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02281: Re: Re: [WDDM] Hello as a new member.

From: "William McConochie" <tstmastr(at)rio.com>
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 2009 12:11:34 -0700
Subject: Re: Re: [WDDM] Hello as a new member.

Hi, "V".  I've been out of town for a week, so maybe I missed an earlier communication from you.  I guess the proof will be in the pudding.  Whichever polling system works best will be the one most used, I suspect.  Do you know of groups that want to draft such polls?  Bill.
----- Original Message -----
To: tstmastr(at)rio.com ; wddm@world-wide-democracy.net
Sent: Thursday, August 27, 2009 10:11 AM
Subject: Re: Re: [WDDM] Hello as a new member.

Dear Bill,
I had sent my detailed reply to your question the next day, but it must have got lost in the cyberspace since it has not been saved in my sent mail folder. I will make another attempt.

You have mentioned that the 'new political party' platform would be based on periodic polls. The corresponding thing in the 'Association of Independents' would be [1] the poll conducted on Initiative (a new policy/program suggested by a member of the 'Association' for his/her constituency and [2] the poll conducted on a Referendum (the question raised by a member regarding a policy/program already brought to force by the govt. of the day). The results of these polls pertaining to a constituency, arranged in descending order of approval ratings, would be the priorities of the'Association', based on which the candidate posted by the 'Association' would seek votes in that constituency (which may be Local/State/National) in any ensuing election.

There is no need to involve the entire public to find out their priorities. The same can be obtained by conducting polls on a much smaller scale, since any member of the public can take part in the poll once he registers himself on the 'Association' platform. It would be polls open through out the year rather than being periodic.

Sincerely,

Vijayaraghavan P



On Sun, 23 Aug 2009 21:54:34 +0530 wrote
>
Dear "V":

Thank you for your detailed letter. I found it most interesting. One point of clarification. I explain in my theory that the "new political party" platform would have a platform based on periodic polls. The first poll would be of the general public, asking them what they want from government (at local, state and national levels). Then the party committees would do research to develop program options for providing government services. This is followed by a poll of party members as to which of two or three options they prefer for government services. Their highest choices become the current party platform. For example, if the general public wants reduced miliatary activity and funding, a national health care program and a flat tax, the research committee would come up with some options for each of these three desires, e.g. two or three models for a national health care program. The party members would then vote on these options. Their preferred choices would become the current party platform, e.g. a military reduced by 20% in budget and overseas bases, a national health care program modeled after the one in Canada, and a national flat income tax of 14%. This process would be repeated periodically, e.g. every two to 4 years, to keep up with changing citizen desires.

How does this dovetail with the WDDM model?

Bill.


----- Original Message -----



Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 9:47 PM

Subject: Re: [WDDM] Hello as a new member.


>Hello Bill,
>It is good to have person like you with an academic approach to the problem of ushering in true democracy. In your web-site you have suggested 'A Model for a New Democratic Party'. It is remarkable that the model you have outlined is almost the same as the one that has evolved through the collective ideas of members of WDDM and posted at the Voting System link on the home page of WDDM. Except for the nomenclature.
>
>You have used the term 'new democratic party', while the term 'Association of Independents' is used here. You have used 'special interest group' while 'political party' (funded by special interest groups) is used here. You have called for 'the new democratic party' to fund the election campaign of its candidates without relying on 'special interest groups' while here it is proposed that the 'Association of Independents' puts up its candidates against usual political parties and support their election campaign.In addition there is asuggestion fora fair systemfor selection of candidates, which is of crucial importance since otherwise there would be no substantial difference from the usual political parties..
>
>In fact there is so much of similarity that all the 15 features you have suggested for an 'Ideal Political Party' are already present in the proposed 'Association of Independents'. You will agree that the term Political party is to be avoided as it will cause confusion. Besides there is no political ideology or line of thinking for the proposed group. As you have said it is empirically based and simply reflects the true wishes of the people.
>
>You may agree that a web platform for such a group would be a good starting point to disseminate the values upon which the group is founded. Your research papers reiterate the idea that an ideal political system, free from the present party-based system,is achievable.
>
>Regards and Best Wishes.
>
>Sincerely,
>
>Vijayaraghavan P
>
>
>On Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:48:09 +0530 wrote
>>

Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:03:32-0700


6/22/09


Hello World Wide Democracy group members:


I am a new member, BillMcConochie. I am a research psychologist specializing for the past severalyears in political psychology research. My findings and personalinclinations are very consonnant with those of your organization. Ibelieve I could help you in several ways to promote and realize your ultimategoal of advancing human civilization to direct democracy forms ofgovernments. I will list some of these and await your responses.Before I do that, let me share just a little more personal background. Ihave a Ph.D., and 40 years of experience in clinical, I/O and now politicalpsychology. I have created a non-profit corp. to publish my research andconduct research over the Internet. I am a member of the AmericanPsychological Assn, Div. 48 (Peace and Violence studies), the InternationalSociety of Political Psychology, and the Oregon Psychological Assn. Ipresent papers at the annual meetings of ISPP. I will present one inDublin in July (09).

How I might be able to help you:

1. I have research findings that strongly supporthuman desire for government serving them as members of the community overallrather than as members of special interest groups. This sort of data, ofwhich I have much, can support your efforts, giving them an empirical and notjust ideological grounding.

2. I have developed a reliable and valid scale formeasuring the warmongering-proness of political leaders, and have another oneready for validation measuring constructive leadership traits. These canbe used by the media to help inform voters re: what elected officials are likelyto promote.

3. I have designed a working model for a politicalparty whose platform is based on member (citizen) polls of what they wantgovernment to provide (policies and programs).

4. Sophisticated public polls on details of policyissues can be conducted to create the platform for such a party (and for yourorganization). They in effect pool all citizen opinions to create acurrent empirical definition of the common good. Your organization couldconduct such polls and publish the findings to inform nations and the world re:what citizens want from government. This can help pressure standinggovernments to perform more appropriately and empower political parties thatwant to represent the common good (such parties, I recommend, should be fundedentirely with member dues, no special interest group money).Suchpartieswould fund the campaigns of their candidates for elective office aswell, keeping their elected candidates independent of the contaminatinginfluence of special interest group money.

5. You could help me by having students and othergroups, e.g. church groups, fill out my research questionnaires, which areonline at my web site.

6. Together we could thus continue the research thatcan give empirical grounding to your movement and perfect the public pollsnecessary to operationalize public democracy, defining policy via citizenvotes.


This is enough for anintroduction. Please visit my web site to read various research and essayarticles under the Publications page.Politicalpsychologyresearch.com.


I look forward to hearingresponses.


Best regards,Bill McConochie


William A. McConochie, Ph.D.
>>LicensedPsychologist #225 (Oregon)
>>71 E.15th Ave., Eugene, Or.97401
>>541-686-9934
>>Bill(at)Politicalpsychologyresearch.com


Much about politics originates in our minds;
>>Understanding our minds explains much about politics.


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