Comments on: A Revolutionary Plan for Democracy in America http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/ Terse news, history and science. Thu, 17 May 2012 07:38:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Quinn Hungeski http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-25169 Quinn Hungeski Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:42:06 +0000 http://theparagraph.com/?p=147#comment-25169 The plan requires just two meetings a year, so I hope people at the Grassroots level wouldn't strain themselves by scheduling too many more. Regarding the workload at the city or county levels -- with the work spread out, I think it would lighten the load on those concillors. Very interesting about Phillipines councils. Thanks for that info. The plan requires just two meetings a year, so I hope people at the Grassroots level wouldn’t strain themselves by scheduling too many more. Regarding the workload at the city or county levels — with the work spread out, I think it would lighten the load on those concillors.

Very interesting about Phillipines councils. Thanks for that info.

]]> By: canbyte http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-25166 canbyte Fri, 19 Jun 2009 03:32:06 +0000 http://theparagraph.com/?p=147#comment-25166 Well, i hope the waitress can bring my coffee before she has to go to her meeting. Sounds like the old USSR and their incessant meetings to criticize each other. Not many folks realize that the average large city councillor must read, digest, confer and decide on a stack of reports a foot high EVERY MONTH or so. Thats just one level. Referenda are hard enough to be reasonably done and probably represents the maximum point of democracy in a large society. However i do know a real life situation that can work although it does not always work. The Philippines under Marcos established a "barangay" system where the country was divided up into "villages" of 2000 people, even in Manila. These villages elected a council of about 9 people as i recall who looked after garbage, dog control, local paving, lighting, etc. and received about 10 % i think of the taxes collected in the area for their efforts. They were able to decide on curfews for kids and patrolled the neighbourhood for strange people hanging around. Worked well for drugs, prostitution etc. Unfortunately the marcos regime took a turn for the worse and these units became enmeshed with crime/ thugs. I visited one that worked and was quite impressed. Google it if interested. Well, i hope the waitress can bring my coffee before she has to go to her meeting. Sounds like the old USSR and their incessant meetings to criticize each other. Not many folks realize that the average large city councillor must read, digest, confer and decide on a stack of reports a foot high EVERY MONTH or so. Thats just one level. Referenda are hard enough to be reasonably done and probably represents the maximum point of democracy in a large society. However i do know a real life situation that can work although it does not always work. The Philippines under Marcos established a “barangay” system where the country was divided up into “villages” of 2000 people, even in Manila. These villages elected a council of about 9 people as i recall who looked after garbage, dog control, local paving, lighting, etc. and received about 10 % i think of the taxes collected in the area for their efforts. They were able to decide on curfews for kids and patrolled the neighbourhood for strange people hanging around. Worked well for drugs, prostitution etc. Unfortunately the marcos regime took a turn for the worse and these units became enmeshed with crime/ thugs. I visited one that worked and was quite impressed. Google it if interested.

]]> By: Bookmarks about Groups http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/comment-page-1/#comment-23346 Bookmarks about Groups Thu, 11 Sep 2008 05:45:19 +0000 http://theparagraph.com/?p=147#comment-23346 [...] - bookmarked by 4 members originally found by ohm on 2008-08-18 A Revolutionary Plan for Democracy in America http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/ - bookmarked by 3 [...] […] – bookmarked by 4 members originally found by ohm on 2008-08-18 A Revolutionary Plan for Democracy in America http://theparagraph.com/2008/07/a-revolutionary-plan-for-democracy-in-america/ – bookmarked by 3 […]

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