collective democracy
I've been thinking a lot lately about the web that connects of all of our thoughts, ideas, and concerns, and it is seeming more and more that our visions for society (ending big oil subsidies, instating a single payer health care system, ending the wars, stoping Monsanto/big ag/GMO, restoring Glass-Steagall/holding Wall Street accountable, ending corporate personhood, etc. etc.) have at their heart really only ONE DEMAND: when we distill it down, what we all want is a system that is truly "FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE" - every one of our concerns would be addressed if we were living in a truly COLLECTIVE DEMOCRACY.
The internet is the thing that could make this possible - clearly our system of government could be brought into the present era by aligning it with modern technology. Every individual already has a unique ID in the form of a social security number - if we can develop virtual monoliths like Facebook and Amazon, why not a system that would allow each of us access to VOTE (or create petitions to vote) on every single issue imaginable? We are already using the internet in this way, to create petitions, to generate support for our causes - why not formalize it into the framework for a new system of governance?
Of course, there would be many details that would need to be worked out (starting with making the internet into a public utility like the phone once was so that each and every person is assured access, and providing simple-to-use basic hardware for those who need it).
Please see www.collectivedemocracy.org for more info.
ed!