A New York Times/CBS opinion poll finds that only 9% of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, and only 10% feel that they can “trust the government in Washington to do what is right”. Both of those numbers are the lowest on record.
Filed under: Elections, Opinion polling, Press | 1 Comment »
Jose Baez, who was Casey Anthony’s defense attorney, writes in the Orlando Sentinel:
Almost four months ago, the jury in the trial of Casey Anthony found her not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter of a child — and the jurors have paid for it ever since.
They have paid for it at the hands of pundits and so-called veteran court watchers, who have relentlessly denounced the verdict and the jurors.
[…]
Some argue that the judicial system is broken and that this jury is to be scorned. They could not be more wrong. Our system of criminal justice has a presumption of innocence and a constitutional guarantee that we will face a jury of our peers.
As Sir William Blackstone said in his “Commentaries on the Laws of England in 1765”: “… a competent number of sensible and upright jurymen, chosen by lot from among those of middle rank, will be found the best investigators of truth, and the surest guardians of public justice.”
Filed under: Juries, Press | Leave a comment »
Prof. James Fishkin has an op-ed piece in the New York Times:
One hundred years ago today, California voters added the ballot initiative to the State Constitution, allowing citizens to use petitions to bring proposed statutes and constitutional amendments for a public vote.
In the article Fishkin entwines two themes. On the one hand, according to Fishkin, multiple cycles of legislation via the initiative system have encumbered California with various laws that cannot be overturned by the legislature, and make California “virtually ungovernable”. He cites the two-thirds rule for raising taxes, mandatory funds allocation (40% to education), the “three strikes law” and term limits for legislators. (He also originally cited a two-thirds rule for passing the budget – this reference was removed from the article since last year Proposition 25 eliminated this rule in favor of passage by regular majority.)
The other theme is the troubles with the Proposition system itself – supposedly the cause for the passage of the problematic laws.
Continue reading
Filed under: Athens, Ballot measures, Opinion polling, Press, Proposals, Sortition | 25 Comments »
Gil Delannoi will be presenting a seminar under the title “Sortition and conceptions of equality” on October 11th in Paris (I presume).
The announcement mentions Delannoi and Dowlen’s Sortition: Theory and Practice (Imprint Academics, 2010), Delannoi’s report Le retour du tirage au sort en politique, briefly reviewed in Libération, and a recorded interview with Delannoi:
Filed under: Press, Sortition | 4 Comments »
Harald Korneliussen found the following item:
A People’s Jury of a thousand angry citizens
From banking to hacking public horror has failed to tame Britain’s feral elites. We need a People’s Jury
A new routine is emerging. First, a crisis occurs in a vital part of our lives: banks crash, MPs fiddle expenses, a media empire hacks phones. Public anger and outrage rises. Everyone says that something must be done. But frustration and apathy set in as it becomes obvious that nothing is done. A moment for change slips through our fingers. Meanwhile the next – possibly bigger – crisis lurks round the corner, perhaps banking again, or the energy companies. Why is this happening and what can we do about it?
Continue reading
Filed under: Press, Proposals, Sortition | 4 Comments »
Google Alert netted another fine catch:
Democracy seeming like Greek to U.S.
Bill McClellan
stltoday.com, July 29, 2011Not long ago, I wrote a column in which I suggested we select our leaders through a lottery [Stupid vs. immoral? Let’s leave governing up to chance, June 8, 2011]. We would avoid tiresome campaigns and the lies and misrepresentations therein, and we would rid ourselves of campaign contributions and the time-honored practice of buying influence and favors.
It was a whimsical idea. Or so I thought. But one of the joys of writing a newspaper column is hearing from people who know more than I do about the subjects I write about.
David C. sent me this note: “Today’s column made me think of ancient Athens, one of the most thoroughgoing democracies in western history (at least for those who weren’t slaves). They had a system of government very similar to your idea of government by lottery. As the Marxist historian C.L.R. James wrote in his essay, ‘Every Cook Can Govern’: ‘Perhaps the most striking thing about Greek democracy was that the administration (and there were immense administrative problems) was organized upon the basis of what is known as sortition, or, more easily, selection by lot. The vast majority of Greek officials were chosen by a method which amounted to putting names into a hat and appointing the ones whose names came out.'”
Filed under: Athens, Elections, Press, Proposals, Sortition | 3 Comments »
One of the six steps that Mickey Edwards offers for “fixing Congress” is to fill congressional committee vacancies by lot.
Edwards’s critique of elected government starts promisingly enough:
Angry and frustrated, American voters went to the polls in November 2010 to “take back” their country. Just as they had done in 2008. And 2006. And repeatedly for decades, whether it was Republicans or Democrats from whom they were taking the country back. No matter who was put in charge, things didn’t get better. They won’t this time, either; spending levels may go down, taxes may go up, budgets will change, but American government will go on the way it has[.]
Filed under: Press, Proposals, Sortition | 4 Comments »
Apparently, in Turkey there’s some sort of lottery to make the annual pilgrimage to Mecca–
Religious Affairs Directorate selects out hajj applicants
The Religious Affairs Directorate has made the final selection of people going on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. People were chosen through a random drawing, and the names of winners were posted online.
The hajj is one of Islam’s five obligations that every Muslim must fulfill, if possible, during his or her lifetime. According to Muslims, their journey to Mecca absolves them of their sins. The name drawing ceremony began with the reading of the Surah Yass’in from the Quran. Prior to the drawing, Religious Affairs Directorate President Mehmet Görmez said, “Whether your name is drawn or not, may God never reduce this excitement within your hearts.” Görmez also commented on questions people have raised regarding the random selection system. Some have questioned the current system and have asked for people that apply first to be granted the right to go to hajj. Thus, Gömez stated, “If we use this kind of a system [of selecting early applicants], then people who apply in this year will be able to go [to hajj] in 15 years.”
I must admit I’m rather ignorant on this subject. Is there some kind of permit needed to go to Mecca? Is that what’s being offered here? Or is this more like an “all expenses paid” trip, such that one could skip this lottery and go on one’s own dime if one wanted?
I seem to recall a posting on this blog about Muslim cabbies objecting to a random drawing of taxi licenses, on religious grounds. Wonder what they’d make of this.
Filed under: Distribution by lot, Press | 1 Comment »
Daniel Hannan, a writer, journalist, and Conservative MEP, writes in the Telegraph:
Lord Steel now proposes to make the House of Lords wholly appointed. In other words, one of the two legislative chambers would be nominated by the executive. Of all the alternative models – direct election, indirect election, selection by lot, heredity or, indeed, unicameralism – surely appointment is the worst.
At least one of the commenters, “erikbloodaxe”, picks up on the idea of sortition:
I think the Lords should be appointed by lot, from among the general population. Professional politicians (with the odd honourable exception) are completely out of touch. Give them about £100k pa and make them turn up.
To which Hannan replies:
Surely if you wanted it to be genuinely representative, people should carry on earning whatever they were getting before?
Filed under: House of Lords, Press, Sortition | 41 Comments »
I know it’s an old idea (see Barnett & Carthy Athenian Option 1998/2008, ImprintAcademic), but here’s a letter in today’s (London) Times (Sat 21st May)
Citizens’ assembly
Sir,
Brian Harris (letter, May 19) is right to question whether the best cure for our dysfunctional Lower House is to create a weaker version in the Upper House. As he suggests, the last thing the public wants is more politicians.
A reform that would indeed mean “improvement, not a near duplication” would be to replace the House of Lords with a citizens’ assembly, chosen by lot from all members of the public (excluding political officeholders) willing to serve for a single fixed term, with adjustments to ensure fair representation by gender, age and region.
By virtue of its democratic credentials, such a popular assembly could be given greater powers to challenge the Commons. Even if these powers extended to a right of veto, there would be no conflict of legitimacy of the kind which, as Mr Harris points out, could afflict two elected houses: election and sortition are different but complementary modes of reflecting public opinion. It would thus be quite reasonable to require legislation to secure the approval of both houses.
Nonetheless, one could provide that an enduring deadlock between the two houses be resolved by referendum: that should encourage constructive compromise, as the Commons would no doubt be wary of trying the public’s patience by invoking such a provision too often.
CHARLES SCANLAN London NW8
Filed under: Press, Proposals, Sortition | 4 Comments »
Adam Cronkright
Ali
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Common Lot Sortitionist
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Equality by lot 