The Icelanders of course took a different route, bringing down their government and voting not to pay their foreign creditors, which must have been satisfying, and it doesn’t seem to have done them nearly as much harm as predicted.  But what’s really interesting is that last year they wrote a new constitution, in an open drafting process, which includes the rights of referendum and partial initiative under Articles 65 through 67.  The translation and the proposed constitution’s lack of detail leaves a fair amount up in the air, but the principle is clear enough!

Here is the title and blurb I submitted for a workshop, presumably at Zucotti Park:

Paths to More Democratic Government

A discussion of the possible routes towards more participatory local, state, and federal government decision-making processes and structures, whether requiring constitutional change or not, including the related legal and technological considerations.  Laying out the options for creating and empowering democratic lawmaking forums on a larger scale, with a summary of current models, obstacles, and opportunities.

Come check it out!  Hopefully it’ll be more conversational, less lecturing than my description suggests.