News

• Modern direct democracy: Citizens take center stage
• There are many misunderstandings and confusions linked to the very concept of modern direct democracy. This creates a feeling of insecurity or even fear when it comes to democratizing our democracies. However, the tools and practices of modern direct democracy are genuine aspects of each truly representative democracy, as well-designed direct democratic procedures can make representative democracy more representative. On the other hand, other forms of popular political activity, like street protests, are sometimes mixed up with direct democracy. Read the Rest...


• Budgets by the People, for the People
• NEARLY a month after the June 30 deadline, California’s Legislature and governor have finally agreed on a budget for the new fiscal year. The embarrassing debacle of paying the state’s bills with i.o.u.’s will come to an end — at least for a while. Though Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had pledged not to “kick the can down the road,” the budget he intends to sign today relies on $8 billion in accounting and revenue gimmickry, virtually guaranteeing another fiscal crisis next year. Read the Rest...


• Longtime New Brunswick political figure sets sights on governor’s seat
• Longtime New Brunswick political figure sets sights on governor's seat By JARED KALTWASSER STAFF WRITER David Meiswinkle's first political campaign was in the seventh grade, when he successfully lobbied his middle school basketball teammates to attend an end-of-season professional basketball game, instead of the pro hockey game the eighth-grade players wanted. Read the Rest...


• A ballot initiative spin on a tea party video
• A recent tea party video got me thinking about how to adapt this message to communicate about ballot initiatives. Read the Rest...


• How the U.S. Constitution Makes Democracy Impossible
• Many Americans believe the Founding Fathers were good Christians.  Even more believe they were democrats.   But for the most part, they were neither.  They were propertied men of the Enlightenment, exquisitely aware of the depredations that organized religion had wrought on the polities of Europe and at the same time deeply afraid of democracy and "the people" who they viewed as a threat to property. Read the Rest...


• Mike Gravel on the Personal Democracy Forum
• "Change is only going to come about when people have the power to act upon the knowledge that they will acquire through the new technology," says former Alaska Democratic Senator Mike Gravel. During the 2008 presidential campaign he became a YouTube "rock" star and now spends most of his time working in South Korea. Read the Rest...


• Pilot project could improve state elections
• Never underestimate the wisdom of Oregon voters. That is a guiding premise behind an experiment in having a group of citizens critique proposed ballot measures. The Oregon Senate approved the proposal on Tuesday, sending House Bill 2895 to Gov. Ted Kulongoski for his signature. That action follows the Senate's approval Monday of legislation that would give the secretary of state greater power to crack down on petition circulators who fraudulently collect voters' signatures. House Bill 2005 also is on its way to the governor's desk. Read the Rest...


• The Renewal of Democracy: An Interview with Paul Ginsborg
• Paul Ginsborg is Professor of Contemporary European History, University of Florence and a frequent public commentator on politics and life in Italy. His books include A History of Contemporary Italy, Society and Politics 1943 - 1988 Read the Rest...


• Mike Gravel interviewed in South Korea on “Let’s Talk Pusan”
• Former Democratic Senator and Libertarian presidential candidate Mike Gravel is on a trip to South Korea, trying to bring about a national ballot initiative system there.  He was interviewed recently on the show “Let’s Talk Pusan. Read the Rest...


• The National Initiative needs your support
• Many keen observers of our representative democracy comment again and again about our broken political system, especially because of the corrupting influence of money on our elected representatives.  Too often, the resulting public policy provides benefits to the corporate-military-industrial complex rather than enhancing the public interest. Read the Rest...