Would a platform-based democracy be viable?

[Scam of God]

Just something I've thought of: we know that our modern electoral Parties write platforms, and that these platforms are less than useless, as none of them are bound and beholden to their platform.

I am chiefly in favor of direct democracy: we now have the technology to render the representative element of our republic obsolete, and this technology will only progress into the future, exerting an increased pressure to cut out the middle-man. However, barring the immediate implementation of direct democracy, I would prefer a system in which primary voters elected candidates to write a platform which would then be voted on each election day, and which would subsequently be automatically drafted into law. Yes, this would require voters to actually keep themselves informed, and deprive them of the ease of voting based purely on Party - but this is integral to a healthy and fully-functioning democracy anyway; if our voters are ignorant, we may as well not have one at all.

[Earth]

Proposition 8 showed us that direct democracy is an utter failure. Rock and a hard place, but representation is much better.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

Direct democracy would not be able to work.  Issues are too complex now, as they were 200 years ago, for people to get.

[Jacobtm]

Our representatives are people too, and certainly I'd say that many issues are far too complicated for Congress to "get".

[phk]

Not inherently viable or non-viable.

It would be a lot of median voter theorem-oriented, moderate heroism.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Proposition 8 showed us that direct democracy is an utter failure. Rock and a hard place, but representation is much better.

There's a lot more wrong with California direct democracy than 1 Proposition, too.

[phk]

Proposition 8 showed us that direct democracy is an utter failure. Rock and a hard place, but representation is much better.

There's a lot more wrong with California direct democracy than 1 Proposition, too.

Too many browns and Mormons.

[Earth]

Proposition 8 showed us that direct democracy is an utter failure. Rock and a hard place, but representation is much better.

There's a lot more wrong with California direct democracy than 1 Proposition, too.

I chose the most obvious example.

[Хahar 🤔]

Proposition 8 showed us that direct democracy is an utter failure. Rock and a hard place, but representation is much better.

There's a lot more wrong with California direct democracy than 1 Proposition, too.

Too many browns and Mormons.

Hello, brown.

[jokerman]

Ha!  Cultural issues, I think, should be the least of our worries regarding the fallibility of direct democracy.  Imagine the mass population attempting to run the economy, or manage a coherent foreign policy.

[Earth]

It's the least of our worries if we aren't the in the minority; otherwise, yeah, it's nothing.

[Хahar 🤔]

Ha!  Cultural issues, I think, should be the least of our worries regarding the fallibility of direct democracy.  Imagine the mass population attempting to run the economy, or manage a coherent foreign policy.

Fortunately, they care about neither.