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.

[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!

[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.

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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%

[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%