Co-Legislators

2008-12-13 03:32:00

LWK writes:

"Tell us again how it is that the politician will accurately know the will of the people? Or how the people will know and be able to punish the politician who doesn't follow it."

JJ:

His constituents would be invited to be co-legislators with him. This would be open to anyone in his voting district. Let us say there are a million potential voters there. Not all of them would sign up. At first, the number would be below 10% but would grow as Molecular Politics became more popular. Let us assume that the politician has 100,000 co-legislators and two items are coming up to vote. The first is a funding project for electric cars and the second concerns abortion. 30,000 show up to vote on the electric cars, but a whopping 80,000 vote on the hot topic of abortion.

On the first 18,000 voted for the funding for electric cars and 42,000 voted against the abortion bill. The legislator then looks at the tabulation and is committed to vote with the majority in both cases. He will vote for the funding bill and against the abortion bill since that is what the majority of those who voted told him to do.

The molecular organization placed the politician in power through endorsing him and raising money for his election. He has made a strict commitment to always vote with the majority of his co-legislators. If he does not then all funding through molecular sources will get cut off and it will be published that the politician has disgraced himself by breaking his word. When this program becomes popular with the people the politician has to cooperate to avoid disgrace and losing his position.

Another point that helps insure that the politician cooperates is that he will understand the plan when he signs up. Many who clearly understand that they must vote according to the will of the people will be the type of people not looking for power and more likely than average to keep their word without coercion.