OK... I feel like a lazy, unengaged idiot. I knew there was a
whitehouse.gov and I might have guessed there was even something like
their "We the People" but nearly 4 years into an administration that I
generally like and support (especially in contrast to the alternative)
I'm appalled that I really didn't know of this system in place.
I'm curious how others here feel about it. Just 4 and then maybe even
20 (think early WWW) years ago all the technorati and unwashed
technophilic masses (I think most of us qualify for one or both) were
hooting about how the internet was going to
lubricate/accelerate/facilitate more direct democracy.
Here we are in 2012 and it looks to me like at least this current
administration, up to their real motivation and ability to make change
and represent the people that elected them (and those who opposed them
too!) in the execution of our laws and as a check/balance against the
Legislative and Judicial, is trying their darnedest to do just that.
"We the People" seems like a righteous attempt to get our input in a
vaguely coherent manner.
Reading through the open petitions and the responses to ones that were
apparently supported enough, I have a mix of pride and confusion. I'm
impressed at how coherent and on target 80% are... and amazed at some of
the strange outliers... the petition to make Japan acknowledge the
"former" name of what they apparently declared to be the Japan Sea in
1928 as "East Sea" and what appears to be a counter-petition to take
down a memorial and un-name a street that apparently villianizes
(alleged) abuses by the Japanese against women of Korea? It looks
like a personal battle between Korean-Americans and Japanese Americans?
I'm also surprised by the relatively small numbers of signatures on
petitions. 25,000 seems like a low mark for such a high-profile
system. (admittedly I was opaque to it until just now myself!). I
suppose the "identify yourself" business puts many off (it puts me off a
little, but I also don't have a good alternative)... But how could
there not be 25,000 Americans with regular internet access poised to hit
"endorse" when something as controversial as decriminalizing Marijuana
or Same-Sex unions pops up. I'd expect the e-mail and blogosphere to
hiss with static seconds after the petition went up. 25,000 signatures
on an online system seems like a pretty low measure (not that I think it
should be higher, it just seems like a low bar).
I'm curious what the other folks here think about this system. I tend
to assume that the majority here are either self-identified progressive
(if not specifically liberal/democrat) with a modest contingent of
radicalish libertarianish folks and a measurable if not overly vocal set
of staunch conservatives (card carrying Republicans if not a few Tea
Partiers). The choir (most if not all liberal/progressives) are
naturally going to hit a harmonious note (I think?) but what about the
rest of us? Do we believe in a WhiteHouse soliciting our input
directly? Do we think it works? Are there pitfalls?
Also, I suppose the Legislative Branch might also have something going
on... I should check... they *are* after all the more obvious to
petition for changes in *law* if not policy. They are naturally a less
coherent bunch than the whitehouse...
Thanks to Tom and Owen for highlighting this!
- Steve
Thanks Tom, just did it.
Everybody: Just Do It .. takes very little time and is kinda nifty to
see the government website, its pretty effective. You do need to
create an account but it takes near zero time and hopefully you'll be
using it for quite some time.
Then pass it on to another email group.
-- Owen
On Mon, May 21, 2012 at 10:19 PM, Tom Johnson <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
Who knows if it will do any good, but it can't hurt.
https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/#!/petition/require-free-access-over-internet-scientific-journal-articles-arising-taxpayer-funded-research/wDX82FLQ
<https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/#%21/petition/require-free-access-over-internet-scientific-journal-articles-arising-taxpayer-funded-research/wDX82FLQ>
-tj
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FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
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============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
============================================================
FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv
Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College
lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
