Monday, April 10, 2017
RE MORE DEMOCRACY
"Al Smith liked to say that the only cure for the ills of democracy was more democracy, and I still agree." DK
I think he must really mean a certain kind of better democracy, not just more.
Let me give you an example of more:
Cities are usually now governed by a city council. This is a very small group of elected officials. They wear more than one hat: they are both the executive and the legislative branches, as well as a quasi judicial branch to boot! They draft and decide on ordinances governing local affairs, they sit in a judicial capacity on certain matters, they are executives as a collegial deliberative body.
Now the constitutionalists out there will immediately upprick their ears, and note a blatant violation of the sacred separation of powers doctrine here in these little urban rascals.
What to do about it? More democracy!
Why not a full blown legislature for these old darlings, complete with upper and lower houses, to bring ordinances out? Why not refer all judicial matters to the local judicial branch, ab initio, for resolution?
That is what you call ' more democracy '. Some might even call it better! Not me.
The local legislature might be elected based on voting districts of say 1 square mile each, or some other measure.
Grass roots democracy at work!
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