Background

If you really need convincing that more democratic government is a good idea, and your concerns are not answered here, comment away. (You may also find this documentary stimulating when completed.)

Shouldn’t the people have a say in, for example, whether their entire community is going to be bulldozed, whether they’re permitted to peacefully assemble in public, whether they may dance to a jukebox, or any other decision in our supposedly democratic government’s jurisdiction? That after all was the premise for founding this nation.

Instead of listing the many injustices, blatantly corrupt decisions, ridiculous laws, and grave, simple or ego-driven, mistakes inflicted on us by our own government, let’s focus on the positive reasons for reform. Sure there’s a few bad eggs in high places, but the root problem, hardly unique to New York, is the gross disparity in who gets a seat at the decision-making table, who has a voice in the public arena.

There are few places better poised to take advantage of real democracy. Few, if any, communities with a greater store of creativity, intellect, or diversity exist. Not only the errors of the past, but our future demands that we tap this wealth. Not just to check excesses of concentrated power, correct the deep cynicism engendered by the current system’s lie, and give the people a political tool when their public servants are non-responsive or astray, but to bring about the commonsense and innovative solutions the 21st century demands and which will most easily be accomplished when given a fair hearing.

There is plenty of information about direct democracy and e-democracy out there. Unfortunately, much of it is skewed because of the threat both represent to concentrated power. If you’d like to learn more and can’t wait for the documentary, the right sidebar has a few places to start. If you are an American living outside New York City and interested in obtaining your right of initiative you might first read this. If you already have the right of initiative and would like to improve it with today’s technology, help think through the best way to do that so you can put it on the ballot where you live.