Why We’re Raising the Signature Threshold for We the People

Post by tkahn6 » Wed, Jan 16, 2013, 4:22 AM UTC

hakaaak wrote: post #49

Here is the reality. Serious concerns will get few votes. Things such as building a death star that are completely stupid and not serious get lots of votes. So what this is really saying is, "We're going to raise the threshold so we won't have to waste effort replying to your death star petitions, and btw we don't give a fuck about the little man and never did. Fuck you. Case closed. Now if we can get the media to sp…

Post by rockyleal » Wed, Jan 16, 2013, 4:28 AM UTC

tokenadult wrote: post #10

The founders of the United States knew that a representative democracy (what they termed a "republic") has some distinct advantages over direct democracy. This fact was discussed at length in the jointly authored Federalist Papers. http://thomas.loc.gov/home/histdox/fedpapers.html History shows that this fact is rediscovered in each new generation through hard experience, on a bipartisan basis.

Post by pekk » Wed, Jan 16, 2013, 4:34 AM UTC

jjguy wrote: post #91

pdonis wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which begs the question: why are people petitioning the White House to have their states secede from the Union? That's just stupid on so many levels that I don't even know where to begin.

I read it as evidence of the erosion of state's rights. Perception is reality and those folks clearly thought they needed Daddy DC's permission. We nationalize too many issues on which our nation is deeply divided. If, instead of bickering for years over an issue in Congress, we pushed those decisions back to the states, then local initiatives would be put into place. With time, the right solutions would naturally de…

Post by maratd » Wed, Jan 16, 2013, 4:42 AM UTC

pekk wrote: post #104

zainny wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is one important number missing from the infographics in this blog post. Difference Made: 0

Do you think it is better not to provide any website for registering opinions?

Post by Firehed » Wed, Jan 16, 2013, 5:08 AM UTC

pekk wrote: post #106

Firehed wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've received no emails as a result of signing any petition. I think this is just a much more direct way for the government to pretend it cares what we want while continuing to do whatever it pleases.

Do you really expect the White House to unilaterally implement policy on account of a few thousand 'online votes', a significant number of which might be dupes or astroturf? Congress remains the way legislation gets passed no matter how many feedback websites the executive makes.