Robert Steele presents his proposal to the Occupy Wall Street Electoral Reform Committee. This is a strong 6-minute statement that I recommend watching:
“On 30 Oct Robert Steele traveled to NYC to present an electoral reform statement of demand and an act with eleven elements to the OWS working group on electoral reform. He was filmed by a volunteer. That six minute film was posted by the volunteer to YouTube, made the front page of Reddit, and has now gone viral. See it at YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOWkaeG-1IQ; the documents can be seen at http://tinyurl.com/OWS-ER-HO .”
1.
2. Follow-up video:
In Praise of Eva Waskell & New Book by Gordon Cook, “The Privatization of Democracy”
* Background reading:
Eva Waskell and the Election Integrity Movement (2): a personal statement and appeal from Eva
I can’t say that it sounded too much different than an attempt to co-opt OWS for the Democrats. Sounds like he wants to make government better rather than find a better way. The old liberal saw of “if we can just elect the right people”.
He’s correct… its the meta-political that must be the focus. I wish him good luck. However luck is not really what’s needed. What’s needed is a shift in the landscape. And the kind of shift that’s needed Congress won’t (and really can’t) make happen.
A very simple, political micro-transaction capability will eventually be seen as the lever to enable meaningful reform of the system. Paradoxically as much or more because of emergent properties of the network it inevitably creates rather than because its direct political application.
And while I support his effort, no request of Congress is necessary to put what I’m talking about together. And I’d be skeptical of any legislation they come up with… the devil is always in the details. The only true path to capable self-governance is TO BUILD AN INDEPENDENT, RATIONAL ELECTORATE WITH THE TOOLS NEEDED TO MAINTAIN THEIR OWN VIGILANCE AND IF NECESSARY SELF-ORGANIZE TO PERFORM COLLECTIVE FUNCTIONS THEMSELVES WHERE GOVERNMENT FAILS.
This is the tool that the political micro-transaction catalyzes into existence. And this is a truth in all places… not just the U.S.
And I’m convinced that’s a fundamentally necessary tool for humans both individually and collectively.
I love the idea of Panarchy and have been reading about the possibilities. I also helped create the Autonomous Internet Roadmap here at P2P.
However, for me, the bottom line is that four more years of the two-party tyranny is to be avoided at all possible costs. It is crunch time, AND I think it is a do-able do.
Since the above was posted I have been in contact with every political party now shut out from the existing two-party controlled process, and I am pleased to say that the Reform Party has tentatively agreed to facilitate a gathering of parties and unions called an Electoral Reform Summit, the week of 5 December 2011.
I have no idea where this is going, but in my view, being practical, it could get Occupy off the streets and into the offices of the Senators and Representatives, and it could be a huge fund-raising boost, with a real possibility of raising $500 million dollars.
The two ideas – yours and mine – should co-exist. I just think mine is a coup d’main that is achievable in the next six months. Of course I could be wrong.
That’s the key! The duopoly (like the big banks and the financial oligarchy that sustains them) must be broken up.
I’d like to know more about that Electoral Reform Summit… and even be there though that could be difficult.
If you email me, I can put you in touch w Bob Steele ..
Interested in getting all P2P minds engaged on this. Just changed the title to All Americans Elction Integrity Act of 2012. Reform Party may host the summit, it might be a virtual summit. Bottom line is that by the week of 5 December I want to have someone in every congressional district that can put together a delegation of mixed constituents who can demand a meeting with their congressman, present the two documents (http://tinyurl.com/OWS-ER-HO) to the person, and make it clear they expect him to co-sponsor the bill.
My email is robert.david.steele.vivas ***at*** gmail.com
PS Bob is a guy that killed on TV a lot – or a comedian. Robert, please (smile).