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The Future of Federal Oversight Panels in the USA

joe1776

Well-Known Member
oversight: management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group


These panels of, let's say 33 members, will be selected randomly by computer from a list of people to eliminate the bias inherent in appointment or election, members will have a very high average score on tests of their ability to reason.

The Election Oversight Panel: Using the concept of binding arbitration, an election oversight panel, can quickly settle disputed election results. This would make it impossible for the Republicans or Democrats to steal a close election using the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Justice Oversight Panel: Giving bullies the power to enforce the law will result in abuses against citizens in general but citizens of minority groups in particular. A federal oversight panel will insure that local law enforcement officers with a pattern of abuse are quickly fired or the state will lose federal funding.

The National Security Classification Oversight Panel: With the release of the Ellsberg papers, we learned there has not been a US President in recent memory who has not abused the Secret and Top Secret document classification to hide ignoble activity. The same can be said of the agencies involved with national security. They need oversight to keep this behavior minimized.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
These panels of, let's say 33 members, will be selected randomly by computer from a list of people to eliminate the bias inherent in appointment or election, members will have a very high average score on tests of their ability to reason.
What could possibly go wrong?
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
The Election Oversight Panel: Using the concept of binding arbitration, an election oversight panel, can quickly settle disputed election results. This would make it impossible for the Republicans or Democrats to steal a close election using the Supreme Court.
I like it with some additions. I think we could have some anointed allies who contribute people to help. So for example our neighbors to the North and South, Canada and Mexico could contribute five people each. There would have to be swearing in and some vetting by four randomly chosen US governors. The honored guests would be wined and dined and treated with honors and have special visiting privileges ever after.

The Criminal Justice Oversight Panel: Giving bullies the power to enforce the law will result in abuses against citizens in general but citizens of minority groups in particular. A federal oversight panel will insure that local law enforcement officers with a pattern of abuse are quickly fired or the state will lose federal funding.
I don't know that it would work. I'd want to hear from people with experience such as prosecutors, judges, commissioners, sheriffs, NSA, special agents, etc. They'd be able to come up with some public function that would work. One main problem is that this oversight panel must be able to keep secrets and must have immunity from the results of their decisions, but this puts them into a position to accept bribes. I don't know how to make it work.

The National Security Classification Oversight Panel: With the release of the Ellsberg papers, we learned there has not been a US President in recent memory who has not abused the Secret and Top Secret document classification to hide ignoble activity. The same can be said of the agencies involved with national security. They need oversight to keep this behavior minimized.
They have this in US Congress. I don't remember what its called.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
I like it with some additions. I think we could have some anointed allies who contribute people to help. So for example our neighbors to the North and South, Canada and Mexico could contribute five people each. There would have to be swearing in and some vetting by four randomly chosen US governors. The honored guests would be wined and dined and treated with honors and have special visiting privileges ever after.
I don't like your vetting idea because that invites partisan bias. However, I like the idea of the panel being comprised of a percentage of our neighbors.

I don't know that it would work. I'd want to hear from people with experience such as prosecutors, judges, commissioners, sheriffs, NSA, special agents, etc. They'd be able to come up with some public function that would work. One main problem is that this oversight panel must be able to keep secrets and must have immunity from the results of their decisions, but this puts them into a position to accept bribes. I don't know how to make it work.
It would be difficult and dumb to try to bribe 33 federal panel members.

Why would the panel need to keep secrets? I had in mind that their work could be done online and thus totally transparent.

They have this in US Congress. I don't remember what its called.
It's ineffective because of bias. For example, the Republican controlled Senate cannot be expected to oversee the use of the Top Secret classification of a Republican president.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
I don't like your vetting idea because that invites partisan bias. However, I like the idea of the panel being comprised of a percentage of our neighbors.

It would be difficult and dumb to try to bribe 33 federal panel members.

Why would the panel need to keep secrets? I had in mind that their work could be done online and thus totally transparent.

It's ineffective because of bias. For example, the Republican controlled Senate cannot be expected to oversee a Republican president.
You believe zero bias is possible, but I don't. Also yes they will have to keep secrets sometimes.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
You believe zero bias is possible, but I don't. Also yes they will have to keep secrets sometimes.
Let's put you in the shoes of a black citizen. Would you trust an appointment by four white governors to be unbiased over a selection done randomly by computer?

Would you trust a panel that kept secrets over one that debated-discussed their decision in writing and online?

The online criminal justice oversight panel should make black citizens aware that everything possible is being done to insure fairness and therefore protest is unnecessary.
 

Spirit of Light

Be who ever you want
but i wonder how you would make your america great again ? have it lost from your hands ? huh? OR was it great in the past ? before being stolen from red indians ? huh?

and when you theives talk about justice and peace it is amazing to hear even when your real industry is war industry.

come on you want to debate uselessly without doing anything in the first place ? than go ahead im here.
So you are back again? Your negative writing style made you not as hidden as you thought. How many times are you going to make a new profile?
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
Let's put you in the shoes of a black citizen. Would you trust an appointment by four white governors to be unbiased over a selection done randomly by computer?
Vetting of four randomly chosen governors from all states. They don't choose. They vett, and that is public. Who better than publicly elected officials to do the vetting? Now in my thought if a computer just randomly chooses then you're going to get some people who will personally benefit a lot and be tempted by bribes.

Would you trust a panel that kept secrets over one that debated-discussed their decision in writing and online?
When it comes to law enforcement, some things have to be secret such as the officer's addresses and families. Those chosen must be able to keep those secrets. Nobody will accept a system that doesn't.

The entire problem is that there have to be secrets. Would you like to be on public camera if you get arrested for something? Would you like all police to wear cameras in which absolutely everything they see can be reviewed by anyone on the internet? I don't think you would. I don't want people to know and see every time I get arrested. Some things need to be secret, and there is no way around that.

The online criminal justice oversight panel should make black citizens aware that everything possible is being done to insure fairness and therefore protest is unnecessary.
I wasn't aware we were discussing black citizens versus other citizens. It seems like the conversation has curved. You listed elections, criminal oversight and national security. I had no idea you wanted to discuss something as complicated as how black people feel about law enforcement. When I said 'Bias' I wasn't at all talking about racial bias, but it sounds like you were. Thus I misunderstood the gravity of your comment.
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
oversight: management by overseeing the performance or operation of a person or group


These panels of, let's say 33 members, will be selected randomly by computer from a list of people to eliminate the bias inherent in appointment or election, members will have a very high average score on tests of their ability to reason.

The Election Oversight Panel: Using the concept of binding arbitration, an election oversight panel, can quickly settle disputed election results. This would make it impossible for the Republicans or Democrats to steal a close election using the Supreme Court.

The Criminal Justice Oversight Panel: Giving bullies the power to enforce the law will result in abuses against citizens in general but citizens of minority groups in particular. A federal oversight panel will insure that local law enforcement officers with a pattern of abuse are quickly fired or the state will lose federal funding.

The National Security Classification Oversight Panel: With the release of the Ellsberg papers, we learned there has not been a US President in recent memory who has not abused the Secret and Top Secret document classification to hide ignoble activity. The same can be said of the agencies involved with national security. They need oversight to keep this behavior minimized.
Then the oversight panel will need its own oversight panel , and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel and.... help!!!!.... I can't stop!!!
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
Vetting of four randomly chosen governors from all states. They don't choose. They vett, and that is public. Who better than publicly elected officials to do the vetting? Now in my thought if a computer just randomly chooses then you're going to get some people who will personally benefit a lot and be tempted by bribes.
The random selection insures that some of the members will be biased on every issue but the size (33) of the panel makes it highly unlikely that the majority will be on the wrong side of any issue because of bias.

When it comes to law enforcement, some things have to be secret such as the officer's addresses and families. Those chosen must be able to keep those secrets. Nobody will accept a system that doesn't.
OK, agreed. When you wrote "secrets" I was thinking of information crucial to the decision.

I wasn't aware we were discussing black citizens versus other citizens. It seems like the conversation has curved. You listed elections, criminal oversight and national security. I had no idea you wanted to discuss something as complicated as how black people feel about law enforcement. When I said 'Bias' I wasn't at all talking about racial bias, but it sounds like you were. Thus I misunderstood the gravity of your comment.
I didn't emphasize racial bias in the OP but I did say:

Giving bullies the power to enforce the law will result in abuses against citizens in general but citizens of minority groups in particular.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
I obviously can't speak for @Jayhawker Soule but im thinking where's the oversight panel for those who are writing the code?
I envision panels like this being tested online as advisory panels and the very first panel, let's call it a management panel, would not make policy decisions. It's function would be limited to creating the panels and managing their use including feedback.

By the way, Bernie Sanders very recently has proposed an election oversight panel (although he didn't call it that nor did he describe its form).
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
Then the oversight panel will need its own oversight panel , and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel, and that panel will need its own oversight panel and.... help!!!!.... I can't stop!!!
No, let's use RF as a model. The moderators would represent the management panel. They won't make policy decisions. Their function is limited to making the process work as designed.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
The random selection insures that some of the members will be biased on every issue but the size (33) of the panel makes it highly unlikely that the majority will be on the wrong side of any issue because of bias.

OK, agreed. When you wrote "secrets" I was thinking of information crucial to the decision.

I didn't emphasize racial bias in the OP but I did say:

Giving bullies the power to enforce the law will result in abuses against citizens in general but citizens of minority groups in particular.
I suppose 33 is based on a value of n that you have calculated has a high probability of a mean close to the population mean. What if that population mean is biased? For example in the US a majority of the population is white.

When it comes to blacks in areas where law enforcement has been heavy handed for generations I think that we need something a little more than just federal oversight. For example how are blacks going to take seriously any such high level action? There has always been federal oversight, theoretically. They are going to want something entirely new...like having the firefighters handle policing...or having all police wear bells on their necks. Just having federal oversight doesn't sound very impressive. If you believed the police wanted to oppress you and had stories to back it up going back two or three generations do you think federal oversight would satisfy you?
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
I suppose 33 is based on a value of n that you have calculated has a high probability of a mean close to the population mean. What if that population mean is biased? For example in the US a majority of the population is white.

No, population wasn't a consideration. Here's the problem: The higher the number of panel members, the less chance that a bias will decide the outcome of a majority vote. However, the higher the number of panel members, the more difficult it would be manage a useful debate-discussion period. So, the number 33 just "seems about right" but it isn't etched in stone.

When it comes to blacks in areas where law enforcement has been heavy handed for generations I think that we need something a little more than just federal oversight. For example how are blacks going to take seriously any such high level action? There has always been federal oversight, theoretically. They are going to want something entirely new...like having the firefighters handle policing...or having all police wear bells on their necks. Just having federal oversight doesn't sound very impressive. If you believed the police wanted to oppress you and had stories to back it up going back two or three generations do you think federal oversight would satisfy you?

You make a valid point, but what are the realistic options? If anyone can come up with a better idea, I'd be all for it.
 

Brickjectivity

Turned to Stone. Now I stretch daily.
Staff member
Premium Member
No, population wasn't a consideration. Here's the problem: The higher the number of panel members, the less chance that a bias will decide the outcome of a majority vote. However, the higher the number of panel members, the more difficult it would be manage a useful debate-discussion period. So, the number 33 just "seems about right" but it isn't etched in stone.
This doesn't follow to me, because sometimes the population is biased against minorities. The larger your sample size the closer your mean value will be to the population, so in a population that is clueless about what its like to be latino, gay, black or someone with attention deficit disorder you'll get a representative group of people who are on the whole also clueless about those things. That to me is bias.

You make a valid point, but what are the realistic options? If anyone can come up with a better idea, I'd be all for it.
We could go back to the days when police weren't expected to prevent crimes. The term 'police' originally refers to street sweepers. We could enable citizens to patrol their areas instead and conduct citizens arrests. This would require changing the way courts functioned, too. Basically we could go back in time and re-learn how to enforce the laws. We could also separate traffic laws from criminal laws, so that street patrols would not have anything to do with felonies. Basically we just slacken the control of crime that is handled directly and suppress the resulting litigation that might ensue. Its not necessarily better than your idea, but its at least one alternative.
 

joe1776

Well-Known Member
This doesn't follow to me, because sometimes the population is biased against minorities. The larger your sample size the closer your mean value will be to the population, so in a population that is clueless about what its like to be latino, gay, black or someone with attention deficit disorder you'll get a representative group of people who are on the whole also clueless about those things. That to me is bias.
Your premise is that, unless people belong to a minority group, they will hold a bias. That's just not true. I think racial bias has to do with an inflated ego, a need to feel superior. a human problem not a white problem.

Another factor is that the minorities grouped together are 40% of the population and rising. So, there's not much concern of white dominance on the panel of 33..

We could go back to the days when police weren't expected to prevent crimes. The term 'police' originally refers to street sweepers. We could enable citizens to patrol their areas instead and conduct citizens arrests. This would require changing the way courts functioned, too. Basically we could go back in time and re-learn how to enforce the laws. We could also separate traffic laws from criminal laws, so that street patrols would not have anything to do with felonies. Basically we just slacken the control of crime that is handled directly and suppress the resulting litigation that might ensue. Its not necessarily better than your idea, but its at least one alternative.
As I pointed out in the OP, the essential problem is that if you give bullies power, they will abuse it. If our solution involves more amateurs in doing police work, I think that will only make the oversight more difficult with more bullies to weed out.
 
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