New Way of Directly Running OUR country.

Before a predetermined outcome manifests itself in your head, do take into consideration that we can manage bank accounts and bills online with a very small margin of hacking involved. It's oftentimes ones own stupidity that leads to identity theft, which is very different than actually hacking an entirely secured system.
WITH THAT SAID, why is it that we've evolved as a nation in so many ways but have left our government untouched until the brink of collapse? Why don't we eliminate a group of people who show very little passion for what they "believe in" and start fixing the things our forefathers died to protect.
I propose we create a secure government run website where any American citizen with a valid SSN can simply log on and vote on literally ANYTHING. From who we want to be President in times of election, to where our individual income taxes are spent. So let's say I'm a big supporter of education and not kean on the war or military, I can simply click through the branches of government to the Public Schools Sect. and divert any percentage of my yearly federal taxes to that particular branch. You could have a pretty little pie chart to the right showing where all your taxes are being spent. If there's too much crime in your area and your governor is too busy apologizing about his most recent scandal, you can simply go to the local branch and spend some of that hard earned state tax on law enforcement for your registered location. We starve the useless programs, ideas, and failed spending that we don't agree with as a country and vote on what we do. If you think we spend too much on the military then, you can decide not to pay for someone elses war.
It wouldn't be a perfect system right off the bat, but the first lightbulb didn't last 2 days. WHY ARE WE STILL USING CANDLES.
I've factored a lot of things in, don't excuse it as a security risk, that it wouldn't be realisitic, or give me crap about the traditional aspects of things. You're a scared coward if you don't think we need to progress to a better way of running yours and my country.

 

No, direct democracy is an absolute abortion in terms of government. There is a reason why it is incapable of governing anything above the level of city state - and even then it fares poorly.

 

No conventional direct democracy. This isn't conventional. The abortion you're referring to is happening right now by many corrupt leaders. -Happy Memorial Day!

 

We are a Federal Republic Leo. We elect representatives for a reason. While you wish to fix "the things our forefathers died to protect.", you are actually advocating the destruction of the system of government they set up and died for.

 

It is in fact direct democracy at its worst. You never ever give the People control over the budget.

 

Mocking people by means of quoting is taken as offensive in some cultures.

The only thing set in stone is the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, beyond that, I think it's safe to say that the average American wants reform. At some point before you're the "average Chinaman".
I need no argument to prove you wrong, the proof is in the pudding. Corrupt leaders, a 14 trillion dollar debt, and a nearly complete shutdown of the form of government you're defending. I had a delay on my paycheck as they decided to do with me and millions of others.
I'm not saying a completely DIRECT DEMOCRACY, I'm saying we keep the president and convert the politicians into a more managerial/supervisor role, rather than decision making.

 

Regardless of why it's failing, you'll never know the solution until you try something different. Just because it didn't work in the past, doesn't mean if you were to tweak a few things and be able to at least see where your hard earned money was being spent would maybe do a little more good than the circus you're defending. The circus that almost shut itself down a month ago.

 

You specifically said you want to fix the things our founding fathers died to protect, yet wish to instill a new form of government, or at the very least, dramatically change our current form to where it degenerates a Federal Republic.

While we are near the bottom of a hole, instituting a new form of government will not create a permanent fix to our problem. Solutions lie in the abolishment of partisan politics, integrity amongst our representatives, and an informed public to vote in representatives who stand for our beliefs.

We do know where our taxes are being spent. Records of this information are kept and are available for public use, distribution, and display.

Many of your ideas can be achieved through means we have already established in our country. State and local governments run town-halls on a constant basis, seeking input from residents. Every time I go, I am one of maybe a dozen people. Citizens are just not that interested in being directly involved with policy making. This is the primary reason we have established representatives. Getting citizens more involved in our current process will make a world of difference, unfortunately there just isn't enough time in the day, and many do not have the inclination.

Although you dismiss the security issues, there are a plethora of security issues. China hacks into SIPR all the time. SIPR is one of the most secure networks in the USofA, yet China is able to access it. You cannot easily dismiss security.

 

Attention: OXYMORONIC statement for today is: "A secure government run website" . You mean CIA, or NSA? neither of which are themselves as secure as they thought if Wiki leaks as any indication.

 

If I don't direct my tax money to go towards something...what happens to it?

I get it back!?

 

pfff.. yeah right.

My sister did the online bill pay thing for awhile. The companies never gave her credit for her payments, she was constantly on the phone yelling at some Customer Service Agen in India, and was always getting her phone/utilities/internet/cable shut off and having to pay extra fees to reconnect, etc etc.

Now why the hell would I want to trust faceless drones on the internet making big decisions for this country??

 

But Silicon you can trust me. I AM A GREAT DECISION MAKER!

WAR IS PEACE
IGNORANCE IS STRENTH
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

SIEG HEIL

That's what we want running this country, right?

 

There'll be some confusing circular-logic Government question which designates where your money will be spent:

"Would you not not like your tax money to not be used to pay for more NEA projects similar to cow dung paintings? Please answer Yes or No"

 

On 9/12/2001 we would've voted to nuke Saudi Arabia.

 

And yet if you don't learn the lessons of history you are bound to repeat your mistakes. I'd rather speculate and theorize before implementing any decision, and in theory this is a terrible idea.

 

Hacking aside, California is a great example as to why this wouldn't work.

 

Also a great example of why initiatives, referenda, and plebiscites are a (*)(*)(*)(*) idea in general.

 

It sucks too, because I'd love for the government to be run entirely by the people, but unfortunately people are too (*)(*)(*)(*) stupid and selfish for such a system to work. People would likely vote for items that favor them and I doubt the vast majority of people would even bother to look past immediate outcomes. Not that the current system does much better but the partisanship at least delays the inevitable sometimes.

Then again letting the country go to hell faster may be the best way to get things back on track.

 

lol very true.

 

It's why I prefer unitary republicanism - tends to filter out a lot of the crap that gets experienced amongst the average voter.

Yeah, only took the French about two centuries to create a stable Republic

 

Heh that's true. Guess it's better not to overthrow when you don't know what you're going to prop up lol.

 

There's still time. Hell, if worse comes to worst all the northern states can secede and merge with Canada

 

(*)(*)(*)(*), join up with the hat? I'm not sure. They have some crazy customs up there.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8RVRb5_VvA"]YouTube - ‪South Park Royal Pudding Wedding of Prince William & Catherine Middleton‬‏[/ame]

Also, Scotts a dick.

 

Hey man, free healthcare, topless Quebecoise chicks, rugged Newfoundland farmhands; I'm not gonna say no to that.

You're a dick!

 

Topless chicks? If they don't get engaged to another guy while you're engaged to them I'm sold! Too bad Terrance and Phillip already took in the ***** Sisters.

See there's a problem right there, everyone hates Scott (he's a dick!), I'm not sure if I'd fair any better!

In all honesty though Canada doesn't sound that bad. I'd like to go up to BC again and check it out. They don't seem to be nearly as authoritarian as we are. Then again I don't live there, so for all I know they're worse.