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.cb "CAN TECHNOLOGY IMPROVE POLITICS?"


	Modern communications and computer technology can be used
to make the political system more responsive to the citizens and
reduce the citizen's feeling of helplessness before the government.
Here are some ideas:

.item←0

.bb "Get more information to the citizen".

	When home terminals are widespread, all public government
information should be immediately available to everyone both in
summary form and as raw data.  Anyone should be able to immediately
find out

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	&. The text of any law.

	&. The text and status of any bill before any governmental body.

	&. The text of any regulations.

	&. The text of any court decisions,  the transcripts of court proceedings,
and the status of any pending case.

	&. The transcripts of testimony before legislative and administrative
hearings and written submissions to such hearings.

	Along with all this material is available any comments
any group or individual has made about it.  The commentary is
not intruded, but the citizen can ask his terminal, "I wonder
what the Republicans have said about that?"

.bb "#. A new political system - Electronic hyperdemocracy."

	Suppose that each citizen had available complete information
on every issue.  Not being professional legislators, few would have
time to read much of it.  However, sometimes citizens have definite
opinions and are frustrated when their representatives vote differently.

	Now suppose that every citizen has the right to vote on
every issue that comes up using his terminal.  However, he may
delegate his vote to anyone else with the ability to change the
delegation at any time or use the vote himself at any time.
A person to whom votes are delegated is informed of this fact
(by his terminal) and can redelegate the votes if he wants to.  A
person with (say) 500,000 or more delegated votes has the right
to the title of Congressman, a salary for the next two years,
an office in Washington, and office assistance.  Such a person
will normally devote full time to public affairs, but even
a Congressman may redelegate his vote on an issue he prefers to
leave to someone he considers more expert than he.
He will be strongly motivated to explain his positions to his
constituents, because they can redelegate their votes at any
time, although he won't lose his title unless too many defect
for too long.  He can reach is constituents, because the computer
keeps track of the delegations of votes.

	As a form of hyperdemocracy, the usual worries about
democracy apply.  The citizens may be change their minds often,
may vote that %Ap%1 is 3 or that solar energy is an adequate
source when nature says otherwise, or may be incited against a
minority such as blacks, jews or businessmen.  On the other hand,
one of the main troubles of democracy - that people delegate their
votes to irresponsible representatives who establish a tyranny
is mitigated by the ability of the voter to cast his own vote.
He will know that he has himself to blame if wrong legislation
is passed.  Nevertheless, it would be good to try hyperdemocracy
on a smaller scale than a country such as a state.