Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!mailrus!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!ukma!tek From: tek@ms.uky.edu (Thomas E. Kunselman) Newsgroups: comp.org.eff.talk Subject: Re: Let's get moving gang!!! Keywords: Implementation, Network Novelties Message-ID: Date: 26 Aug 90 21:07:22 GMT References: <7686@helios.TAMU.EDU> <737@primerd.PRIME.COM> Organization: U of Ky, Math. Sciences, Lexington KY Lines: 42 milgr@teapot.prime.COM (Marc Milgram) writes: >In article <7686@helios.TAMU.EDU>, jsaxon@cs.tamu.edu (James B Saxon) writes: >|>Consider the power of an overnight call to rally, e-mail style... >|> >|>Consider voting directly through the computer at all levels of >|> government... (what electorate?) >|> >Most people have neither the interest not the inclination to do the research >for every vote carried out at the federal and state levels. However, this >might be a good alternative method for writing one's representatives in >congress, thereby expanding the mediums by which one can communicate with >congress. True, most people don't have the inclination to do the research, however, just because someone isn't willing to become informed, should we restrict them from voting? Hardly. There is an alternative, which I think should be built into any system expecting to handle a large number of people voting, and that is an option to allow a person to register a vote that is the same as someone elses. For example, I highly respect the views and opinions of a colleague who I feel is informed on a certain subject that will be voted on. If his ID allows slaving, then I can just key in that my vote is slaved to his ID. There are numerous ooptions to be taken into account also, such as being able to setup your ID so only certain people can slave to you. Also, if a person is going to allow slaving, then his/her vote should be made known to the slavee. If you don't want your vote to be public, then don't allow people to slave to you. I may want to slave my vote to a respected ecologist, or a noted phsysicist regarding various fundings of certain projects. Why should my vote not count just because I don't have the time to decide an issue for myself, but I know someone who I am willing to let decide the issue for me? That is basically what we do with elected officials, just this way you can unslave as soon as someone pisses you off or as soon as your opinions change. -- Thomas Kunselman {rutgers,uunet}!ukma!tek Planning and Institutional Research bitnet: irkunsel@ecuvm1.bitnet East Carolina University internet:tek@ms.uky.edu Greenville, NC 27858 (Educate, Don't Legislate!)