Local Government Apathy

 Copyright 2006 Al Arnold

I have been concerned about government/political apathy for some time. Especially, when it comes to local government. A unique idea has come out of Nevada.

Daniel Rosen has announced his intent to run for U.S. Congress. If elected, he promises to vote as instructed by his constituents on his web site. He claims that "Registered voters in the 2nd District of Nevada will have total control over how I vote. I'm not running an opinion poll. It's a binding process."

I see problems of only having "registered voters in the 2nd District of Nevada" vote on-line.

1) What kind of procedures will be needed to insure that only "registered voters in the 2nd District of Nevada" cast their votes on-line?

2) Will every registered voter will be given a password?

3) What about those "registered voters" who do not have access to, or the knowledge of how to operate a computer? Would Mr. Rosen purchase computers and classes for everyone?

4) Or, would the computer dummies become non-factors under this program?

Mr. Rosen correctly points out that even Congressmen don't read all the legislation they vote on. Yet, he somehow believes that if given this power, citizens will read all bills upon which his vote will be cast. He states, "apathy comes from people viewing themselves as perfectly powerless, and once people are really convinced that their opinions count, then I think that apathy will disappear."

Mr. Rosen's delusions don't stop there. It gets worse. He further states, "I hope the system will be developed so that legislators are bound by law to follow the dictates of their constituents."

What may I ask, has become of leadership? Has it really come to the point where we don't even want our representatives to think for themselves?

I have long believed in the quote of James Clarke, "A politician thinks of the next election. A statesman thinks of the next generation." Under which category would Mr. Rosen fall? Since it looks like he is only interested in getting re-elected, I would classify him as a politician, not a statesman. What this country needs is a whole lot more statesmen!

So, as a observer and pontificator on local politics, why does Mr. Rosen fascinate me? He only wants to destroy national politics. This idea of direct democracy has to be stopped before it finds its way down to the local level.

Imagine trying to decide whose street gets fixed with on-line voting. How about voting on a new squad car? Do we need another employee in the Clerk's Office?

How about local judges? They are elected officials. Must their plea bargains be approved on-line?

The resumes for every teaching position are placed on the web, and citizens vote who gets the job?

Mr. Rosen must be stopped.

Did I mention he was a composer and musician? Maybe that explains his naive delusions?

About the author:

Al Arnold fights Local Political Apathy at http://WWW.LocalPolitics101.US . Join the movement to attend one meeting a year. Sign up for monthly ezine update on progress of the movement for citizens to attend one local government meeting a year. He is also the author of Moving Mountains and Molehills Local Politics 101.

 Al Arnold

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