an even more tumultuous year to come.

While it would give us great pleasure to forecast a 2012 of joy and prosperity – all brought about by the wisdom and benevolence of our fearless leaders – since we are not running for office or looking to profit by gulling the people, we tell it as we see it in our 12 Top Trends 2012.

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December 13, 2011

I just started reading the book Tesla – Man Out of Time.  I'm not even finished with chapter 2, but what I have read has triggered a eureka moment in my mind.  I think I know how Tesla did it.

A number of things from my background just came together while in the shower this morning.  One is a very brief lesson on LC circuits from Physics 102 in college, with the honorable A. A. Bartlett lecturing.  As with most things I "learned" in school, I didn't really understand the basic concept.  That would come decades later while repairing a turn signal flasher unit from my old Datsun Sentra.  I was too cheap to pay the price for a new one, so I pulled out the sealed metal canister, figured out how to open it up, and examined its contents.  There was almost nothing in there!  It certainly didn't justify the $20 price I was being quoted for a new one.  It contained a capacitor, an induction coil, and some contact points that were opened and closed by the induction coil.  The light bulb went off, and I realized I was looking at an LC circuit that resonated at the frequency of the flashing turn signals of the car (about 1 cycle per second).

A few days ago, I watched a 45 minute video lecture by Iranian physicist Keshe.  His novel explanation of the interaction of matter/energy fields to produce light and gravity stuck in my mind.

One of the demonstrations Tesla did (that has never been repeated, because no one knows how), was to fill a darkened auditorium with light than had no visible source.  There were two large metal plates on either side of the auditorium, but other than that, there was no explanation for the light.

Naturally, in the shower, these three things came to together.  The magnetic field of the Earth itself resonates at around 8 Hertz.  This means that our planet is a resonator, an LC circuit.  It "flashes" 8 times per second, if only you have the eyes to see it.  That oscillating magnetic field creates an oscillating electric current in the earth via induction.  (I remember that this concept of magnetic/electrical induction was nicely demonstrated to my high school physics class by teacher Dan Myers in 1972.)  And that means our planet is an enormous AC generator.  In fact, I believe the AC dynamo that Tesla invented, which produces the alternating current delivered to our homes all over the world, is nothing more than a simple electric/magnetic model of our planet.

Many of Tesla's experiments and demonstrations incorporated this "free energy" from the planet.  In other words, the circuitry of the Earth was typically included as part of the circuit that Tesla designed.  The Earth was often the "battery", the power source, for the circuit.  Not only could Tesla interact with the AC current of the planet, he could also interact with the alternating magnetic fields of the planet that are everywhere around us!  As Keshe pointed out, the interaction of energy fields can produce light!  Tesla knew this over 100 years ago, and demonstrated it repeatedly to dumbfounded audiences.  The energy is everywhere, free for the taking, and it cannot be "owned" or "metered".  This realization is what prompted J. P. Morgan to turn from enthusiastic financier of Tesla to enthusiastic destroyer of Tesla.

Disclaimer:  I do not now nor have I ever had thoughts of committing suicide.  If I'm "taken out", you can figure out why.
 

Connect the dots and a hidden picture will appear!


Dot #1:   The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the land.

Dot #2:   The Constitution cannot be overridden by the Congress or the President.  Only the People can change the Constitution (requires approval by 75% of the individual States).

Dot #3:   The National Defense Authorization Act, overwhelmingly passed by Congress and signed by the President, violates the Constitution, specifically:

• 5th Amendment:  "No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law"


• 6th Amendment:  The right to a speedy and public trial


• 7th Amendment:  The right of trial by jury

Dot #4:   Any laws passed by Congress or signed by the President that violate the law of the Constitution are null and void.

Dot #5:   All members of Congress, and the President, are required to swear a solemn oath to uphold and defend the Constitution.  Deliberately breaking that oath is an act of treason, punishable by removal from office and even death.

Dot #6:   93 Senators, 322 Representatives in the House, and 1 President all deliberately violated their oath of office by pushing through the National Defense Authorization Act.


Get the picture?

I recently attended the daily general assembly meeting of Occupy Albany. These meetings, led by a team of skilled facilitators, occur at 5:30 p.m. There was noisy, rush hour traffic. It was cold, dark and raining.

And yet, despite an environment less than conducive to a productive meeting, what I experienced in the next hour was both inspiring and fun. It got me reflecting on how we might all benefit from the broader use of some of the consensus building and direct democracy techniques employed in the Occupy movement across the country.

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National Initiative for Democracy Newsletter

Greetings. It's been awhile since our last newsletter, but "direct" democracy is doing better than ever, thanks to the Occupy movement, which regards it as both a goal and a strategy. See this video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dtD8RnGaRQ Please tell Occupy folks that the National Initiative is the most "shovel-ready" and practical plan for direct democracy in the USA. Most of them don't know about us, yet!

Our fearless leader, famed former Senator Mike Gravel, gave his best interview ever three weeks ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sddgNfGWVTU&feature=youtube_gdata

One problem that the National Initiative has is that it's abstract: It doesn't (directly) feed people, save a species or stop perpetual war and debt. So Mike Gravel is leading a project using existing state initiatives to create an independent Citizens 9/11 Commission: http://9-11cc.org/ Please donate: the Presidential election year 2012 is the best time for ballot initiatives and the attention they bring to the potential of national initiatives.

If 9/11 Truth isn't your cup of tea, you can donate to the National Initiative film or other projects at: http://demofound.org/donate.htm Ask others to donate before 12/31 to make it tax-deductible this year.

I got the National Conference of State Legislatures to enhance its Ballot Measures Database with an "Any" year option. Now it's easy to research the history of initiatives and referenda. NCSL's Jennie Bowser recommends using "text search" and setting "topic area" to "Any" for most specific research: http://www.ncsl.org/LegislaturesElections/ElectionsCampaigns/BallotMeasuresDatabase/tabid/16580/Default.aspx

http://Ballotpedia.org has become a great resource. Being a wiki like Wikipedia, YOU can help edit it, if you register. "Ballotpedia is compiling information on every ballot measure for every year, state and topic in U.S. history." They also cover representative government on the state level.

DVDs are available of the entire 5-day 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy, featuring Ralph Nader, George Lakoff, Tom Hayden, Mike Gravel, Ward Connerly, Grover Norquist and many others: http://ni4d.us/en/global-forum-ordering

After 22 years of promoting direct democracy, here is my best "elevator pitch," which you are welcome to use to convince others:

Ballot initiatives are the origin of most reforms, recently including publicly financed elections (passed by initiative in 7 of 8 states with such "clean" elections), medical marijuana (in 10 of 16 states with it), term limits (in 14 of 15 states with them) and increasing minimum wages (in all 6 states that tried in 2006). See http://Vote.org/initiatives for references and more examples. The media have focused on the few problem initiatives in order to please politicians, who resent sharing power with the people, and who keep the initiative process difficult for us. (It's easy for the wealthy, who also control politicians.) The most fundamental reform is NATIONAL ballot initiatives with improvements like Oregon is now using: http://HealthyDemocracyOregon.org The best project is led by famed former Senator Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org

TIME Person of the Year and NI4D endorser Coleen Rowley is seeking volunteers to help conduct a symbolic referendum at the Jan. 3 Iowa and Jan. 9 New Hampshire caucuses asking "Democracy or Empire?" This is inspired by Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis' quote, "We can either have democracy in this country or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both."

If you can help in Iowa, contact Coleen or Ross Rowley at 952 465-2866. If you can help in New Hampshire contact Ed Helm at edwardhelm@gmail.com. If you want to conduct a similar poll in your caucus state, contact either.

Have a good holiday season and don't despair: Democracy is coming to the USA!: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU-RuR-qO4Y

Subscribe to our planet syndication feed.

Join our mailing lists.

Please reply to this newsletter with any questions or news submissions.

Thank you for your support!

Evan Ravitz
Democracy Foundation Volunteer

Oh Liberty, Liberty, wherefore art thou?

We're going to have to do it again.  The answer to 1984 is 1776.

It's going to take a revolt, and the government knows it.  It is already preparing for war against us.

With the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act by a vote of 93-7, we as a nation have no choice but to recognize the illegitimacy of our own government.  The act permits any citizen of our country to be dragged from his home by force and imprisoned for any length of time without being charged with a crime and without recourse to a trial by a jury of his peers.  This is in direct violation of the principles laid out in the United States Constitution, which is the highest law of the land.  That means the 93 Senators that voted for this legislation are traitors to our nation.  They have deliberately and willfully violated their oath of office requiring them to "support and defend the Constitution".  They have deliberately chosen to become the enemy of the People.  They have essentially sold us out for a few pieces of silver.

The House of Representatives also passed this legislation earlier, so that legislative body is also infested with traitors.  The President of the United States will soon be giving his stamp of approval to this legislation by signing it into law.  He too will be violating his oath of office to support and defend the Constitution, which will place him squarely in the camp of the traitors.  The Justices of the Supreme Court will take no action to strike down this blatantly unconstitutional law, violating their oath of office as well.  So you see, our government is of one mind on this matter, having been quietly undermined over the past decades by evil men of sociopathic character that feel no empathy for others.  Instead of clearly representing our interests, the government now clearly oppresses us.

The last time a government clearly oppressed the People of America, a small band of patriots, laying their fortunes and lives on the line, with many of them losing both, issued a Declaration of Independence stating:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."

Foolishness? Explain away this.

Absurd? See this.
 

I'm pleased to announce that the next Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy has been scheduled for November 14-16, 2012, in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Please watch this site for more details on the gathering, the first global forum in South America. Uruguay is a global leader in direct democracy, with a rich tradition of referendum that dates back to a visit its first president made to Switzerland in the late 19th century.

We hope you can begin to make plans now to join us at the global forum.

-- Joe Mathews, co-president, 2010 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

 

 

An article in a Japanese newspaper today opens with, "Radioactive xenon-133 some 400,000 times normal levels was detected in the atmosphere here immediately after the outbreak of the crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant, a radiation survey organization said."

400,000 times normal levels! Yeah, but don't worry. That was way back in March, almost nine months ago. Yes, we know, we could have told you earlier. But we needed to monitor the situation so that we could give you the good news.

The article continues: "It took three months before the volume of radioactive substances returned to normal levels." You see? Be happy! Yes, we know we could have told you this six months ago, but we've been rather busy.

Wait a minute.

I seriously doubt "normal levels" were ever obtained, as normal levels of radioactive Xenon-133 are very close to zero. Xenon-133 has a half-life of 5.25 days. It is true that a one-time release of Xenon-133 will almost vanish within 90 days (only .00075% of the original amount will remain). However, given that we have three active nuclear melt-downs in Fukushima, and that radioactive Iodine-133 (half-life 20.8 hours) is being released continuously by these reactions, and that Iodine-133 decays into Xenon-133, well, I smell stinking liars.

The article finishes with this, "Since xenon-133 hardly reacts to any other substance, there is no fear of internal exposure to radiation even if inhaled, experts say."

Xenon is a noble gas, meaning it is chemically non-reactive. But this is Xenon-133, an unstable radioactive isotope that releases beta and gamma radiation. It is radioactive! The closer you are to the radiation, the more damage it does to your tissues and DNA. If you inhale it, you just got intimate with it, meaning you can't get any closer.

"No fear of internal exposure to radiation even if inhaled" ???

I think my sense of smell was right.



No fear of internal exposure to radiation
even if inhaled.

In light of recent political events such as the Occupy Wall Street and Tea Party movements, it is more than clear that both sides of the political spectrum are just a teensy bit annoyed with our government officials.

That's a pretty big understatement.

The moment is right for some serious conversations about whether or not we should make drastic changes to our political system.

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Even as we get closer to complete economic chaos and bankruptcy induced by a corrupt system of debt-money, we still hear those in congress repeating the catechism of Fed "independence." In effect, they have pledged to maintain the independence of the privately owned "Fed" -- exactly what the great banking historian, Murray Rothbard, called "an absolute self-perpetuating oligarchy."

On November 3, Healthy Democracy presented at the 2011 Civic Engagement Conference in Salem, Oregon. HDF enjoyed an intimate conversation with the audience about the CIR, with great questions and discussion.

The event’s theme was Authentic Community Engagement: Transforming and Inspiring Oregon Communities. With this in mind, Healthy Democracy presented on the Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR).

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United States Senator Mike Gravel has launched a Citizens 9/11 Commission employing a nationwide ballot-box initiative.

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Congratulations to Phil Keisling and Norma Paulus, 2011 recipients of the Bus Project’s Legend Award.
Phil and Norma are both on the advisory committee to Healthy Democracy Oregon, and have a long history of working to improve the democratic process for Oregonians.

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By Evan O'Neil

October 19, 2011

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Welcome to HDO's Ballot Measure Round-Up! In this series, we explore the initiative process and the prospective measures that may be put to vote in the 2012 election.

Since 1902, Oregon voters have had the power to enact new laws, change existing laws, or amend the Oregon Constitution through initiatives and referendums. Any citizen, acting individually or on behalf of an organization, may sponsor initiatives.

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Last month, an international delegation of leaders in the field of direct democracy toured Western states to learn more about the ballot intiative process in the United States. Their final stop was Oregon, where they showed particular interest in learning about our innovative Citizens' Initiative Review.

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July 21st, 2011

Salem, Ore.  Governor Kitzhaber held a ceremonial signing in his office Thursday for House Bill 2634, the bill establishing the Citizens’ Initiative Review as a new  feature of Oregon’s democratic process.  He was joined by lawmakers, as well as citizens who participated in a 2010 pilot of the Citizens’ Initiative Review, to celebrate the passage of the historic legislation.

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The free traders have devastated the first world economies and rewarded the greater slave and totalitarian capitalist powers over once more free, democratic, and independent nations. So-called "free trade" has been a disaster for human rights, democracy, the environment, domestic production and independence and national sovereignty. Its been a big win for global corporate fascism and the top one per cent...

Jim Fishkin writes about that today at the New York Times website: "Our project, known as What’s Next California?, was the first statewide deliberative poll — a poll that gathers a scientific sample of respondents to answer questions both before...

American Politicians Are Bought and Paid For

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by Dr. Robert D. Crane

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by Mike Maharrey

The Occupy *insert place here* movement could represent an incredible opportunity to advance the idea of decentralization and Constitutional restraint. It could also pose the greatest threat to liberty seen in a long time.

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The fascist capitalist class is indeed seriously threatened today, and justifiably so. A well-deserved worldwide uprising against the debt-money banksters and their criminal enterprise is now on-going, and only the resolution of the "economic question" remains in doubt at this juncture. We, the people, have been here before in this classic struggle between labor and capital, between democracy and corporate fascism, an

“Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real. What if you were unable to wake from that dream. How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-n0hKTizFwY

I awoke from a dream this morning. The dream was rife with complex texture, vivid visuals, rich personal experience, and deep meaning. It was more real than my waking world.

It was more real than my waking world ?!!

"Ironically, this is not far from the truth.”

I was part of another matrix for nearly 50 years. I believed what I saw on television, what I read in newspapers, and what others told me. Not all of it, mind you. I thought I could tell the difference between truth and untruth. I was wrong, but I didn’t know it. I was taught history in school, unaware that most history was lost, and the rest had been rewritten. I was taught religion in church, unaware of the control grid that was designed to funnel my spirit. I was taught politics and patriotism, unaware of the con-game being imposed on me. Everything was in place to shape me, mold me, fold me, any way you want me.

Something happened over time, an entire series of unlikely events, like a staircase in shape that led me out of that matrix. There was “The Matrix”, George Bush, 9/11, Chip Tatum, “Zeitgeist”, Phil Schneider, Ron Paul, and other prods and pokes that eventually opened my eyes. I learned to question everything I knew, and I realized that I had to live totally within the realm of uncertainty.

How deep does the rabbit hole go? Is there another matrix, where reality itself is an illusion? Where solid matter is mostly empty space? Where the laws of physics are the dimensions of our self-made prison? Where life itself is a funny joke, and that amusement is the purpose of existence?

I miss my dream.

Michael Efler is the spokesperson for 'Mehr Demokratie,' an initiative calling for more referenda and a better electoral law on the German and European level. He also says Western systems can learn from the Arab World.

I just received this press release. So it looks like I may not have to wait to get a better feel for what is going on. The protest is right by South Station so I’m thinking about taking the train. Boston has about the worst parking situation in the country, but nothing in downtown is really very far from anything else.

I ended up not being able to make it, but I did get a report, which I may post later.

“OCCUPY WALL STREET” INSPIRES PROTESTS IN BOSTON

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A forced, undemocratic "free trade" scheme promoting globalization of markets, cultures, and economies, is a disaster. It's a disaster for freedom and balance, the most important of values and economic states. What we have today is a lock-step "interdependency" ruin and forced austerity generating global depression, as opposed to nations freely being in different stages of development and progress or recession.

An article in the Wall Street Journal -- Candidates Figure What Voters Need From Them Is A Good Dressing Down -- gives us hope today for the end of sartorial madness and the tired old suit and tie routine. When politicians begin to break free of their suits of armor you know change is in the wind. Of course, Max Comfort, has known this for some time. He is the author of FreeDress For Success -- A Businessman's Guide T

Wieland, Or The Transformation:
An American Tale by Charles Brockden Brown

I Hear Voices … Two Centuries Old

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Class warfare -- whose class are you on? Nobless oblige has gone to hell. What we have today is a ruthless ruling class setting up their global corporate gulag, profiting from endless wars and creating the gretest enclosure and surveillance state. This is the greatest advance of ruling class fascism since Hitler and mussolini. So that's your ruling class, and they are absolutely without any real class.

In the next month, viewers online and in California can view the PBS By the People broadcast of the first ever statewide Deliberative Poll on California governance reform, conducted in Torrance, CA on June 24-26, 2011. Moderated by Judy Woodruff,...

No greater proof of the Potemkin village media information cage we are forced to occupy exists then the absence of any real discussion of the 9-11 neo-con coup d'etat and the seminal issue of private central bank debt-money -- i.e., a privatized money monopoly crisis now reaching the point of insuring our bankruptcy and rape of our national assets by the banksters as we now see happening around the world.

To the Editor:

The elections of fall 2010 have long been over, and the new members of Congress have been in their seats since January. Nevertheless, it still appears that there are openly hostile relations between various members of Congress and the two political parties as a whole. This comes at the expense of the great citizens of this fine country, who want and need to be more involved with the decision making of our nation, above and beyond merely voting for those who will make all of the decisions, which is very little power indeed.

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"I get asked all the time why Washington allowed the 9-11 attack to happen, because that's what they did. They allowed it to happen, 9-11 was the outcome of a shadow policy of "deliberate avoidance.' Senior officials got warned over and over what was coming by numerous highly knowledgeable sources... In the aftermath, it's obvious that 9-11 provided the vehicle for war with Iraq. Everyone can see that."

No matter how much debt-money we throw at the problems caused by free trade and debt-money, the problem continues to worsen because we have further to fall, and we are being forced to fall further due to the undemocratic banking and trade regimes we suffer under. For some perspective on "free trade" I include a portion of my chapter on Growthism and Free Trade from CAP-Com, The Economics Of Balance, written in 1995

An Actionable Plan for 9/11 Truth

Like many Oregonians, we learned today of the passing of House Co-Speaker Arnie Roblan's son. We're very sorry to hear of such a loss to a great leader in our state. We at Healthy Democracy Oregon wish to express our deepest condolences to his family.

Oregonlive has more information, including where one should send cards for the family.

Dear friends, scholars, practitioners of direct democracy,

We are writing to invite you to two events on Sept. 21 in San Francisco – and to encourage you to RSVP now as space is limited.

Both events are free and focus on challenges to California direct democracy

1. The first is an evening event – free and open to the public – put together by Zocalo Public Square (www.zocalopublicsquare), a non-profit that connects people to ideas and each other. Other sponsors are the New America Foundation and Stanford’s Bill Lane Center for the American West.

The event’s title is “How Do We Put the People Back In the Initiative Process?” and will include experts in petition circulation, global direct democracy, California’s voting processes, and the biological factors that influence political participation. It takes place at 7:30 p.m. at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco, and will run for a little over an hour. The event is followed by a reception—open to all—at which drinks will be served. An exhibition on Swiss and California direct democracy will debut at this event. While the event is free, it is important that you RSVP by making a reservation at http://www.zocalopublicsquare.org/upcoming.php?event_id=483 so that Zocalo will have enough seats, and drinks, for all attendees

2.     The second event takes places on the same day – Sept. 21 – during the afternoon, 1 to 5 p.m., at the St. Francis Yacht Club (about a quarter-mile walk from the Fort Mason Center). Lunch will be served at 1.

This event – entitled “California Direct Democracy: The Next 60 Years” -- will focus specifically on ways to use deliberative processes, technology and social media. Among the confirmed presenters are Jim Fishkin of the Center for Deliberative Democracy at Stanford; Jude Barry of the electronic signature firm Verafirma; and Salvor Nordal, who leads the current constitutional convention in Iceland. The format will be an open roundtable discussion in which all attendees will participate.

Space is limited for this discussion. So if you are interested, please contact Joe Mathews directly at joe@joemathews.com (note only one “t” in mathews) to express your interest, and include an explanation of what you intend to add to the discussion.

We hope to see you in San Francisco on Sept. 21.

With best wishes,

Joe Mathews and Bruno Kaufmann

Co-presidents, Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy

P.S. Attention Oregon: For those of you in or near Portland, or who might find yourself there, on September 26, there is a free, public daylong event at Lewis & Clark. The afternoon and evening events – including a 4 p.m. conversation with Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown, and a 7 p.m. panel discussion on Oregon direct democracy -- are open to the public. The morning and lunchtime events are by invitation; if you’d like an invitation, please get in touch. Details are at: https://www.lclark.edu/about/leadership/provost/direc.php

 

 

Should California’s initiative process be improved? Sure. There are plenty of good ideas worth considering. Financial backers of proposed measures could be identified more quickly and thoroughly. More thorough vetting of proposals might lead to fewer surprises or legal reversals after adoption. Safeguards that guarantee a more neutral approach to the crafting of ballot language make sense.

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On June 24-26, 2011 a scientifically selected random sample of 412 registered voters from throughout California participated in the first ever statewide Deliberative Poll on governance reform, in Torrance, CA. They convened for an open and honest discussion of a...

Dear Editor

The elections of fall 2010 have long been over, and the new members of Congress have been in their seats since January. Nevertheless, it still appears that there are openly hostile relations between various members of Congress and the two political parties as a whole. This comes at the expense of the great citizens of this fine country, who want and need to be more involved with the decision making of our nation, above and beyond merely voting for those who will make all of the decisions, which is very little power indeed.

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Having studied the banking question and history in depth and also put up a web site to educate people on this question -- PublicCentralBank.com -- there are a number of books on this seminal subject worthy of our attention. A recent addition to the list of must read books on banking is Bill Still's No More National Debt. Still is also the producer of the excellent and acclaimed documentary, The Secret of Oz.

Recently, Bill Gross, who runs the world's biggest bond fund, said the U.S. should consider "full nationalization' of the mortgage-finance system. Clearly more people are realizing the predatory idiocy of "our" housing finance system cannot go on if we are to have a stable and fair consumer-based economy.

Viewpoints: Celebrate our initiative process by improving its transparency

By Kim Alexander
Special to The Bee

As the 2011 election cycle heats up, there are renewed calls to rein in the initiative process. Now 100 years old in some states, citizen initiatives have had enormous impact across the United States. This form of direct democracy has tackled everything from tax cuts to prohibition, the eight-hour work day and abortion rights. But critics contend it’s been hijacked by big-money special interest groups.

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A former U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential candidate says the U.S. Congress is dysfunctional. Mike Gravel says the dysfunctionality is something that has been with the American people for a long long time.

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With the success of Citizens Initiative Review panels in Oregon, a Massachusetts resident, Mr. Stephen Verbeek, is inspired to push for a similar initiative-process reform in Massachusetts. Please contact stephenverbeek@hotmail.com if you are interested in assisting him with this admirable work.

 

Direct democracy online

This is in reference to “Voter ID laws hurting our democracy.” In ancient Greece there was direct democracy. All the people of Athens gathered into the great hall and voted on issues before them. As countries grew from small city-states into massive entities this sort of direct democracy became impossible.

 

The Internet has now brought us full circle.

 

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California’s experiment in direct democracy – where citizens pass laws by voting on initiatives and referendums, sidestepping the legislature entirely – is facing three new reforms.

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Although it seemed unlikely, Audrey was my friend.

You see, Audrey was practically quadriplegic, old, gray, swollen, bent, and beaten down from the ravages of her own immune system that was slowly dismantling her nervous system.  Audrey was living with MS - Multiple Sclerosis.  She had a little movement remaining in her left hand (the only limb she could move) and could control the joystick of her wheelchair and thus cruise the halls of her nursing home.  Her mind was still sharp, and she became the voice for many of the other residents who were not as fortunate as she.

Imagine not being as fortunate as Audrey.

Audrey rarely complained despite the pain she endured, and it was her humor and smile that was most visible.  She was fond of pointing out the certificate on her wall that read, "Good for one free visit" and signed by Jack Kevorkian (the doctor known for helping the terminally ill commit suicide).

During one of our many enjoyable conversations, she suddenly changed the subject and asked, "You know what I miss the most, being in this condition?"  My mind whirled at all the possible answers - could it be loss of independence and mobility, using a bathroom rather than submitting to the humiliation of having someone change your diaper, being able to taste your food, sex, scratching an itch?  "What?" I finally asked, being unable to prioritize any of the possibilities.  "Being able to take a deep breath," she replied.  I was floored - the simplest thing, that anyone can do, and that everyone does without a second thought - this was what she missed the most.  My eyes were opened in that instant, and I saw how lucky I was, how lucky we all are, to be alive, to actually command our chest muscles to move and fill our lungs with life-sustaining air.  How much we all take for granted!

Later that night, as I lay in bed thinking of what she had said, I took that deliberate deep breath, relished it, felt it charge my whole being, and I vowed never to forget the lesson, the gift I had been given.  Audrey died from MS, and I lost my friend, but many a night when my head hits the pillow, I take a deliberate deep breath, embrace that subtle pleasure of living, and say a quiet "Thank you, Audrey" for teaching me how little I need to be happy.

======================

Audrey Swain

We can achieve this glorious and salutary condition by taking back the monetary powers stolen from us in 1913. We can pay off the debt and be free of debt-money interest tyranny and the extortion and on-going theft of our public assets by big bank bond dealers who enjoy the exclusive, private, privilege to create "our" money and credit.

Nearly one hundred years ago, progressives succeeded in amending the Constitution of Washington State to provide for three powers of direct democracy: The initiative, the referendum, and the recall.

The purpose of establishing these three powers was not to supplant or replace our republican form of government, but rather, to give the people a way to get the gears of representative democracy turning in case they got stuck.

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Majority of 1.21 billion plus population in India have been drawn immensely, through different mediums to politics, music/film, and cricket. Among the three, politics takes a centrestage and captures mind space affecting our day-to-day lives. Politics plays a significant role in the lives of the people, ultimately deciding cost of living, price of drugs, daily wages, sensex, and stock market.

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I am pleased to present a new trailer for our Dear America documentary film.

This film will not be completed without your help. To watch the trailer and donate, please visit http://dearamericafilm.com/

Joshua Pritikin
Democracy Foundation Volunteer

By Joe Mathews

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Shyam Ponappa: The challenges of direct democracy

India must weigh the pros and cons of various approaches to direct democracy and develop one of its own

By Senator Mike Gravel

04 July, 2011
Countercurrents.org

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National Initiative for Democracy Newsletter

Welcome to the 2011Q2 edition of the National Initiative for Democracy newsletter.

We have a new way to help raise funds for The Democracy Foundation at no cost to you. Via our partnership with eScrip, you can contribute a percentage of your credit/debit card expenditures at no additional cost. For details, click here.

The recent film documenting the life of Daniel Ellsberg is now available online at no cost. Learn the fascinating details about how Mr. Ellsberg helped stop the Vietnam war.

Senator Mike Gravel published his response to the Economist Magazine's report on direct democracy in California.

We moved our NI4D-branded shop from Cafepress to Zazzle. Zazzle offers more options and lower cost than Cafepress. Order a mug, shirt, bag, sticker, button, and/or bumpersticker to raise awareness of NI4D. Order lots and give them to your friends.

Our flagship documentary, Dear America, is on hold due to lack of donations. Nicholas Holthaus, executive producer, continues to gather background material and local interviews. He is eager to arrange an east coast interview tour as soon as sufficient funds are available. I will be sending out another email as soon as the new trailer is available for your viewing pleasure.

Let us all commend the activists who commented on the following articles:

• http://helenair.com/news/opinion/editorial/article_a9e5863c-85c8-11e0-999a-001cc4c002e0.html
• http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/apr/01/lunn-done-right-elections-could-ignite-voter/

Subscribe to our planet syndication feed.

Join our mailing lists.

Please reply to this newsletter with any questions or news submissions.

Donations can be made at http://demofound.org/donate.htm

Thank you for your support!

Joshua Pritikin
Democracy Foundation Volunteer

 

 

 

BRUNO KAUFMANN

Today @ 09:23 CET

EUOBSERVER / COMMENT – Crisis, crisis, crisis. Once again political Europe is in the middle of an institutional turmoil. The possible default in Greece, bye-bye to Schengen and a European Summit with clueless leaders. And in the Guardian Martin Kettles offers the results of more than sixty years of the integration process: 'The nationalist right and the global markets have won. The internationalist social and Christian democrats have lost'.

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by James Fishkin

California has long led the nation in trying to involve the public directly in the making of laws – this year marks the 100th anniversary of California’s initiative process. Ever since that signature Progressive Era reform, the state has been the heartland of the nation’s political experimentation.

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Another seminal book of late, along with Naomi Klein's The Shock Doctrine and Ellen Brown's Web Of Debt among others, is Thom Hartmann's new second edition of Unequal Protection -- How Corporations Became People And How You Can Fight Back. It is books of this caliber and moment, this one from a well-known progressive radio host, that let us know our real social and sorry economic condition, and what we must do to escape...

This year marks the 100th anniversary of direct democracy in California, which is made up of the initiative, the referendum and the recall.  The most famous recall in recent memory is when Arnold Schwarzenegger replaced Gov. Gray Davis in 2003. Referendums are used occasionally to repeal unpopular laws the Legislature has passed.  But the initiative is the real prize, with citizen measures showing up on the ballot each election.  

 

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What is it with the nouveau rich and their must-have private planes and enormous SUV's? These too-big-to-exist conveyances maximize an individual's contribution to pollution and climate change. We, the little people, must eat their exhaust as they fly overhead in their private plane ego machines, and disembark into their eight mile per gallon limousines.

Direct democracy may not always be the best—or paradoxically even the most democratic—form of government, but sometimes it’s a great breath of fresh air. On June 12–13 Italians voted “yes” on four referendums in a resounding defeat for the Berlusconi government. It came just two weeks after the center-right was roundly voted down in municipal elections across Italy, and was a blow that even some of Berlusconi’s own colleagues think the prime minister cannot survive. But it was more than that.

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The elections of fall 2010 are over, and the new members of Congress have been in their seats since January. Nevertheless, it still appears that there are openly hostile relations between various members of Congress and the two political parties as a whole. This comes at the expense of the great citizens of this fine country, who want and need to be more involved with the decision making of our nation, above and beyond merely voting for those who will make all of the decisions, which is very little power indeed.

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Few know today that the "City" of London refers not simply to the greater city of london but instead to a banker's feifdom, a veritable Vatican of money and sovereign citadel of the banksters that rule our world. uch like the fact that many in the USA still do not know that their own "Federal" Reserve is a privately owned central bank, so too the people of Great Britain and the world are largely unaware...

I have studied direct democracy for years, but I was still unprepared to encounter at a conference last year the anger and alienation of American activists who rely heavily on California’s initiative and referendum process. They loved direct democracy, as I would have expected, but what shocked me was that this love stemmed from their total disenchantment with the institutions of representative democracy. This worried me.

This worried me a lot.

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We hear the politicians pontificate and moan today about living beyond our means, and then go on about necessary austerity and cutting valuable programs and services and infrastructure development, and reducing our wages and standard of living, etc. What means? The reason for this calamity is that we don't own the means. We are imprisoned by a private banking cartel who own the means to create money and credit.

Californians will gather for the first statewide Deliberative Poll on June 24-26, 2011 in Torrance (Los Angeles County). A randomly-selected and represenative sample of 300 people will determine what political changes the public would support, and which ones it wouild...

When your own government screws you, and forces you to compete with neo-slaves in undemocratic countries with little or no regulation or environmental standards, leading to multiple personal, social, economic and environmental injuries, then I suggest the perpetrators of these dismal schemes owe you. The damages are clearly in evidence today and measurable in jobs lost, wages and benefits reduced or eliminated, homes lost,etc

For Immediate Release

June 1, 2011



Contact: Tyrone Reitman

541-999-5088

Today the Oregon Senate took action on legislation to establish the Citizens’ Initiative Review as a permanent feature of Oregon’s initiative process. 

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A film project about the power of mass collaboration, government and the Internet. In his student flat in Colchester, Jack Howe is staring intently into his computer screen. He is picking the team for Ebbsfleet United’s FA Trophy Semi-Final match against Aldershot.

Around the world 35,000 other fans are doing the same thing, because together, they own and manage the football club. If distributed networks of people can run complex organisations such as football clubs, what else can they do?

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This film explores the historical role of the Democratic Party as the graveyard of social movements, the massive influence of corporate finance in elections, the absurd disparities of wealth in the United States, the continuity and escalation of neocon policies under Obama, the insufficiency of mere voting as a path to reform, and differing conceptions of democracy itself.

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ORONO — On May 18, Press Herald columnist Greg Kesich, in referring to the possible attempt to utilize the referendum process to veto the recently enacted health reform law, offered a column headlined "Mainers should just say 'no' to people's veto."

 

 

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The Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) bill is headed to the Senate! Monday, May 23rd, the bill (HB 2634) was passed in the House, moving it onward to the other chamber. We barely had the chance to report the legislation was up for a vote in the House before the legislation was passed. The bill now moves to the Senate before it can be signed by the Governor.

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The Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) bill is headed to the Senate!  Monday, May 23^rd, the bill (HB 2634) was passed in the House, moving it onward to the other chamber.

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So you want to control humanity. or at least the very sizeable gullible portion? I can't imagine any better way than for the ruling elite's covert and nasty "intelligence" apparatus to use their disaster producing HAARP machine to produce some earthquakes and tsunamis on the days (and there will be more) predicted by the I-know-what-God-is-planning crowd.

RICHARD LAMING

Today @ 09:18 CET

EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - The dust is now settling after the referendum in the UK earlier this month on changing the electoral system. The result, on a 41 percent turnout, was 68 percent in favour of keeping the existing system, and only 32 percent in favour of change. This is only second national referendum in British history, and there are lessons for everybody, both in the UK and in the rest of Europe.

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On Friday, May 13, the Legislature’s joint budget committee approved the Citizens’ Initiative Review bill, HB 2634. The legislation advanced from the Joint Ways and Means Committee, and all signs say it will move onward to the House.

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On Friday, May 13, the Legislature’s joint budget committee approved the Citizens’ Initiative Review bill, HB 2634.

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A recent article about California in The Economist is giving us considerable food for thought. It’s a good argument for why Californians, and others, should seriously consider a Citizens’ Initiative Review diet.

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A recent article about California in The Economist is giving us considerable food for thought.  It’s a good argument for why Californians, and others, should serious

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The Citizens’ Initiative Review bill, HB 2634, made one more step towards becoming law Monday, passing in the General Government sub-committee of the larger Joint Committee on Ways & Means.

HB 2634 creates a state commission to provide robust, visible oversight of the Citizens’ Initiative Review (CIR) and ensures the CIR continues to be published in a prominent place in the voter’s pamphlet.HB 2634 will have no fiscal impact on the state’s general fund.

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The elections of fall 2010 have long been over, and the new members of Congress have been in their seats since January. Nevertheless, it still appears that there are openly hostile relations between various members of Congress and the two political parties as a whole. This comes at the expense of the great citizens of this fine country, who want and need to be more involved with the decision making of our nation, above and beyond merely voting for those who will make all of the decisions, which is very little power indeed.

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Thinking Outside the Box: A Response to Economist Magazine’s Report on Democracy in California

By Mike Gravel

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Direct Democracy

I read Ayn Rand's tomes as a young, leaning-to-libertarianism, man in college. At first glance her freedom tirades appeared great, and I remain with them on the social issues. But in economics.. freedom for what? It was not long before I realized, and world events proved, that libertarians like Rand are simply footmen for the oligarchy. Their freedom spiel paves the way for fascism and plutocracy.

 

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The elections of fall 2010 are over, and the new members of Congress have been in their seats since January. However, it still appears that there are openly hostile relations between various members of Congress and the two political parties as a whole. This comes at the expense of the great citizens of this fine nation, above and beyond merely voting for those who will make all of the decisions, which is very little power indeed.

read more

IN ALL 50 STATES citizens may occasionally have a referendum put before them by their state legislature. But only 24 states are considered to have statewide direct democracy, defined as a process in which citizens themselves place initiatives or referendums on ballots. The differences are huge. Of the more than 2,000 statewide initiatives in American history, the overwhelming majority have taken place in just a handful of states, led by Oregon, California and Colorado. In those states, direct democracy is in effect a fourth branch of government.

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ONE HUNDRED YEARS ago Hiram Johnson, one of the most consequential governors in California’s history, called a special election. Johnson was a leader of a movement called Progressivism that reacted to America’s industrialisation by demanding women’s suffrage, direct election of United States senators (originally chosen by state legislatures) and other expansions of democracy. In this Californian election voters had to decide on three new types of balloting: referendums, recalls and initiatives. They accepted them all with enthusiasm.

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IN 2004, while tossing chunks of meat to his pet Bengal tigers, Saif Qaddafi (then seen as the Libyan ruler’s reformist scion) outlined to a foreign visitor his plans to convert his father’s rambling theory of direct democracy into a real political system. Something on Swiss lines would be ideal.

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