May I mention a few useful recent releases on direct democracy?

- 1. Mike Gravel calls for a new DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 2008.

[www.youtube.com]

In this professionally produced YouTube speech Mike puts forward a gripping, and yet logical explanation why we need DD in the US.

A little more background on Mike: Mike is a shining light in the direct democracy (DD) movement. His central call for over a decade has been for a National Initiative For Democracy (NI4D). He has got political creds. He was the US senator back in the 70's who released the entire ‘Pentagon Papers,’ a document which showed how information on the War in Vietnam had been doctored, spun, or created to support the war effort. Recently he ran shoestring, but real, campaigns for the Democratic Party nomination and then the Libertarian Party nomination for President.

- 2. The Center for Governmental Studies has released DEMOCRACY BY INITIATIVE, a review of the history and experience of DD in California. Most excitingly DEMOCRACY BY INITIATIVE provides excellent suggestions on how the existing DD process can be improved with a heavy emphasis on ...... deliberation! Advocates of direct democracy should read this book. No excuses! It’s free on the internet from the CGS site:
www.cgs.org

- 3. Finally, I direct your attention to, DIRECT DEMOCRACY: FACTS, ARGUMENTS AND EXPERIENCES ON THE INTRODUCTION OF INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM, by Verhulst and Nijeboer. This book has a worldwide perspective on DD. It is perhaps most exciting in its discussion of the underlying philosophy of DD. This is a useful read. Again, no excuses. It’s free @ [democracy-international.org]

Mark Antell, editor
CitizenPowerMagazine.net

thanks Mark good links

Bruce Eggum Wisconsin USA
www.doinggovernment.com