| From: | Bruce Eggum <bruce.eggum(at)gmail.com> |
|---|---|
| Date: | Thu, 7 Apr 2005 21:46:44 -0500 |
| Subject: | Re: Sagi's Summaries of Replies to his proposals and Voting Results |
A Plan to Renew WDDM Replies
I am happy to report that WDDM had been renewed by an overwhelming support
of its original founders and other DD activists with proven achievements.
The following are excerpts from the replies I received to the two
proposals, < A call for the Renewal of WDDM.> and <Action Plan My FINAL…>
sent on March 22nd, 2005. After the summary of these relies, I summarized
the responses to my email: Deicion-making Time
1. Dr. Mirek Kolar; March 31st, 05, "I am not interested to be a member
of
a backroom-type CCC Committee. I am interested in participating in the WDDM
renewal only if it is done in the true DD way." He also said he will upload
the proposals.
2. Professor Thedor Becker, March 23rd 05, "I like the idea of it being a
decentralized network with an emphasis on local DD...and a lot of your
ideas…. I would think that in
order for this reconstituted WDDM to work, that we need to enlist the
support of some actual groups that are DOING it. Like Mehr Demokratie in
Germany and the Citizens Assembly folks in British Columbia...and the Porto
Alegre folks in Brazil....If THEY are willing to be part of the
"membership," then I think we are on our way…. If you and some of the
others could convince some of these organizations and projects to support
WDDM....then I think I'd be very interested in being on the Board of
Directors, Advisors, Managers, whatever. And here's another "but"....but I
can't get into recruiting right now. Can you? Would anyone else be
willing to solicit support like that?
3. Dr Antonio Rossin, March 25th 09, "It seems to me, what you wrote is
good. The only point i've found it unclear, is point 5. in Action Plan: 5.
Details of decision-making and voting methods will be decided by the
members.
It seems to me, you should specify in details which policies-decisions are
eligible for being decided and voted by the members, and which are not.
Otherwise the risk is great of finding in a next future a bunch of WDDM
fascistic members who manage to vote and decide policies over the people,
REPRESENTING the latter top-down, regardlessly of
the people's real, i.e. local,, i.e. DIRECT DEMOCRATIC initiative starting
from grassroots bottom-up directly."
4. Lee Gottlieb, March 25th 05, "I would be honored to be a member of your
CCC.
Other than the CCC, I think we should stay away from titles such as
Chairman, Director, etc. and use something as simple as "spokesperson." I
also believe we should not use your suggested NL or LL ( National and Local
Leader, rspectively as the various local groups can determine who their
spokesperson(s) to the CCC should be. I believe using titles at this stage
of development would create a major negative impression."
5. Bernard Clayson, did not send a reply.
6. Bruce Eggun, "It concerns me that WDDM is once again advertizing itself
as an organization, which somehow has valitity in expressing the notions it
has on anything.
… If you want to begin WDDM you must begin where it was when it held
it's first meeting. The very first meeting it was decided the founding
documents were ok but the rules of procedure, elections, intitiatives,
officers job discriptions were inadequate because there had not been time
to write them adequately. That is what must be done before WDDM even
becomes an organization.
"
7. Franz Isemann, April 1st, 05, "I wish to abstain in questions about
WDDM. old or new. My personal view is, it would be easier to give the
undertaking a new name
and just quote the WDDM mission statement, (or what ever,) as a good
source,
which the new group will more or less comply with, if so desired by the
new
founders. That would also solve my problem as an original founding member,
who in the meantime had left the old WDDM."
8. Shuji Imamoto, March 25th 05, "I agree to your plan of renewal of WDDM
and action plan as well. Thank you for your information and suggestions,"
9. Milad Alshebani, Automatic message: "Host hookup did not complete, will
try again."
10. Angela Ionita, March 23rd 05, "I congratulate you for your initiative
and I think that you will have success in the launching of the process of
renewal. But my reservation come from the fundamental ideas...Who is able
to decide that the democracy promoted by one or another is better ? Based
on what criteria ? These criteria could be applied with no any adaptation
to all ? The PEOPLE live with esperance but not with empty words!…These are
the mainly points of vulenerability of every PEOPLE!"
11. Dr. Michael Mautner, March 24th 05, Dear George: Thanks for the
invitation, and of course I will be glad to join and pay a modest fee.
12. My concern is that the first WDDM bogged down in structural questions
and never got to act beyond that. I think that the main functions can be to
educate the public about full direct democracy, and meanwhile support
people everywhere to introduce partial DD, such as binding referenda. For
example, there is a very active man trying to introduce binding referenda
in New Zealand, and I will refer him to the new group. It may help him if
he can show support from a reputabel international group.
13. Dr. Michael Mautner, March 24th 05, "Thanks for the invitation, and
of course I will be glad to join and pay a modest fee. My concern is that
the first WDDM bogged down in structural questions and never got to act
beyond that. I think that the main functions can be to educate the public
about full direct democracy, and meanwhile support people everywhere to
introduce partial DD, such as binding referenda. For example, there is a
very active man trying to introduce binding referenda in New Zealand, and I
will refer him to the new group. It may help him if he can show support
from a reputabel international group. I will be glad to contribute all or
parts of my book to the DD Archives. There is a short new section that you
may find of interest, with a statistical argument that the public is wiser
than any government. I am currently in the in a marine biology lab in South
Carolina. The best E-mail to use for me is m.mautner(at)eco88.com"
14. Ottorino Rizzi, I used both of his email addresses, both came back as
address unknown.
15. Dr. Jiri Polak, March 24th 05, "I have studied your materials. I agree
with the statement of purpose and basic principles. However, experience
shows that it is too early to try to establish a formal structure. As I see
it, our only chance is to conceive the WDDM as a global network the purpose
of which is to facilitate contacts and spread information. There might be a
chairman (perhaps yourself), a vice chairman and a few board members. But
we should not, at this stage, formulate any rules concerning
voting, admission and the like."
16. George Kokkas, March 23rd 05, "thank you for your excellent proposals,
trust and assistance. Of course I agree with all of them and I can
participate in the new CCC."
17. Andrzej Katczmarczyk, March 31st 05, "Some comments to the principle
of participation in new WDDM. Im of the opinion, that subscription to every
DD community should be open, and membership accessible for every interested
person. Exclusion from the community should be a punishment, maybe the most
severe one. Consensus principles shouldnt be used for membership, however
could be very useful for passing resolutions/decisions (including decisions
about punishments). Im convinced, that debates who deserves to be a member
of a noble DD(?) society can dominate other subjects of interest and
activity and to drive the society to the hell of quarrels. Principles of
gaining consensus presented in the new WDDM docs are worth to be
implemented in the process of decision making (not about membership!)."
A Call for Voting Results
This email was sent to the previously listed DD activists on April 1st ,
one week ago.
I am happy to report that WDDM has been reestablished, under the original
(one page) Mission Statement. I am also satisfied with your collective
judgment that at this time no need for a formal structure and voted for
Mirek's ideas already in the web-site of our 'Net.' We cannot tell which
system design, the open or the supervised structure, of WDDM is better.
Only the actual operations will reveal that fact. Mirek has many proven
accomplishment as a DD activist and I am certain that he will make changes
when the members so decide. Again, I am delighted that you decided to renew
WDDM, which is the importance of the outcome.
The following are the excerpts from the replies I received.
1. Dr. Mirek Kolar, April 1st, 05, "I appreciate very much George's
action. I hope f(w)ill finally make things clear."
2. Franz Isemann, April 1st, 05, "I wish to abstain in questions about
WDDM old or new."
3. Ottorino Rizzi, Automatic answer: Not found.
4. Dr. Jiri Polak, April 2nd, 05, " I believe we should accept the website
created by Mirek and try to make a synthesis with the Lee Gottlieb
proposal."
5. Lee Gottlieb, April 3rd, 05, I'm ready to throw whatever support I can
to both the dream and the men who originated it, but I firmly believe the
originators, who are still quite capable, should be the ones to determine
the nature and the direction of the dream. Following is an excerpt of an
email I have just sent to Jiri that expands my feelings. -------------
Jiri, allow me to voice a concern. I believe Mirek, George and you (as
originator of the September conference) should really iron out your
differences privately and present a unified face to the DD world."
6. Bruce Eggun, April 2nd, 05, "Although I prefer a structured organizaton
as George is suggesting, that is what failed to materialize before, even
though that is what
was founded.
I will vote to go with Merik's way, perhaps it will evolve into a
structured organization if that is actually needed."
7. Milad Alshebani, April 4th, 05, His email still not conneted.
No other replies were received during the seven days I asked for votes. Now
we have to become DOERS, in my view at the local levels.
I thank all of you who responded to my proposals:
George Sagi
George
sage2509(at)earthlink.net