He's a fun topic. Let's say you magically got elected by some miracle you got elected to run one of those interesting districts, let's say Don Redman's or Clay Yarborough district. How about a group of magical people moved in, voted you in and all of a sudden moved away. Now your district is pretty much the way it was before.
How would you deal with your constituents? Especially those constituents who, putting it kindly, fully supported the actions of the previous councilman during a rather heated battle over a post (let's say a Human Rights Commission). How would you deal with them? How would you vote on issues? What laws would you propose?
Remember, these nice and friendly folks are more then willing to call, email, and wave hello to you every time you enter your office in the morning offering you their advice to some really interesting laws they want passed ;)
With an Iron Fist and a loaded gun is how I would survive.
I would use just a bit more tact. As far as the Redman/ Yarborough question, I assume you are speaking of the prayer/anti-muslim fiasco.
I would have immediately stood up and sworn to defend the right to religious freedom of all my constituents. I would have used it as an example of what government can do to YOU (mr/ms constituent).
I would have taken the stance of caution with regard to the nomination of Dr whatzhizname, and sought investigation of allegations of terrorist connections. Barring evidence showing a connection, and being satisfied that his credentials and history were in line with the position, I would have voted to approve the nomination.
When the loonies came after me I would vow to protect their rights to free speech, religious belief and freedom of assembly with the same vigor. If that doesn't get me re-elected, so be it.
Careful Bucket, start making sense and you'll be badgered and nitpicked until you scream "progressive!".
Quote from: buckethead on August 14, 2010, 09:20:44 AM
When the loonies came after me I would vow to protect their rights to free speech, religious belief and freedom of assembly with the same vigor. If that doesn't get me re-elected, so be it.
Would that be a good idea? Let's say a large part of your district really believes their religion and their speech is the "truth" and the rest aren't. If you tell them otherwise, they won't elect you. How would you get these people to re-elect you?
The investigation that you wanted to do is something that quite a few politicians would not want to bother with. The fairness you want to bring is also something most politicians, let alone most people, would not want to hassle with. In short, once you leave, there's a big chance someone worse then you would be elected who would want even worse laws leaving the rest of the city as a whole in a worse position then it was before.
Well there you have it. If your outlook is that apathetic, don't run for office. We're all gonna die anyway. (except for those who merge themselves with technology and therefore the singularity ;))
Quote from: buckethead on August 14, 2010, 04:52:07 PM
Well there you have it. If your outlook is that apathetic, don't run for office. We're all gonna die anyway. (except for those who merge themselves with technology and therefore the singularity ;))
That's the easy way out and there won't be much of a discussion left :( Though the circumstances I've listed aren't really that far out from reality on what a politician faces today. For example, on the national scale, there is Nancy Pelosi and then there is Nacy Pelosi's district.
cityimrov...............thats cute![qoute] "Nancy Pelosi and then there is Nancy Pelosi's district"![unquote] From what I see, that is one of biggest problems with Washington.....elected rep's of both houses standing up and exclaming......Well I think! Problem right out of the blocks...........what happened to" Representing your constituants"? In this day and age of electronic everything, it shouldn't be hard to come up something directly from the voters! Yeah..........I know, you can E Mail and under the right circumstances that should be the way, but majority is supposed to have their way and how do you know what the majority thinks? I have my senator and representative on my contact list and don't hesitate to let them know how I think about a situation! Maybe more voters need to do the same!
Quote from: CS Foltz on August 14, 2010, 06:35:12 PMYeah..........I know, you can E Mail and under the right circumstances that should be the way, but majority is supposed to have their way and how do you know what the majority thinks?
From what your saying, wouldn't that make the Legislative branch as a representative obsolete? Majority Rule should be pretty easy to implement with our technology today. Every bill can now be voted on directly. True, we can still have representatives do the talking and fill out the paperwork, but the voting of the bills can be done by the majority so the majority's will, will be done.
Although this have big problems (especially concerning the minority), it does solve that ever lingering question of "The People's Will". It's hard to blame the politician and their job would be much more easier since the consequences and blame will fall directly on the people who directly voted for the law. People can't really blame the politician for a crazy law when they, themselves, the people - voted for it.
Well it is supposed to be majority gets their way, but with what I see taking place, City Hall, Tallahassee and in Washington, I would have to wonder! All elected officals that start out by saying "Well I think" should be flogged in the village square! I care, what you as an individual think, but what does your constituants think is more appropriate to any issue! Robert A had the best idea I have seen ....from Star Ship Troopers which was Citizenship in full! You had to serve inorder to get full voting citizenship. Take that one step further and vote on any and all issue's and you would have a graphic example of majority rule! Majority in the legislative end is what takes place now, but its not allway what the voters/taxpayers would like! That way, got no one to blame but ourselves..............but thats just me......imho!
The problem is, this is complicated.
I think the main problem right now is the system is setup up our government today provides zero incentives for good politicans. The only people who probably get full pleasure of this system are psychopaths. Why deal with real problems when you can lie your way into office and a comfy job by doing what "the majority wants"? Like cutting taxes and giving more stuff away. If you have a problem, just blame/tax the minority for all the problems in the world. By the time everything is blown to pieces, you'll off to plunder somewhere else.
In a way, the majority is usually wrong in their opinion on a subject. At the same time, because of this system, the politicians usually end up being wrong too. A good politician would be one to take the needs of the majority and the requirements of reality and use both to create good laws. Those politicians are hard to find and keep.
How else do you end up with something as silly as this?
http://www.jrdeputyaccountant.com/2010/08/not-even-steve-jobs-can-get-things-done.html
QuoteIt turns out Steve Jobs wasn't exaggerating all that much when he said it can take three years to get a cell tower approved in San Francisco.
Since the day Apple sold its first iPhone, AT&T, the exclusive American iPhone carrier, has been under fire for its spotty network coverage, particularly in San Francisco (but New Yorkers are also prone to iPhone reception beefing). The complaints got louder with the 3G phone and hardly abated with the release of iPhone 4.
A seemingly exasperated Jobs addressed the problem in a July 16 press conference. "When AT&T wants to add a cell tower in, oh, Texas or somewhere, it takes three weeks to get approval in a typical community. To get a cell phone tower in San Francisco, it takes something like three years," he said at the press event to discuss the iPhone 4's antenna issues two weeks ago. (Source CNET http://news.cnet.com/8301-31021_3-20011857-260.html?tag=mncol;txt)
Oh, they are now planning on passing an additional law (http://www.cnet.com/8301-17918_1-20013482-85.html) in making building cellphone towers harder since the people are complaining about their aesthetics. Of course, at the same time, they are also complaining about their terrible cellphone service. In this case, the majority expects magic where magic doesn't exist. As usual, there are also more then enough psychopaths out there willing to give the majority the magic that they desire but doesn't exist.
The big question is, how do you find and keep good politicians from leaving when everyone expects you to do magic and if you don't, your yelled out off office.
How about promising in real time rather than the next demension? A lot of politicians run on a catchy platform slogan................say like Johnny did! "Run the City like a business" and I see just where that has got us today! Some real honesty, black and white figures and maybe just treating most people like they might have a brain? A small brain maybe (speaking of myself) but some smarts and being able to add two and two! I can also read and comprehend but I did not vote someone into office just to have them tell what I want or need! There has to be a medium between governement and the public/taxpayer! Our level is just as disconnected as the national level and the only way I see to make a change is to have term limits and start over............get rid of all professional politicians and lets start from scratch!
Quote from: CS Foltz on August 15, 2010, 06:43:31 PM
How about promising in real time rather than the next demension? A lot of politicians run on a catchy platform slogan................say like Johnny did! "Run the City like a business" and I see just where that has got us today!
If Peyton or other politicians didn't have a catchy platform slogan, would they be elected?
I sometimes think that anyone who wants to hold a public office should automatically be disqualified for it. Perhaps we should fill offices by lottery and just pick someone from the list of registered voters. I'm not sure we would be worse off than we are now.
Fear those who seek power.
Dog Walker...........I tend to agree with your take on this! We could not be worse off I am thinking! At least everyone would have a chance................the heck with professional politicians, term limit things and let everyone have a go at it! We could do that spinning wheel thing like we do for Jury Duty!
Can't survive as citizen let alone politician
Many citizens considered too 'dangerous' to be selected for:
Jacksonville Waterways Commission
Water Management District
Enviro Protection Board
north miami...........that is too true! Heaven forbid that a lowly citizen might fill a spot on any one of the three or even the City Council!
Drafting politicians. Though it's not like there's no precedent for it. Apparently most the founding fathers had to drag George Washington to become the President of a group of broken, argumentative, mentally insane, temperamental people which formed the 13 colonies.
Gentlemen............this idea has possibilities! There would be no favored this or that or party preference! Lottery could be used to provide people to fill the slots and poop on the lobbyists! Makes too much sense, so forget it! But this does intrigue me........citizen to representative!
Quote from: CS Foltz on August 16, 2010, 05:16:11 PM
north miami...........that is too true! Heaven forbid that a lowly citizen might fill a spot on any one of the three or even the City Council!
aren't politicians also citizens?