Forum Post: Demand Democracy PUBLUC REFERENDUMS
Posted 12 years ago on Oct. 4, 2011, 2:56 p.m. EST by OccupyTheAgenda
(58)
from Chicago, IL
This content is user submitted and not an official statement
The first demand should be PUBLIC REFERENDUMS so the PUBLIC can MAKE/CHANGE LAWS, and AMEND THE CONSTITUTION.
Then WE THE PEOPLE CAN OCCUPY THE AGENDA!
I have listed 7 great demands for returning democracy to the people
Check out: http://OccupyTheAgenda.wordpress.com https://www.facebook.com/OccupyTheAgenda
Lastly, we were created as a republic when it would have been impossible to create a direct democracy.
Look at the referendum process in Switzerland, it works.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voting_in_Switzerland
Alcohol prohibition was an amendment that limited peoples rights I wonder if the majority would have voted for it.
10 of the 16 states with Medical Marijuana got it by ballot initiative, including all the early ones: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_cannabis_in_the_United_States
Sam Adams theoretical fear is NOT born out in reality. Ballot initiatives are the origin of most reforms, such as women's suffrage (passed in 13 states before Congress went along), direct election of Senators (4 states), publicly financed elections (passed by initiative in 7 of 8 states with such "clean" elections), medical marijuana ( in 10 of 16 states with it) and increasing minimum wages (in all 6 states that tried in 2006). See http://Vote.org/initiatives for more examples and references. The media have seized on the problem initiatives. They generally kiss up to politicians.
Thank you.
Vote.org seems like a great resource.
Philadelphia II is confusing though, I don't know how much I like outside agencies running elections. They would have to be very controlled, and at that point the government should probably just run it.
Maybe that's unclear. Philadelphia II is running the election to put the National (ballot) Initiative in the Constitution. After, the government would continue to run elections, which would include national ballot initiatives.
I guess it requires a little faith in humanity to not turn people into slaves.
We are not a democracy we are a republic. Many states offer referendums, and I wish all did, but demanding them on a national level is, in my opinion, absurd and goes against limiting the federal government, and isn't even allowed in the constitution. I could get a referendum passed by 51% of the people that the other 49% not longer have rights and are slaves to the 51%. Democracy in action!
While I agree with many of the goals put forth by this movement, the understanding of how our nation works and the means in which people attempt to achieve their goals baffle me.
Check the link after the edit mark on this page for a working list of goals http://occupywallst.org/forum/first-official-release-from-occupy-wall-street/
and this Warning from the original Tea Party before it got hijacked http://occupywallst.org/forum/an-open-letter-and-warning-from-a-former-tea-party/
and this list of usefull PDF files http://occupywallst.org/forum/demonstration-materials/