Forum Post: Potential Demand: Federal gov't to allocate money to the best programs proposed through a public wiki website

The federal government should allocate some amount of money annually to the best programs proposed through a public wiki website. With money clearly dedicated, a well-designed website, and thought-out rules and criteria for evaluation, I think the wiki would attract lots of attention and effort.

OWS believes the 99% should be more involved in government, and this wiki would be an effective way of accomplishing that. I think the Obama administration would agree that this could provide galvanizing stimulus, unique impact, and politically powerful representation of the 99%. And beyond short term benefits, it opens up exciting new method of governance.

The wiki would promote productive engagement while avoid rigidity in communication and role-assignment.

(1) People actually involved know what the problems are and have local knowledge of what can really help, whereas top-down decision-makers have comparatively limited access.

(2) The wiki format would organize iterative communication that, depending on how it is managed, could propel nuanced schools of thought regarding a wide variety of problems concurrently.

(3) The broad population could represent and assume a fuller spectrum of personalities/objectives and roles. Top-down decision-makers and their representatives are more constrained by reputation and time.

(4) People would be better able to contribute to government in personally meaningful ways. There would be a populist bridge from opinions/knowledge to action, and more could find themselves in actual program roles matched to their creativity and capability.

(5) This kind of possibility and interactivity would engage the 99% and displace apathy and associated habits.

I think this would create a culture of community organizing and provide results at a good price. And I think the website itself would be a fascinating crucible, storage bank of ideas, and historical record – dynamically representing our identities, needs, and aspirations.

Shall we ask Obama for this?