To: Fred Gohlke
I agree that our Declaration only reduces, and does not completely
eliminate, control of politics by political parties and political-party
leaders. Yet, as you have pointed out in other messages, we need to
take one step at a time.
After we have disseminated this Declaration we can move on to attempting
to find some kind of consensus for proportional-representation methods,
and then write and disseminate a separate Declaration on that topic, and
that PR-based Declaration (if followed) will further reduce control by
political-party leaders (and their followers). Then, presumably years
from now, we can move on to developing, and reaching consensus about,
voting methods that fully bypass party politics.
As you have correctly pointed out, we need to take one step at a time.
Richard Fobes
On 9/2/2011 1:25 PM, Fred Gohlke wrote:
Good Afternoon, Mr. Fobes
re: "I think that the listed benefits (of election-method reform)
cover most of your "participation" principle ..."
The declaration presumes the right of political parties to select the
candidates for public office, thereby preventing meaningful
participation by the public.
Over two hundred years experience with party politics (should) have
taught us that political parties transcend the will of the people.
Parties are important for the principals: the party leaders,
contributors, candidates and elected officials, but the significance
diminishes rapidly as the distance from the center of power grows. Most
people are on the periphery, remote from the center of power. As
outsiders, they have little incentive to participate in the political
process. The flaws in party politics are disastrous and we ought not
blind ourselves to the political causes of the devastation we're
enduring, right now.
If the only purpose of the declaration is to break the hold of plurality
it may be effective, but it offers no roadmap for those countries
seeking an electoral method that gives their people meaningful
participation in the political process.
Fred Gohlke
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