Wisconsin Democrats Escape from Republican Streetview Zombies

Excellent tactics.

But, how about we eliminate ALL politicians. I would like to see us move to a real representative democracy, using the original (Athenian) technique for selecting most offices: a lottery, ie. random selection ala jury duty. We certainly couldn’t do worse than we do now.

We could completely limit the influence of money on legislators if there are no elections or campaign expenses. If you gave money to a legislator for any reason, there would be no question that it is a bribe and a criminal act (both giving & receiving.)

I am a supporter of democracy but not politicracy. The “demos” (all the people, as in demographic) is poorly represented by the “polis” (the “political class”, those who scream the loudest & spend the most money).

Update: They’ve scattered again.

Trivia question, since I’m too lazy to Google it: Who did this the last time? It’s been a few years since we had a Rogue Legislature on the loose.

Clock tower? Have they not seen Vertigo?

@nojo: that would be the Killer Ds in Texas, running after Tom Delay sought to redistrict in the middle of the 10-year window. I think they held out for weeks before they cracked. They all stayed in an Oklahoma border town if memory serves.

Their run was the subject of my term paper in my final class before graduation from… the U.W. Law School. And thus the circle is complete.

@nojo: Texas

@dodgerblue: the Clock Tower is a Rockford landmark by a shopping complex.

The initial report called the (now abandoned) hideout a “resort.” LOLZ – Rockford would be a resort destination for absolutely nobody.

@chicago bureau: And thus the circle is complete.

And I knew a Scott Walker growing up. My high school class is the Harbinger of Doom.

ADD: Go Axemen! It all makes sense now.

ADD2: If only X-Men had Nerd Chic in the Seventies. Wolverine would have been a wayyyy cooler mascot than a treekiller.

@chicago bureau: Ardmore, OK. Closest place to the state line with a decent motel.

@jaycubed: Wow, wqe don’t agree on much, it seems. I can’t imagine anything worse than some uninformed teabaggy yahoo getting picked at random to be, say, the Senator from California. At least having a political class allows us to vette these clowns a bit before they take office.

We have a political “class” and the result of it is apparent with the teabag takeover of most of the State legislatures and the House this past election, despite the teabaggers being a small minority of the population.

For every teabagger there are probably two or more people of an actual progressive bent (unlike the Democratic Party). And people, whether nominally conservative or liberal, who are not reliant on the money of the rich & corporate interests are much more likely to vote for their own interests, which would be more likely to benefit everyone, than are politicians of any leanings.

I would rather take the random yahoo, if nothing else because the yahoos deserve representation too, for the chance to actually be represented by something other than corporate sponsored professional politicians.

@jaycubed: Really? You’d rather have, say, Jared Lee Lautner or Michelle Malkin randomly picked and made President of the United States? Or some random meth addict from Nevada? Really? How about Sheriff Joe Arpaio?

Because all of those people seem like a worse outcome than even the worst of corporate whores to me.

@Tommmcatt is with Karin Marie on This One:

I would rather have half of all legislators be women. I would rather have the vast majority of legislators be poor to middle class. I would rather have minorities be represented commensurate to their proportion of the population. I would rather have the rich be represented in accord with their numbers (tiny) in the population, rather than represented according to how much money they can spend.

Remember, Ol’ Sheriff Joe is an elected official.

p.s. I didn’t discuss how to pick an Chief Executive in my comments. The process I would use for that would be a direct popular vote for one of the previous term legislators, since all business of the legislatures would be televised ala C-Span (I would have two bodies, but both randomly picked & representative unlike the non-representative Senate. Any legislation would require both bodies for passage.)

You seem driven more by contempt of those you disagree with rather than any sense of community, progressiveness or self-interest.

@jaycubed: Well, since you always go back and reform your argument into something more reasonable than what you initially say, to whit:

I would like to see us move to a real representative democracy, using the original (Athenian) technique for selecting most offices: a lottery, ie. random selection ala jury duty.

There can be no reasonable debate or discussion.

I am impressed that you can use the word “athenian” in a sentence, which was doubtless your goal to begin with- to impress people with your encyclopedic knowledge of basic history. So good on you, lil’ cowboy!

Wasn’t it Ben Franklin who wanted one house elected every year?

@Tommmcatt is with Karin Marie on This One:
What part of “MOST OFFICES” do you not understand.

Nice diversion from the main point however.

@jaycubed: I can’t believe you try to weasel out of what you clearly wrote with so weak a dodge.

Don’t worry about replying, you are persona non grata to me at this point. Good luck to you.

@Tommmcatt is with Karin Marie on This One:

According to you I “try to weasel out of what (I) clearly wrote” by quoting what I “clearly wrote”.

In other words, there’s no way you can respond without looking foolish, so you’ll run away. Good luck to you.

@Tommmcatt is with Karin Marie on This One:

Let’s remember what you reject:

I would rather have half of all legislators be women. I would rather have the vast majority of legislators be poor to middle class. I would rather have minorities be represented commensurate to their proportion of the population. I would rather have the rich be represented in accord with their numbers (tiny) in the population, rather than represented according to how much money they can spend.

What you embrace is the continuation of power by mostly wealthy white businessmen & lawyers, the present “political class” you defend.

With an emphasis on the businessMEN.