The idea is briefly mentioned in the book “Double Star” by Robert Heinlein. He doesn’t provide an actual constitution.
Governors and mayors would still run the local area, but the national laws would be passed by a legislature composed of people all elected ‘at large.’
The Congressmember from Texas has no power in his state. He can’t force anyone to do something. They can go to Washington and vote for a law that’s enforced by the police.
Very cool. Thanks, I’d never heard of that book.
Robert Heinlein worked on some real political campaigns back in the day and it shows in his writings.
Another fun political writer is Ross Thomas. He was a WW2 veteran who went from being a Washington reporter to a crime novelist.
“The Fools In Town Are On Our Side” is about a plan to clean up a small Southern city by making it " so corrupt that even the pimps will vote for reform."
“The Porkchoppers” is about a Nixon era Union election. It’s all about the nuts and bolts of running a dirty campaign.
It would be proportional, but instead of your representation being based on your address it’s based on a choice you make.
Think of it this way; you’re a computer programmer who works from home in Hayseed, Iowa. Everyone lese in your town is a farmer or working in farm related business. Your voice will never be heard by the Congressperson.
Under the new system, your address would be irrelevant. You’d be voting for a computer person who knows exactly what you need.
That’s one example. You might want to be part of the ‘teachers’ or ‘gun owners.’
The original idea comes from a novel, “Double Star” by Robert Heinlein. He doesn’t provide an actual constitution, but I do think it’s a nice idea to play around with.
That biography was a trip. Whenever I think that Ian Fleming was just making stuff up, I’ll remember this…
I like the idea that people should be able to choose their representatives based on how they live, rather than where they live.
You sign up as a “gamer,” or a “farmer” or a “soccer mom.” Whatever you decide for that term. Your representative then wheels and deals and votes for laws that help you.
Any group that had 0.5% of the population willing to sign up would get their voice in the Legislature.
I’ll see your le Guin and raise you two more.
Joanna Russ “Picnic On Paradise” and “The Female Man.” Russ is getting a little more appreciation these days.
https://bookshop.org/beta-search?keywords=joanna+russ
Suzy McKee Carnes. imho her Horse clans books are better than “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Some context would be nice.
The same Boomers who don’t trust Gen Z to make them coffee are opening up the Social Security files to some teenagers.
I think you mean goose eggs.
They got elected to end immigration. The refugees will stop coming when the country is on fire.
So, I go to the store about once a week. Two weeks ago, there weren’t any problems near me [Northeast USA] This week, two different stores had signs up about rationing eggs.
It’s less than two months since he came in and already we’re seeing that these people had no actual idea of how to run the government.
I don’t know what the end is going to be, and neither does anyone in power.
Like I said, try timing it.
I think you’ll see the conversations take less time than you think.
I thought I’d never be glib, but after getting a job where I had to deal with the public all day, I soon realized it was just a muscle like any other. the more you do, the more you can do.
Here’s the secret.
There’s a huge difference between not speaking to people and saying a few words.
If someone says “hello” to you and you ignore them, they think you’re snubbing them. If you just say “hello” back then they are usually satisfied.
Try timing your interactions. You’ll find if you spend even 15 seconds talking to people they’ll end the conversation themselves.
If nothing else, it’s a completely idiotic idea.
Say there are 1 million government workers. If Muskie could read one letter a minute for ten hours a day, five days a week, it would only take him a year to get through the pile.
Remember when Trump got rid of the White House pandemic office?
Because Trump was a great business man who knew how to save money.
Why do you think so many people are afraid to have a conversation with a stranger, or pick up a phone call from an unknown number?
Organizing starts with one person talking to another. Websites only draw people who are already interested in what you have to say.
Well, Elon did say he wanted to get the Federal workers to be more active.