Founder, Citizens Rising Former Resident Scholar, US Term Limits
Florida, New Hampshire
Joined November 2009
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Alarmed by the way our political system is failing?
Here is a solution:
1. Abolish politics as a profession. Make it a part-time job with a stipend.
2. Crowdsource representative democracy. Very many citizen legislators can serve from home.
3. The Senate is picked through indirect election, either via the state legislatures or via the expanded House.
Importantly, political districts would be so small that money would not matter in elections. Once you get money out of the system, you get corporate corruption out also. Sounds impossible? Not at all. Here is a realistic strategy:
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We all know what the problem is with American government, don't we?
It's professional politicians who serve their own interests and not the interests of the people.
We all know in our hearts what needs to be done. We must abolish professionalism in elected offices.
Normal citizens need to be in charge.
This is how you weaken mindless partisanship and bring about clean government.
The data is very clear. People of all political persuasions detest professional politicians. We would have a super majority of 70-80% in favor of ending political careerism. That's a lot of political power.
Using citizens' initiatives and referendum, begin by amending city and county charters to eliminate full-time elected offices. Massively expand local democratic representation to many normal people who can serve part-time and keep their day jobs. The most livable cities in the world are actually run like this (but not in the USA).
Then, in one state that has a citizens initiative process, do the same thing. Create a very large legislature of normal citizens who can serve on the Web from home.
In community-sized districts, each of us could elect a trusted neighbor. Elections become fair. Districts are so small that money doesn't matter. Running for office becomes about reputations and relationships, not money and marketing.
Elected officials can be based at home, among the people they are supposed to represent. Normal human beings are finally in charge of government.
Think of it as "crowd-sourced representative democracy."
In one state we will have modeled true citizen government for the rest of the nation, including the US Congress.
The citizens' initiative process makes this possible in 18 states, which we can win one at a time.
We will need 16 more states to call a constitutional convention (for a total of 34), in order to de-professionalize Congress. Many of these will be small states that are not so dominated by professional politicians.
An Article V Convention of the States is called. We abolish professionalism in American elected offices and usher in a new age of citizen government.
Yes, it would be difficult. Great achievements are never easy. But we already agree on the problem. The consensus is there waiting to be tapped.
Nothing happens until we get ourselves organized.
If you like this plan, please share this post.
Read more at Citizens Rising.
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Last week a Frenchman's post on X went viral here in the USA. A man named Brivael Pogam warns us not to follow his country's example into socialism.
I want to pay it back to the Swiss. Please cherish and defend your democracy.
Switzerland should not become more like the USA. It should not give up sovereignty to the EU.
Instead, Switzerland should be our model.
To the Swiss, here is how I see your country from an American perspective.
@SommMarkus @tobiasstraumann @KoeppelRoger
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Last week, a Frenchman's warning to the USA went viral. It was written by Brivael Pogam, who urged Americans not to follow the French example into socialism.
I agree with everything Pogam said.
But there's something more fundamental beyond the socialist-capitalist binary to consider.
We must discuss our political systems.
How have our peoples lost so much control and how do we put control back in the hands of everyday citizens?
Corrupt popular-sounding conservative governments are unlikely to serve the people and will reenergize the statists and cultural Marxists.
(I believe the Republicans are going to lose badly in the upcoming election here in the USA, which will be richly deserved).
If we are honest, we will see that there is a big difference between the way socialist values operate in France versus the Nordic countries.
The data shows that the Nordic countries are successful across a range of metrics. Why?
It's not socialism. Rather, it's democracy. The Nordic countries are run by their own everyday people in ways that most of the USA and France are not.
That said, the most democratic government in the world belongs to the Swiss. See the link below.
Corrupt political systems allowed the existing and unlikely alliance of statists, corporatists and cultural Marxists to achieve dominance and control.
Replacing corrupt and self-serving political systems is not only a necessity; it is also an opportunity to largely unite our peoples because normal people on the Left and Right will find common cause.
Just as corporatist and Marxists have joined forces, so must a broad range of citizens with a variety of reasonable political views.
Our shared goal must be systemic political reform with the objective of restoring permanent popular control of Western governments.
Consider the achievements of democratic Switzerland in the link below.
My essay is also warning to the Swiss: hold fast to your democratic institutions. Your country is the model.
@brivael @DylanRatigan @ericweinstein
citizensrisingusa.substack.c…
A Frenchman recently warned the USA to avoid the poor decisions made by socialist France.
In that spirit, today I have a warning for the Swiss: hold fast to your democratic traditions.
Yes, free market countries are strong countries.
But functional democracy is essential.
France is on fire because its government is unaccountable.
Government in the USA is no better.
Switzerland, on the other hand, is the world's most successful country because it is also the world's most democratic country.
To the Swiss: resist the forces that want to make your nation more like the rest of the world. The world needs your example.
To the rest of the world: be more like Switzerland.
@Handre @RiccardoTrezzi @ErikVoorhees @brivael
Read more.
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In only one democratic country in the world do everyday people feel like they have a say in their own government: Switzerland
Meanwhile, the USA is at the bottom of the list and France is on fire.
What is it that the Swiss know that we have forgotten?
citizensrisingusa.substack.c…
This young American is reporting from the riots in France. He is right in the middle of it.
Based on his interviews and the people around him, this looks like a Marxist revolution.
What a terrible flaw in our education systems. I'm sure many of the protesters are decent people but with absolutely no idea about the incomprehensible misery and murder committed by Marxist regimes in the 20th Century. What fools we all are not to learn the lessons of history.
I know France a little because I married a native.
What this guy says strikes me as true and could come to pass.
I'm an American bank guy who goes to rural France 4-5x/year. My academic background is European History.
The conservative forces of rural France have crushed urban liberalism many times since the Revolution (1848, 1871, 1959 and one could argue Vichy in 1940 as well). That's why they're on the 5th Republic. It's setting up for that again next year.
Background: France is run by highly educated mandarins for the benefit of the retiree class. There is little economic growth or job opportunity for the young because taxes and regulation are so high. President Macron's mild attempts to reverse this have been very unpopular with the retiree class.
The school funding protest is really about lack of opportunity post-graduation, which is valid. The Stalinist LFI and the essentially unemployed immigrant youth are exploiting the government's unwillingness to unleash its experienced and violent but not numerous riot police on the students.
Near-term, if the students stay home tonight, the police can start breaking heads with less fear of repercussions. If they don't, the govt is waiting for a spectacular outrage to justify it.
Long-term, the next Presidential election is in the spring. One should assume that National Front will win by a lot with dire consequences for the immigrant community.
Financially, France's social spending and still very capable (and conservative) military can not be maintained, yet the National Front wants to increase them. A financial crisis and EU exit can't be ruled out. Nor can a transition to a new form of government.
TLDR - we haven't yet seen the guys that Gerard Depardieu used to play in cop and detective movies. They about to come on to the stage.
Fantastic. You want to know what is going on in France" Watch:
This is a very important message ane explanation of what's happening France and why we should worry about it happening here - of course it already has happened here and probably will again. youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Cj_RX4…
This is the part of France I know well. This looks peaceful and I see no Palestinian flags. But I do see a French one.
We are getting propaganda from all sides.
I am not saying there are not many Marxists and violent Islamists in some--or many of these protests--but some appear peaceful too.
To these peaceful French people, I ask, "What do you want?"
Your country is out of money and already taxed to the max.
I would recommend a political system with much more democracy, but that never seems to be on anyone's agenda.
Anti-Ukraine posts are at a fever pitch. I suspect many if not most of these are Russian bots.
Meanwhile, does anyone understand what is happening on the streets of Paris and Milan?
Welcome to the age of narratives over news and propaganda.
When he says this, I hear Neville Chamberlin talking about Herr Hitler.
I am done with the GOP.
I was done when they did not care about the national debt.
There will be a reckoning on Election Day.
Vance: "I've never met Putin in person. I've spoken to him on the phone. He was calmer than you might expect. The American media has a stereotype of him. He's very deliberate and measured in his words.
I think, at his core, he's someone who cares about Russia's interests as he sees them. One reason he respects the President is that he recognizes the President cares about the interests of the American people."
Huh. I wonder if high diesel prices could have something to do with what is happening in the Middle East.
I know. Crazy talk.
🚨BREAKING: This new chart from @TheStudyofWar overlays Ukraine’s strikes on Russian refineries with the price of diesel fuel. There is NO CORRELATION between strikes on Russian refineries and spikes in the price of diesel here in the U.S. They are not driving up prices here.
Stephen Erickson retweeted
Ukrainians are dying to expel an invader. They are standing strong.
Don't patronize the Ukrainian people. They overwhelmingly support continuing the war and sacrificing to kick the Russians out.
Maybe you don't understand patriotism and the desire to die for your country against an invader.
kiis.com.ua/?lang=eng&cat=re…
Great Spot. But the monetary regime will be coming to an end.
Autumn in the valley, winter on the mountain, and a princess who supposedly never checked out.
We took this photo of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington Hotel last week. The fall colors were still going strong below, and the mountain was already covered in snow. I love this time of year up here.
The hotel opened in 1902 after more than 250 Italian craftsmen spent two years building it. It had its own power plant and eleven miles of plumbing. Just imagine what it took to build a place like this in the White Mountains back then.
According to hotel lore, Princess Carolyn, the original owner’s widow, still visits Room 314. She’s said to appear at the foot of the bed brushing her hair. So there’s a little something to think about when you’re trying to fall asleep. (I’ve personally stayed in this room many times and have some stories…)
In 1944, representatives from 44 nations gathered here for the Bretton Woods Conference, laying the foundations for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. A pretty remarkable piece of world history tucked away in the New Hampshire mountains.
And Mount Washington’s summit has recorded snow in every month of the year, including July, along with a 231-mph wind gust in 1934. Winter runs on its own schedule up there.
It really is one of New England’s most wonderful hotels. Hard to blame the princess for wanting to stay.
