Sunday, June 20, 2010

Demarchy

Also known as sortition, klerostocracy, lottocracy, direct democracy. Basically, the idea is we fill representative government postitions by casting lots, in the same way that citizens are selected for jury duty. Ancient Athens occasionally practiced a form of this. I've toyed with the idea from time to time.

Advantages
  • It's fair, equitable, egalitarian, and purely democatic. Everybody gets a chance for power.
  • Non-partisan. Allows for more 'third party' influences.
  • Corruption is eliminated at the voting stage because there is no voting. No need for funds. No influence of special interest groups through funding.
  • Voter apathy, fatigue, and non-participation is eliminated
Disadvantages
  • It's fair, equitable, egalitarian, and purely democractic. Every idiot gets a chance for power.
  • Allows for more 'third party' influences, e.g whacko minority views
  • Corruption is not eliminated at the governing stage. In fact, it may increase due to service apathy or exploitation of power (this is in some sense a moot point).
  • No accountability.
The reason I discard demarchy would be the big one, idiots in power. Some would suggest, how can that be any worse that what occurs right now? Oh, believe me, it can get a lot worse. Just wait for November.
So, obviously, I'm interested in it from a systemic standpoint. Is there a system of government that has the least amount problems? Is there a way to make government idiot-proof?
And the answer is "No".
Does this make me anti-government? Oh hell no. I mean, there's no way to make anything idiot-proof. Witness Wall Street. And not just September 2008. 1929. 1907. Basically, a Panic and a Depression every ten to twenty years, thanks to "savvy"business types who are not nearly as smart as they think they are. (And please, spare me the "It was the Guvmint's fault!" line of horseshit. The FACTS, and there are whale's buttload of them, do not support that fucking whiny pseudo-libertarian child's excuse of a rationalization. Grow a pair, already, and take some responsibility for your mess, you fucking executive cocksuckers).
Am I anti-capitalist? Oh, hell no. Capitalism is one of the greatest instruments for social change ever created. And if you think about it, only science has done a better job at creating wealth and prosperity.
What am I against? Stupid people. Stupid people in power.
And getting back to the point, come November, you are going to see a lot of stupid people in power. And come 2011, the nation is going to regret. But you know, people get the government they deserve.
You look at the right, because that's where all the stupid people are going to come from, and you see a fucking mess. Long on anger and short on ideas. Fratricidal, divided, cannibalistic, with spokespeople (Limbaugh, Beck, Palin) who I would not trust to wash themselves with a rag on a stick. Theyd' require adult supervision, because they'd do damage with either the rag or the stick, and I don't trust them to wash themselves.
You got the solid core of the right-of-Hitler xenophobic, socially intolerant, immigrant-bashing Southern redneck dipshit faction that views any form of cooperation or compromise as Treason. (Gotta love the South, with their shootin'shit and blowin'stuff'up reeel'good gun and bomb fetishes. So damn quaint, always fightin' the last century's wars).
You got the oxymoronic Tea Party pinheads. They are all over the place, ranging from childishly selfish well-to-do educated idiots, to complete fucking loons, all of whom want to dismantle the federal government, but oh, pay for our social service and fight our wars for us will ya? With no funds from taxes? Thanks!
Let's not forget to mention the incumbents. Rep. John "Who the fuck put the big SPF-15 'L' on my forehead?" Boehner. The truly, deeply creepy Newt "I cheated on my dying wife but at least I'm not a Nazi like Obama" Gingrich. And good ol' boy Sen. Mitch "Fuck you, I got mine" McConnell. Wheezy old John "Geezer and the Dingbat" McCain. Among many others.
Let's not forget Joe "You Lie" Wilson (Seriously, what is WRONG with South Carolina? I know I've met normal people from there, so...???). Farm subsidy whore Randy "Baby Killer" Neugebauer (sounds like a foreigner to me, check his ID). And the latest, Joe "I will, I swear to God, suck BP's dick right here right now before the cameras" Barton. Not a fucking solid brain among any of 'em. Just watery poo in there.
You think country got fucked up from 2000-2008 with the same kind of folks? Let's see what the new crop of pinheads can do in a year!
Please, before it's too late, find some intelligent, moderate Conservatives. They're hiding in someone's cellar someplace.

2 comments:

  1. Loved this. I have a cousin-in-law that gets government disability and social security, hates Obama, is a raving republican. What?! He gets his so I guess that's what counts. Every one else needs to rely on themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  2. dismantle the government, but give me my share...I suppose we've all been there...saying something along the lines of "the government should do something about that" yet, keep them out of my business...

    I think the conservatives put Mr. McCain in the last election intentionally knowing he would lose to Mr. Obama...they did not have to deal with all the problems in the country at the moment and can work on the next election ...

    ReplyDelete