This website is just one example of how technology has made it possible for the voter to more actively participate in a decision making process. One problem with our election process is that politicians make promises, we go to the polls to cast our vote, and then we hope for the best until the next time around. We lose our leverage with our representatives in the meantime.
What happens in between is the constant intervention by PACS that push their agendas while we are at work, raising our families, and just getting on with our lives. On the big issues we have limited input when we lobby our representatives and hope that our voice is heard, let alone hope that we have influenced the process.
What I propose is fairly simple. I suggest that we as voters seize the opportunity to insist and require our representatives begin using the best technology available to consult with us electronically on important legislative issues. Often our representatives will come home and do the town hall circuit thing to get our input but, that is the old "snail" way to get feedback. We have the opportunity to cut the PACs off at the pass if referendums are conducted regularly and electronically. It would be a simple matter for representatives that already have registered voter lists to conduct online voter surveys on proposed legislation. Such a system could benefit a representative because they could post their referendum results to show why they voted a certain way. Ideally, such a process would make representatives more accountable to those they represent.
I welcome any other thoughts about this.
Phil
Your suggestion is excellent - but "best available technology" are dangerous buz words.
To follow up on your suggestion, consider allowing testimony before committees via telaconferencing or the like. Why must a person travel to D.C. in order to be heard before a sitting committee?
Trying to manage a Babel of ideas via technology is daunting. Merely opening the flood gates to ideas is not the answer.
Some thought should be given as to a procedure for refining suggestions or concerns to make them easier to understand along with a sense of the source for them and howmany are involved.