joe1776
Well-Known Member
In my view, the US government is an 18th Century stagecoach, up to its hubs in the swamp (the lobbying and money of Big Business). Trump drove the stagecoach slugging through the swamp in one direction. Now Biden will drive it back again in the opposite direction.
In previous OPs in this forum I've predicted the future of governing: With the exception of national security policies, which must be kept secret, important government policy decisions sometime in the future will be made online and in writing by an online, leaderless panel of unbiased experts.
Lee Drutman of the Brookings think tank has an idea that might be a first step toward those online panels that I envision. His proposal would move the swamp online for transparency. I've linked a PDF on his proposal at the bottom of this post.
He begins by acknowledging that lobbyists play a useful role in the political process because they provide valuable policy-related information and expertise. This lack of expertise is made worse by the high turnover rates among congressional staffers. However, these lobbyists, backed by Big Money, who champion the interests of Big Business, don't have the public interest in mind. And the public interest is what governing ought to be about.
He proposes what he calls "a simple, cost-effective solution:" He asserts that the Library of Congress should create a website that will become the de facto online forum and clearinghouse for all public policy advocacy.
If his idea were to become a successful reality, the advantages of online expert panels would be easier to appreciate.
A Better Way to Fix Lobbying
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06_lobbying_drutman.pdf
In previous OPs in this forum I've predicted the future of governing: With the exception of national security policies, which must be kept secret, important government policy decisions sometime in the future will be made online and in writing by an online, leaderless panel of unbiased experts.
Lee Drutman of the Brookings think tank has an idea that might be a first step toward those online panels that I envision. His proposal would move the swamp online for transparency. I've linked a PDF on his proposal at the bottom of this post.
He begins by acknowledging that lobbyists play a useful role in the political process because they provide valuable policy-related information and expertise. This lack of expertise is made worse by the high turnover rates among congressional staffers. However, these lobbyists, backed by Big Money, who champion the interests of Big Business, don't have the public interest in mind. And the public interest is what governing ought to be about.
He proposes what he calls "a simple, cost-effective solution:" He asserts that the Library of Congress should create a website that will become the de facto online forum and clearinghouse for all public policy advocacy.
If his idea were to become a successful reality, the advantages of online expert panels would be easier to appreciate.
A Better Way to Fix Lobbying
https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/06_lobbying_drutman.pdf
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