Direct Democracy Survey (Results)

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Take the poll here.  I want to get as good a sample from each of the three regions as possible, so I'll leave this here for approximately three days or so and send PMs if necessary.

What is this about, you ask?  Most of us already know, but for those who don't, direct democracy is a system under which the people make policy decisions directly, rather than elected legislators.  This is an idea I've been floating around for some time - the creation of a "universal legislature," if you will - by which all registered voters write and vote on legislation.  This system may or may not include a separately elected regional executive with the power to approve or reject initiatives.

I believe this is something that would work best for regions with less active governments, such as Lincoln, as it has historically been used in the former region of the Midwest.

[Kamala]

Thank you for this survey! This is an incredibly important issue that I believe will our country prosper in the future.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Look in some cases this is appropriate. Pacific had it for a long time as well. In fact all regions started with some form of initiative system. The Regional Legislatures were rather new when I came into the game with only the Mideast having recently established one. The South it was a hell of a fight to get one established with Bacon King and others vehemently opposed.


I ironically the most recent incident where this was proposed was by myself in June 2013, when "certain individuals" decided that the best way to topple the Liberal Machine in the Pacific was to dissolve the region, shut the gov't down and "force" the Senate to accept the role of legislating for the region. The so called "Final Constitution" as I believe it was called.

Naturally we denied the legal grounds for this but at the same time, setup an initiative system similar to one that Pacific had used for years as a substitute for the regional legislature, and with it being administered by the Regional Senator (who was Senator Sbane at the time), just in case the court upheld this arrangement. Fortunately, the Court rejected this ridiculous farce of a "Final Constitution" unanimously and thus the process was never utilized.

That being said, I think Regions should definitely have this option on the table though I think the utility has declined with fewer and more larger regions.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Look in some cases this is appropriate. Pacific had it for a long time as well. In fact all regions started with some form of initiative system. The Regional Legislatures were rather new when I came into the game with only the Mideast having recently established one. The South it was a hell of a fight to get one established with Bacon King and others vehemently opposed.


I ironically the most recent incident where this was proposed was by myself in June 2013, when "certain individuals" decided that the best way to topple the Liberal Machine in the Pacific was to dissolve the region, shut the gov't down and "force" the Senate to accept the role of legislating for the region. The so called "Final Constitution" as I believe it was called.

Naturally we denied the legal grounds for this but at the same time, setup an initiative system similar to one that Pacific had used for years as a substitute for the regional legislature, and with it being administered by the Regional Senator (who was Senator Sbane at the time), just in case the court upheld this arrangement. Fortunately, the Court rejected this ridiculous farce of a "Final Constitution" unanimously and thus the process was never utilized.

That being said, I think Regions should definitely have this option on the table though I think the utility has declined with fewer and more larger regions.

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that coup but I remember it now.  Operation Rimjob!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Look in some cases this is appropriate. Pacific had it for a long time as well. In fact all regions started with some form of initiative system. The Regional Legislatures were rather new when I came into the game with only the Mideast having recently established one. The South it was a hell of a fight to get one established with Bacon King and others vehemently opposed.


I ironically the most recent incident where this was proposed was by myself in June 2013, when "certain individuals" decided that the best way to topple the Liberal Machine in the Pacific was to dissolve the region, shut the gov't down and "force" the Senate to accept the role of legislating for the region. The so called "Final Constitution" as I believe it was called.

Naturally we denied the legal grounds for this but at the same time, setup an initiative system similar to one that Pacific had used for years as a substitute for the regional legislature, and with it being administered by the Regional Senator (who was Senator Sbane at the time), just in case the court upheld this arrangement. Fortunately, the Court rejected this ridiculous farce of a "Final Constitution" unanimously and thus the process was never utilized.

That being said, I think Regions should definitely have this option on the table though I think the utility has declined with fewer and more larger regions.

Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that coup but I remember it now.  Operation Rimjob!

The event that realigned Atlasian politics for the next two years into a paradigm of centralist (not centrist, centralist as in wanting more power in Nyman) Labor versus pro-Regional Federalists (kind of in name, you now, small f federalism) that lasted until late 2014, and led indirectly to a certain former Liberal taking up residence in the Federalist Party for a spell, and you forgot this event.

[Unconditional Surrender Truman]

Back in January, when the last regional governor forfeited his offices and government of the first Fremont Constitution had for all practical purposes ceased to exist, I considered proposing direct democracy under the Second Constitution. The idea then was to adopt a constitution modeled after that of the Roman Republic, with legislative power vested in a popular assembly presided over by one or more elected magistrates chosen to carry out the laws and give order to what might otherwise become an anarchic free-for-all. Ultimately, the history of low turnout in regional elections convinced me that this was not the right choice for Fremont, and I'm not convinced that this would magically solve the activity issues being experienced by other regions. That said, I do agree with Yankee that this is an option that should remain on the table.

If a region were to implement such a plan, my recommendation would be to expand by constitutional amendment the membership of the existing legislative body to include all enfranchised citizens; but that's a discussion for another day.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Back in January, when the last regional governor forfeited his offices and government of the first Fremont Constitution had for all practical purposes ceased to exist, I considered proposing direct democracy under the Second Constitution. The idea then was to adopt a constitution modeled after that of the Roman Republic, with legislative power vested in a popular assembly presided over by one or more elected magistrates chosen to carry out the laws and give order to what might otherwise become an anarchic free-for-all. Ultimately, the history of low turnout in regional elections convinced me that this was not the right choice for Fremont, and I'm not convinced that this would magically solve the activity issues being experienced by other regions. That said, I do agree with Yankee that this is an option that should remain on the table.

If a region were to implement such a plan, my recommendation would be to expand by constitutional amendment the membership of the existing legislative body to include all enfranchised citizens; but that's a discussion for another day.

If you think bicameralism is controversial, wait till you dive into universalism.


Ever heard of the Third Constitutional Convention? (Note the 4th Con-Con produced the Third Constitution and 5th Con-Con produced the current Fourth Constitution).

That said at the regional level that is kind of how the Pacific did it now that I think of it, compared to the South, which was more of set initiative system. Damn it, BGWAH WHERE ARE YOU!!!!

Oh yea, he's gone!

[Simfan34]

We've experimented with this before. It led to the desiccation of political institutions, collapse in regional activity, and the total failure of regions to produce new political figures because there was no ladder for them to climb.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

We've experimented with this before. It led to the desiccation of political institutions, collapse in regional activity, and the total failure of regions to produce new political figures because there was no ladder for them to climb.

That is why it is at best an emergency fall back.

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Forgot all about this.

I was able to get 21 responses with PMing.  Not the best turnout, but results indicated no strong support for a direct democracy system in the regions.

---

Political Party

Federalist Party – 38.1%
Labor Party – 23.8%
Independent/Other – 38.1%

Region

South – 38.1%
Lincoln – 33.3%
Fremont – 28.6%

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 28.6%
Negative – 33.3%
Neither positive or negative – 28.6%
Not sure – 9.5%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 19%
Somewhat likely – 9.5%
Neither likely or unlikely – 9.5%
Somewhat unlikely – 33.3%
Very unlikely – 28.6%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 66.7%
No – 23.8%
Not sure – 9.5%

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Crosstabs: Lincoln (7 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 28%
Negative – 14%
Neither positive or negative – 42%
Not sure – 14%%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 0%
Somewhat likely – 28%
Neither likely or unlikely – 14%
Somewhat unlikely – 42%
Very unlikely – 14%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 71%
No – 14%
Not sure – 14%

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Crosstabs: South (8 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 25%
Negative – 50%
Neither positive or negative – 13%
Not sure – 13%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 25%
Somewhat likely – 0%
Neither likely or unlikely – 13%
Somewhat unlikely – 25%
Very unlikely – 38%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 71%
No – 14%
Not sure – 14%

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Crosstabs: Fremont (6 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 33%
Negative – 33%
Neither positive or negative – 33%
Not sure – 0%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 33%
Somewhat likely – 0%
Neither likely or unlikely – 0%
Somewhat unlikely – 33%
Very unlikely – 33%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 66%
No – 33%
Not sure – 0%

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Can we get crosstabs by party?

[Associate Justice PiT]

     We used to have systems along the lines of universal legislatures. They were interesting in their own way, but didn't work out as well as the elected legislatures. That this is being broached as an idea now reminds me that everything old is new again.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

     We used to have systems along the lines of universal legislatures. They were interesting in their own way, but didn't work out as well as the elected legislatures. That this is being broached as an idea now reminds me that everything old is new again.

2008ism

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

By Party:

Federalists (8 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 25%
Negative – 38%
Neither positive or negative – 25%
Not sure – 12%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 13%
Somewhat likely – 13%
Neither likely or unlikely – 13%
Somewhat unlikely – 25%
Very unlikely – 38%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 38%
No – 38%
Not sure – 25%

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Labor (5 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 40%
Negative – 40%
Neither positive or negative – 20%
Not sure – %

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 20%
Somewhat likely – 20%
Neither likely or unlikely – 0%
Somewhat unlikely – 20%
Very unlikely – 40%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 100%
No – 0%
Not sure – 0%

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Independent/Other (8 respondents)

Q1. Do you believe, if a region were to establish a system of direct democracy, that this would have a positive or negative impact on the game as a whole?

Positive – 25%
Negative – 25%
Neither positive or negative – 38%
Not sure – 13%

Q2. How likely or unlikely would you be to support the establishment of direct democracy in your region?

Very likely – 25%
Somewhat likely – 0%
Neither likely or unlikely – 13%
Somewhat unlikely – 50%
Very unlikely – 13%

Q3. If direct democracy were implemented in your region, should there be a separately elected executive figure (such as a governor or Prime Minister) with the power to sign or veto public initiatives?

Yes – 75%
No – 25%
Not sure – 0%