Democracy 4.0 #spanishrevolution

Democracy 4.0

An anonymous user has posted the following information online. The post proposes allowing citizens to directly vote in Congress should they deem it necessary. It is an innovative proposal and read currently being distributed via email and social media in Spain. This is a manually revised online translation of the original introductory text in Spanish. For more content, such as the actual legal text presented by this citizen to Congress and the petitions he/she has redacted for others to use, see the original blog entry.

There are approximately fifteen pages, complex legal text. Whoever has the time can read them. Just a warning: Every person who has read it, can no longer think again as before nor can still believe in the current democratic system, that possibility exists.

Democracy > Democracia

1. f. Political doctrine in favor of people intervention in government.

2. f. Prevalence of the people in the political government of a State.

Real > Real

1. adj. That is true and effective existence.

Already > YA

2. adv. t. Immediately, right now.

If we really want things to change, we must change them ourselves. They alone cannot. In addition to demonstrations and camps and other acts by citizens in the streets, it is convenient to use what the law itself allows us.

In December 2008 a representative of the Valencian Parliament was on maternity leave at home. She was provided with a digital signature system which allowed to vote from home. And she did. From home and online. She voted seven laws that day. Among them, the general budget for the following year for the whole autonomous region. I thought that if she could vote from home, I could vote from home.

When the French revolution triumphed, the opted system was representative democracy where some citizens would represent others in one place, parliaments, on their behalf, on behalf of the people, passing laws that would govern the destinies of all people. This was done for the simple and understandable reason that they could not all travel there and fit and all. The members of parliaments represent popular sovereignty but the actual popular sovereignty is the people. All citizens. Politicians only represent us.

I decided to think what way could make it possible for me, an ordinary citizen, to participate directly in decisions that affect me, that is, in passing laws. As there is the internet, a virtual parliament could be done, and there is already the virtual office of the Treasury and I can pay taxes and declare my income from my house. I already do.

In June 2010, I wrote a text of administrative character, based on law, asking the House of Representatives to allow me to participate by voting in the House. I suggested that since we were 35 million citizens with voting rights, represented by 350 members, every time I accessed Congress online to vote, each could be deducted a small share of representation, a thirty-five millionth, which was my part of sovereignty that I had as a citizen. As all members of Congress collectively account for popular sovereignty, they all had a tiny part of it removed and that way my contribution was proportionate and fair. Thus, when they were to vote to amend the pension system, I wanted to vote the law, directly, because it interests me. They would just have had to add about nine decimal numbers on the voting board.

Of course, if I was not alone but we were a hundred thousand citizens instead, a seat would go back to the people. Their Lordships would remain as 350, but their votes would be worth 349, as a seat, one vote, would return to the people, divided between one hundred thousand citizens. And if we were a million who entered, then ten seats would go back to citizens. Congress could send the law to be voted in an email informing me what time the voting session is or until when can I vote, a date and a time. I introduce my digital ID card in the system and my vote gets counted. Simple. Real democracy. When I’m interested, I go and vote. And if I’m not that interested, the representative can vote, that’s what he is paid for. It would be a purely overseeing task on the part of citizens.

IN SUMMARY: At least this would create the right of veto for citizens instantly. It is not only that we could use this system if we didn’t really like a law, the thing is that its very existence, the fact that millions of citizens could have a say in real time on a law and paralyse it, would imply that the mere existence of that possibility would make those legislating much more careful about acting properly and not in a manner detrimental to the public as it is the case lately.

Well, that letter is in the Commission of Constitutional Guarantees of the House of Representatives since November 2010, and I’m still waiting for an answer. I should have been given an answer in up to three months, as the law says, as administrative silence is not allowed on this matter. I uploaded it on the net at the time, we were quite a few citizens who initiated the administrative procedure. There are many cases in the courts that have been unanswered. My request was given registration number 140248. Now it is record 280/002660/0000. I request the cooperation of citizens to elicit a response, at least to this request, for immediate direct participation in voting. As Congress has no online site or electronic record, unlike many ministries, the letter must be sent by certified mail in an envelope and ordinary paper.

If you really want to change things as a citizen, below you can find three documents.

One is the simple model. Request for ONE CITIZEN, ONE VOTE. It occupies approximately one page. Fill in, sign and send in an unsealed envelope from a post office, with a confirmation of receipt requested.

Another is a very simple document, I CONCUR, in which the citizen can simply state that they adhere to the file.

And third, Democracy 4.0, is the original text that the representatives in Congress have been sent and not liked much, they do not know what to do with it, they do not want to answer. There are approximately fifteen pages, complex legal text. Whoever has the time can read them. Just a warning: Every person who has read it, can no longer think again as before nor can still believe in the current democratic system, that possibility exists.

An anonymous video containing a similar message was also recently posted online:

3 Comments Democracy 4.0 #spanishrevolution

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