Good Morning, Don
Thank you for taking the time to comment on my outline of Practical
Democracy. Among other things, you hypothesized ...
"A retired worker 75 year old who ... is not interested in
being the city manager. He would thus not want the other
two to vote for him. By not being selected to advance to
the second round he has lost his right to vote."
and, from that, projected ...
"Thus the Triad method violates one of the most fundamental
principles of democracy."
However, there is no requirement that the citizen seek office. The
point is not whether the citizen wishes to be city manager but whether
that person wants to influence the selection of the city manager, and,
hence, the government. Whether or not this individual wishes to be
selected depends, not on the desire for office, but on the desire to
influence the selection process.
The focus of a triad, particularly at the lower levels, is less on the
person who will occupy an executive or legislative seat than it is on a
blend of (1) the ordinances and budget of the community and (2) the
person most representative of the views of the group on these topics.
The hypothesized 75 year old (who happens to be 5 years my junior) will
advance as far as his (or her) desire and ability allow. The decision
to accept or reject public office need not be, and, for those interested
in influencing the outcome, will not be, made until that decision is
imminent.
Rather than violating one of the most fundamental principles of
democracy, the Practical Democracy concept enhances that principle in a
way, and to an extent, that is not possible in partisan systems:
Everyone remains involved in the process for as long as their desire and
ability allow.
I will address other aspects of your post as time permits. In the
meantime, perhaps you would like to examine this particular point in
greater detail.
Fred Gohlke
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