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WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 20, 2006 07:33PM

WDDM Membership


The dynamic relationship between Ordinary and Active Memberships


In the WDDM, Active and Ordinary Members actually form one community of people with interchanging roles, who have gathered together to promote globally DD or true democracy where the people, being sovereign, have the final say on all matters concerning the people and country.


Because WDDM has to manage its affairs and to make decisions, it needs members who have kept themselves abreast of its developments to make decisions on its behalf. These members are called Active Members.


So all Ordinary Members with at least three month’s membership are eligible to be Active Members and are encouraged to be so to help in the governance of WDDM.


Initially, the present Ordinary members will have 30 days from the date of activation of this membership policy to apply for Active membership and sign the Active Membership agreement. This is a one time start up option.


Ordinary Members after the qualifying period are not inferior members. They are those who, for some reasons best known to themselves, are for the time being unable to participate actively in the management of WDDM.


Similarly, Active Members who, for any reason, are unable for the time being to participate actively in the management of WDDM will revert to their previous status as Associate Members, either through their own request or through the operation of membership rules. Such members could, at any time, apply to be Active Members again when they are ready to be active in the affairs of WDDM.


This interchanging process is to enable WDDM to make true majority decisions of at least 50%+1 because such decisions are often not possible when many members fail to vote on issues.


In view of such a dynamic relationship between Active and Ordinary Memberships, the membership with WDDM commences on the date when the applicant is accepted as a member of WDDM. Here, no distinction would be made between Active and Ordinary Membership.



Becoming a WDDM Ordinary Member


1. A person seeking WDDM membership must complete a WDDM Membership
Application, describing why they want to join WDDM in the application.
2. The completed application is turned into the WDDM Webmaster.
3. The applicant will be provisionally accepted as a member.
4. The Ordinary Member Application is sent to all the Active Members for review.
5. The Ordinary Membership Application Review will be completed within 90 days.
5. An applicant will be immediately accepted if not more than 20% of the current Active members will have any objections to her/his Ordinary Membership.


Becoming an WDDM Active Member


An Ordinary Member could petition for Active Membership after 90 days as an Ordinary Member.


A person seeking Active Membership agrees to be active and participate in WDDM business. Failure to do so could result in the Active Membership being suspended or withdrawn. The individual would than return to being an Ordinary Member.


Petition for Active Membership:
1. The Ordinary Member would complete an Active Membership Application.
2. The applicant would describe why they would like to be an Active Member in the application.
3. The applicant will agree to be active in discussion and voting on WDDM business.
4. A copy of the application would be sent to each Active Member for review.
5. An applicant will be immediately accepted if not more than 20% of the current Active Members have any objections to her/his Active Membership.
6. An applicant will be immediately rejected if 80% or more of the Active Members are against her/his Active Membership
7. Individuals could be suspended from Ordinary or Active membership if Active members processed the complaints with “due process”.


An Active member, foreseeing some busy time could request to be temporarily classified as an Ordinary Member. The member could than request reclassification as an Active Member when they could return to active participation and it would be done.




WDDM Ordinary Membership Application


We welcome you and appreciate your interest in WDDM.


If you would like to become a member of WDDM, please complete this application.


Name:
Address: (optional)
Email Address
Country


WDDM's goal is to develop a multilingual Globe-covering network of DD web sites linked to this site.



Please provide any other comments you would like to make:


If you need more room, give URL's for it, or send e-mail with attached files to the WDDM webmaster. (FORUM CANNOT accept ATTACHED files before member finishes registration).




WDDM Active Membership


After being an Ordinary Member for ninety (90) days you may apply for WDDM Active Membership:


Name:


Address:


Country:


Email Address:


WDDM needs active people to process business and make decisions.
To become a WDDM Active Member you must agree to the following:


I will actively participate in WDDM, by reading Forum and other WDDM correspondence.
I will post my opinion on issues.
I will vote so WDDM can make decisions.
I will make suggestions, proposals and other actions which help WDDM in its Goal.


I accept that failure to participate actively in WDDM as an Active Member could result in Active Membership being discontinued.


Signed:


edited May 29 2006 BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/02/2006 04:38AM by BrEggum.


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: CommonOne (IP Logged)
Date: May 22, 2006 05:40PM

I have serious doubts as to whether or not such a two-tiered system will work.


Why is it not enough that a person be dissatisfied with the political situation of his or her country and simply wish to join a group that promises a better world? Why is it necessary for such a person to PROVE a past interest in DD? What if such an interest is new?


And why must every WDDM member approve or disapprove a new member? What happens when we have 1,000 members? 10,000? 100,000? That's our goal isn't it, to gain hundreds of thousands of members?


I don't see the desirability of a two-tiered system. All I see is the necessity of a buffer to the discussion board within which all messages can be monitored before they are placed before the public.


Lee


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 25, 2006 11:54AM

I have edited the Membership and Appplication Criteria


I added The Dynamic Relationship between Associate and Ordinary Membership


I deleted the following:


2. Applicant provides examples of active participation in activities which support the Mission Statement of WDDM. The applicant provides papers, websites, and other evidence of their view and active support of the WDDM Mission Statement.


5. An applicant will be immediately rejected if 80% or more of the Ordinary members are against her/his Associate Membership
Application’s are on the bottom of this document.


I submit this membership criterion as a proposal to WDDM


Signed BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 27, 2006 12:01PM

Dear Lee,


I note in another message that you agree in a two tiered system so I won't elaborate. Please see the edited membership criteria as I believe it covers your areas of concern.


ATB BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: MiKolar (IP Logged)
Date: May 27, 2006 10:01PM

Bruce,
I basically agree your proposal. Based on my experience with the poll, and Lee apparently supports it, I would propose three categories of members: Ordinary - unchanged from your proposal, and two types of associate members, or however we would call them (Associate Members and Supporters?). Associate members would have one additional role: would be given for approval all decisions made by ordinary members (and first approved by a vote among ordinary members only, using whatever voting mechanism/consensus will be set up for this purpose). The associate members would than approved/rejected this document (by pure majority?). If rejected, the ordinary members may decide to work on it more, or shelf it (for good, for a period).
Supporters would have no active participation at all.
Transition between the Associate member and Supporter category will be made by the decision of that member only (depending on their time and will to be somewhat active) and will be done upon announcing their decision to others. Associate members will then have to participate in most approvals.


Lee, is that what you had in mind? Or would this be too complicated?
Bruce, could you try to work it into your proposal?


Otherwise I would simplify the questions for the admissions of Ass.members/Supporters. Your proposal might discourage some (How can you help us achieve our goal?). Some (the supporters) may initially come to learn more about DD, and only them may they decide what their role could be. Or move them to the Ordinary Member questionnaire. See below.



> So all active Associate Members with at least one month's (or more?)
MORE THAN ONE MONTH. Maybe three?



I would simplify the WDDM Associate Membership/Supporter Application to this:


We welcome you and appreciate your interest in WDDM.


If you would like to become a member of WDDM, please complete this application. If you need more room, give URL's for it, or send e-mail with attached files to the WDDM webmaster.
(FORUM CANNOT accept ATTACHED files before member finishes registration).


Name:
Address:
Email Address
Country


WDDM's goal is to develop a multilingual Globe-covering network of DD web sites linked to this site.
Why would you like to be a member of WDDM?


Please provide any other comments you would like to make:


I would leave out all the other questions at this stage;
also DO WE NEED FULL ADDRESS at thsi stage? - maybe only for ordinary members???


mk, [democracy.mkolar.org]


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 02:31AM

Associate Membership is for those who do not want or are unable to participate in the affairs of WDDM and for new members. They could be members who are actively promoting their own areas of DD or who are just supporters or sympathetic to the DD cause.


Any Associate Member who has satisfied the qualifying period to be Ordinary Member and who is willing to participate in the decision-making processes of WDDM should be an Ordinary Member. That is why the proposed Membership Rule C is only concerned with Ordinary Members who have “failed to vote at the polls on issues required of the Ordinary Members for more than five (5) times consecutively in a continuous period of more than three (3) months without a good reason or excuse …”. So an Ordinary Member who has not participated actively in the discussion part of the WDDM affairs (“the discussion part”), but who has kept himself sufficiently abreast of developments there in order to be able to make informed and considered decisions for WDDM and who would do so when needed would continue to be an Ordinary Member.


In the event when we have many Ordinary Members and the majority is not active in the discussion part, then an Active Group or a Committee of Ordinary Members could be formed to work on proposals for the approval of the Ordinary Members. At the moment, there are only a few active members who are willing to participate both in the discussion and decision-making processes of WDDM. So currently, the need for such an Active Group or Committee of the Ordinary Members has not yet arisen.


Best Regards
Eric Lim

Best Regards
Eric Lim



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2006 09:27AM by EricLim.


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 02:43AM

Mirek:



> So all active Associate Members with at least one month's (or more?)
MORE THAN ONE MONTH. Maybe three?




We need to know a person better before we could make a fair and honest assessment on his/her application for Ordinary Membership. One month may not be sufficient. Three months are better.

Best Regards
Eric Lim


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 11:07AM

Mirek I agree to most of your suggestions,I would change the application as edited.


I would simplify the WDDM Associate Membership/Supporter Application to this:


We welcome you and appreciate your interest in WDDM.


If you would like to become a member of WDDM, please complete this application.


Name:
Address:
Email Address
Country


WDDM's goal is to develop a multilingual Globe-covering network of DD web sites linked to this site.
Why would you like to be a member of WDDM?


Please provide any other comments you would like to make:


If you need more room, give URL's for it, or send e-mail with attached files to the WDDM webmaster. (FORUM CANNOT accept ATTACHED files before member finishes registration).


I would leave out all the other questions at this stage;
also DO WE NEED FULL ADDRESS at this stage? - maybe only for ordinary members???


[An address adds legitimacy which we are trying to determine.]

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 11:21AM

Regarding the associate applying for Ordinary.


I agree three months as an Associate before applying for Ordinary would be appropriate.


I do want a clear statement that all present members who immediately apply for Ordinary Membership (us included) will have the three month as an associate waived.


This would go in the "original" membership statement sent to present members.


BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 05:15PM

You are right, Bruce. For clarification and avoidance of confusion, there should be a clear statement in the letter to the present members that the three months qualifying period for Ordinary Membership does not apply to them and that their application to be Ordinary Members will be accepted, if they agree to participate actively in the affairs of WDDM in the discussions and voting on issues.


Best Regards
Eric Lim

Best Regards
Eric Lim



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2006 06:13PM by EricLim.


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: MiKolar (IP Logged)
Date: May 28, 2006 08:52PM

I agree with:
I do want a clear statement that all present members who immediately apply for Ordinary Membership (us included) will have the three month as an associate waived.


I am happy with the modifications Bruce made.


Mirek

mk, [democracy.mkolar.org]


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 29, 2006 10:59AM

I did the upgrade editing as suggested, please let me know of any errors, corrections. I added "I accept that failure to participate actively in WDDM as an Active Member could result in Active Membership being discontinued," to the Active Membership Application.

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 29, 2006 11:01AM

WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: May 20, 2006 11:33PM
Edited May 29,2006


WDDM Membership


The dynamic relationship between Ordinary and Active Memberships


In the WDDM, Active and Ordinary Members actually form one community of people with interchanging roles, who have gathered together to promote globally DD or true democracy where the people, being sovereign, have the final say on all matters concerning the people and country.


Because WDDM has to manage its affairs and to make decisions, it needs members who have kept themselves abreast of its developments to make decisions on its behalf. These members are called Active Members.


So all Ordinary Members with at least three month’s membership are eligible to be Ordinary Members and are encouraged to be so to help in the governance of WDDM.


Initially, the present Ordinary members will have 30 days from the date of activation of this membership policy to apply for Active membership and sign the Active Membership agreement. This is a one time start up option.


Ordinary Members after the qualifying period are not inferior members. They are those who, for some reasons best known to themselves, are for the time being unable to participate actively in the management of WDDM.


Similarly, Active Members who, for any reason, are unable for the time being to participate actively in the management of WDDM will revert to their previous status as Associate Members, either through their own request or through the operation of membership rules. Such members could, at any time, apply to be Active Members again when they are ready to be active in the affairs of WDDM.


This interchanging process is to enable WDDM to make true majority decisions of at least 50%+1 because such decisions are often not possible when many members fail to vote on issues.


In view of such a dynamic relationship between Active and Ordinary Memberships, the membership with WDDM commences on the date when the applicant is accepted as a member of WDDM. Here, no distinction would be made between Active and Ordinary Membership.



Becoming a WDDM Ordinary Member


1. A person seeking WDDM membership must complete a WDDM Membership
Application, describing why they want to join WDDM in the application.
2. The completed application is turned into the WDDM Webmaster.
3. The applicant will be provisionally accepted as a member.
4. The Ordinary Member Application is sent to all the Active Members for review.
5. The Ordinary Membership Application Review will be completed within 90 days.
5. An applicant will be immediately accepted if not more than 20% of the current Active members will have any objections to her/his Ordinary Membership.


Becoming an WDDM Active Member


An Ordinary Member could petition for Active Membership after 90 days as an Ordinary Member.


A person seeking Active Membership agrees to be active and participate in WDDM business. Failure to do so could result in the Active Membership being suspended or withdrawn. The individual would than return to being an Ordinary Member.


Petition for Active Membership:
1. The Ordinary Member would complete an Active Membership Application.
2. The applicant would describe why they would like to be an Active Member in the application.
3. The applicant will agree to be active in discussion and voting on WDDM business.
4. A copy of the application would be sent to each Active Member for review.
5. An applicant will be immediately accepted if not more than 20% of the current Active Members have any objections to her/his Active Membership.
6. An applicant will be immediately rejected if 80% or more of the Active Members are against her/his Active Membership
7. Individuals could be suspended from Ordinary or Active membership if Active members processed the complaints with “due process”.


An Active member, foreseeing some busy time could request to be temporarily classified as an Ordinary Member. The member could than request reclassification as an Active Member when they could return to active participation and it would be done.




WDDM Ordinary Membership Application


We welcome you and appreciate your interest in WDDM.


If you would like to become a member of WDDM, please complete this application.


Name:
Address: (optional)
Email Address
Country


WDDM's goal is to develop a multilingual Globe-covering network of DD web sites linked to this site.



Please provide any other comments you would like to make:


If you need more room, give URL's for it, or send e-mail with attached files to the WDDM webmaster. (FORUM CANNOT accept ATTACHED files before member finishes registration).




WDDM Active Membership


After being an Ordinary Member for ninety (90) days you may apply for WDDM Active Membership:


Name:


Address:


Country:


Email Address:


WDDM needs active people to process business and make decisions.
To become a WDDM Active Member you must agree to the following:


I will actively participate in WDDM, by reading Forum and other WDDM correspondence.
I will post my opinion on issues.
I will vote so WDDM can make decisions.
I will make suggestions, proposals and other actions which help WDDM in its Goal.


I accept that failure to participate actively in WDDM as an Active Member could result in Active Membership being discontinued.


Signed:


edited May 29 2006 BrEggum


Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com




Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 05/29/2006 02:55PM by BrEggum.

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: MiKolar (IP Logged)
Date: June 01, 2006 02:24PM

I think the previous post by Bruce can be the final formulation.
It could perhaps be made somewhat more concise and more clear at a few points.
We actually have only one category of members, so while not just call them
Members instead of the long Ordinary Members?
If we say that all WDDM members are equal, then there should not (must not be) be
any need for accepting members to become Active Members - it must be their sole
decision (providing that they provide complete personal information
about themselves, that is optional (address) initially. Accepting or rejecting can be only new members.


So this is my attempt to suggest such clarifications:



WDDM Membership


All WDDM members are equal. They are all Ordinary
Members
(or simply Members for short) - they form a single community of
people with interchanging roles, who have gathered together to promote globally DD
or true democracy - a system of government in which the people, being sovereign,
have the final say on all matters at all levels of government, from the local
community level up to the world-wide level.


Because the past experience shows that not all members are being able at all times
to actively participate in the management of the WDDM, those who are currently
able to do so will constitute a groups of Active Members. All decisions
concerning WDDM will be approved by a majority (at least 50%+1) of Active
Members
. All active members are required to participate in WDDM governance.


The dynamic relationship between all and Active WDDM Members


A candidate for WDDM membership will be provisionally accepted upon submitting
their application. He will be confirmed to become a full (ordinary) WDDM member
after a three-month probational period after his application was submitted (see
below for details of the Application process).


After this three-month probational period, all members are eligible to be Active
Members and are encouraged to be so to help in the governance of WDDM.


WDDM members are are currently not Active members are not inferior members. They
are those who, for some reasons best known to themselves, are for the time being
unable to participate actively in the management of WDDM.


Similarly, Active Members who, for any reason, are unable for the time being to
participate actively in the management of WDDM will revert to their previous
status of non-Active Members, either through their own request or through the
operation of membership rules. Such members could, at any time, apply to be Active
Members again when they are again able and ready to participate.


Transitional Rule:
When this membership bylaw will become effective, all the current WDDM members
will be considered confirmed full members, and can apply immediately to become
Active Members (no waiting period will be applied to anybody).



Becoming a WDDM Member


1. A person seeking WDDM membership must complete a WDDM Membership
Application, describing why they want to join WDDM in the application.
2. The registration in WDDM Forum constitutes a completed application, or
a completed application can be submitted to the WDDM Webmaster by other means.
3. The applicant will be immediately provisionally accepted as a member.
4. The new Member Application is sent to all the Active Members for review.
5. The new Membership Application Review will be completed within 90 days.
During this period the new member would be encouraged to describe what they
could do to promote or support WDDM goals.
6. An applicant will be immediately confirmed as a WDDM Member if not more than
20% of the current Active members will have any objections to her/his
Membership.
7. An applicant will be immediately rejected if 80% or more of the Active Members
are against her/his Membership.
8. If none of 6. or 7. applies, the applicant's probational period will be
extended until a consensus (either 6. or 7.) is achieved.



Becoming an WDDM Active Member


Any confirmed WDDM Member could petition for Active Membership at any time.


A person seeking Active Membership agrees to be active and participate in all WDDM
business. Failure to do so could result in the Active Membership being suspended
or withdrawn. The individual would than return to being a non-active ordinary WDDM
Member.



Petition for Active Membership:


1. A WDDM member will complete an Active Membership Application (will announce
that he/she is ready for the Active Member duty). This announcement
will be forwarded to each Active Member.
2. Individuals could be suspended from Active membership after they failed
to participate in WDDM governance for a length of time.
3. An Active member, foreseeing some busy time could request to be temporarily
released from the duties of the Active Member. The member could than request
to return to the Active Member duty as in 1.




WDDM Membership Application:


We welcome you and appreciate your interest in WDDM.


If you would like to become a member of WDDM, please complete this application.


Name:
Address: (optional)
Email Address
Country


WDDM's goal is to develop a multilingual Globe-covering network of DD web sites linked to this site.


Please provide any other comments you would like to make:


If you need more room, give URL(s) pointing to the additional information,
or send e-mail with attached files to the WDDM webmaster.



WDDM Active Membership


After becoming a confirmed ordinary Member, you may apply for WDDM Active
Membership. If you have not done so before, you have to give some additional
information:


Name:


Address:


Country:


Email Address:


WDDM needs active people to process business and make decisions.
To become a WDDM Active Member you must agree to the following:


I will actively participate in WDDM, by reading Forum and other WDDM correspondence.
I will post my opinion on issues.
I will vote so WDDM can make decisions.
I will make suggestions, proposals and other actions which help WDDM in its Goal.


I accept that failure to participate actively in WDDM as an Active Member could result in Active Membership being discontinued.


Signed:

mk, [democracy.mkolar.org]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2006 02:35PM by MiKolar.


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: June 01, 2006 03:18PM

Thanks Mirek for your clarifications. I accept this changed membership and would like to use this entirely as the new Membership clause for WDDM.
BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: June 02, 2006 02:31AM

[Mirek]:
“We actually have only one category of members, so while not just call
Them Members instead of the long Ordinary Members?
If we say that all WDDM members are equal, then there should not (must
not be) be any need for accepting members to become Active Members - it must be their sole decision (providing that they provide complete personal information about themselves, that is optional (address) initially. Accepting or
rejecting can be only new members.”



This message has brought us back to square one.


Just let us answer one simple question: Do we want to empower the active members to make critical decsisions for WDDM?


If the answer is ‘Yes”, then two categories of memberships for WDDM is necessary because those who are vested to make critical decisions must have the authority to do so. And this creates the two categories of memberships: one with such authority to make critical decisions and one without.


In other words, if the active members are not vested with such authority, then there are no Active Members (as Mirek says all are just Members with equal rights to make all the decisions for WDDM) to make decisions for WDDM and we are back to square one with the majority not interested in the affairs of WDDM.


On the other question on whether an application for Active Membership is in order, yes it is if it exists. It is normal, standard procedure for membership admission, especially when there are requirements to be met for admission into Active Membership. In WDDM’s case, it is more so because it has been proposed that WDDM’s Ordinary Membership be open to all who are interested in DD or who want to learn more about it, to be consistent with WDDM’s goal of geting as many people as possible to be interested in DD and be its supporters. Now the proposal to screen applicants for new nembers is not only contrary to this WDDM’s goal, but also impractical because we cannot make a fair and honest assessment of complete strangers for admission as new members. This is precisely the same reason why we need a 3-month qualifying period for Active Membership.


Nonetheless, in order for all the non-active members to play their maximum role in WDDM, they should have all the rights and obligations of Active Members save for the provisions relating to the making of the critical decisions as specified in the proposed Membership Rules.


Moreover, all non-active members who have satisfied the qualifying period are eligible to be Active Members, if they agree to comply with the requirements of Active Membership. This ensures that all members are equal in their rights to be Active or Ordinary Members and makes both Active and Ordinary Memberships a matter of personal choice and circumstances.


Best Regards
Eric Lim


PS: A copy of this message can be found at the Forum too.

Best Regards
Eric Lim


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: June 02, 2006 06:19AM

I believe Merick's contribution provides all people as members, but defines "roles".


"Active Members" have a different "role".
To become an "Active Member" one must sign an agreement of participation etc. binding the person to this role.


Thus instead of different "memberships" we have different "roles".


This still provides a quorum of people to be maintained to complete business.


BrEggum (also on forum)

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: June 03, 2006 12:59AM

No, Bruce, read carefully the Mirek message in question. It says:


1 There is only ONE category of members to be called Members. Therefore, there are no Active Members or Ordinary Members, just Members.


2 All WDDM members are equal (meaning equal in all respects including critical decision-making since there is only one category of members). So a majority decision must be at least 50%+1 of the ENTIRE membership of WDDM.


3 Members playing a role do not have the right to make critical decisions on behalf of the other members simply because they are not empowered to do so. If they were so empowered, then they belong to a separate category of members with such powers different from the rest of the members without such powers.


4 The exception to 3 is that when the members playing a role is either elected or appointed as representatives of the other members.


5 The reference to "Active Members" in the rest of the message gives rise to confusion as there are no such members (See Point 1 above). What it could mean is a group of Members who are active in the affairs of WDDM, but these active members could not be vested with the needed authority. Otherwise active members and non-active members are not equal violating Point 2 above.

Best Regards
Eric Lim


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: June 03, 2006 01:37AM

Yes I can see your point Eric. I will ponder it a bit. BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: June 03, 2006 09:38PM

Perhaps we need a glossary page defining our terms used. There are many different meanings for one word, plus UK English, Australian English, and US English.


I stated in my proposal:
Ordinary Members after the qualifying period are not inferior members. They are those who, for some reasons best known to themselves, are for the time being unable to participate actively in the management of WDDM.


I was stating inferior meaning all members are equal. Not looked down on etc. Certainly we are not taking away their vote. All members still have a "say" in the WDDM Organization.


Our predicament of pulling enough people together to have a quorum to transact business may be why "representative" democracy lives on. Few have the time necessary to follow all the issues and all the bills, to make good choices. However, with Swiss style DD, if the people think the government has error-ed, they can change it. I do not think a Swiss citizen would see themselves as "inferior".


Obviously we are not a government. However we can incorporate DD style within our organizational process.


As to voting, this is where things get tricky. I like Mirek's idea to change the term associate to simply members. This means all would be the same as they were when WDDM formed.


As to the "Active" members, I have not been comfortable with the term. It implies the others are inactive and thus "inferior" (meaning worth-less) people. Obviously the "members" have a right to petition, bring forth proposals etc. I did not think this had to be written up at this time but perhaps it needs to be. As in any DD all people must have a "voice".


So I like the idea of "members".


However instead of "active" members we should be a WDDM Business Committee. The Business Committee would be charged with the responsibility to conduct all business of WDDM, including establishing bylaws, Charter, decision making and other procedures. This would give the needed "authority" to the WDDM Business Committee to accomplish what needs to be done.


If Members wanted to change or propose changes, they could do so by petition. Members are free to petition at any time following established procedures. (Procedures to be written after we have a committee to do so.)


I would than suggest that it take 1% of members to bring a petition or proposal to the WDDM Business Committee. Thus until we reach more than one hundred membership, each person can bring a petition themselves. Two hundred people would require only two petitioners etc.


I also suggest that in time we could have a simple email list for non-members. This would be an out-going only e-list, perhaps once a month announcing WDDM activity etc. People would still be encouraged to send individual email to the administrator. (Until he hollors ------ TO MUCH EMAIL)


Regards BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: June 04, 2006 02:15AM

You are absolutely right, Bruce. We are not proposing to take away any member's rights to vote. Those who want to exercise their rights to vote, just make themselves Active Members. This procedure has become necessary because many, in our past experience, do not want to vote causing paralysis to WDDM's decisiom-making procedures.


A WDDM Business Committee cannot made binding rules on the Members. It can only make recommendations for the approval or otherwise by the general body of the Members. Moreover, in the first insatnce, the members of the Committee need to be elected by the Members.


Any member who wants changes does not have to petition a committee. Just makes himself/herself an Active Member and exercises his/her full membership rights and voting powers.

Best Regards
Eric Lim


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: BrEggum (IP Logged)
Date: June 04, 2006 02:53AM

I suggest that a committee is whatever WDDM makes it. The members of such a committee could be WDDM Members who volunteered and signed the "application" we already have. The "committee" could be given what ever powers WDDM granted it. Like the Board of Education in our schools approves expenditures, salary etc.


Just some thoughts.
ATB BrEggum

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com


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Re: WDDM Membership and Applications
Posted by: EricLim (IP Logged)
Date: June 04, 2006 04:39AM

OK, let us keep the committee suggestion as an option.


I just came back from a walk. Yes, you are right that the term "Active Members" may imply that the rest of the members are inactive which is inaccurate. They are most probably members active in some other ways than in the management of WDDM.


What about "Management Members" or Managing Members (as in Managing Partners)?

Best Regards
Eric Lim


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