From: Alex F. Bokov (alexboko@umich.edu)
Date: Sat Oct 27 2001 - 16:25:40 MDT
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On Sat, 27 Oct 2001, Randy Smith wrote:
> Well, you have definitely given it a Extropian spin, but what you are saying
> is true. And I am thankful that other people are starting to notice what is
> happening. But its more than just corporations. Our system is somewhat
> broken, It works better than the 3rd world, but it needs to be overhauled.
> A new constitution needs to be written, but I daresay that with the present
> power money has over our govt, it could wind up worse.
> Yes, *technology*, not nanotech is needed. We need a more transparent govt.
> Yes, we need less laws, and we could get by on only a few laws passed every
> year. So why not just upgrade our voting system with technology, and have
> the citizenry vote on all laws?
Maybe have sunset clauses (expiration dates, like on milk) be the norm, and
any law the legislature presumes to elevate to timeless relevance would have
to have some kind of supermajority in order to pass.
As a practical matter, where technology is threatening to blow the
doors off the outhouse and hose is clean is in the area of privacy and
free expression. That's why they're fighting it tooth and nail.
I've said this before and will probably say it many more times: the
number one low entry cost way to defeat bloated statism/corporatism is
to use and promote the use of crypto, anonymous cash, and anonymous
communications wherever possible-- preferrably with large number of
individuals rather than with organizations (you get better bargains
that way too).
As I was reading Bob Black's essays (quite a character-- he's kind of
a leftilist, but he's right on target where authoritarinism is
concerned) I came upon another way to fight dumb laws: a jury's power
to NULLIFY laws, and effectively to acquit a defendant in a criminal
case for ANY reason they collectively feel like. The best kept secret
in the legal profession. Want out of jury duty? Breathe a word of this
during jury selection, and you'll be driving back to your regularly
scheduled job within twenty minutes. So method number two is making
sure as many US citizens know about the power of nullification as
possible. For more info, see:
http://www.spunk.org/library/writers/black/sp001673.html
- --
* I believe that the majority of the world's Muslims are good, *
* honorable people. If you are a Muslim and want to reassure me and *
* others that you are part of this good, honorable majority, all *
* you need to say are nine simple words: "I OPPOSE the Wahhabi cult *
* and its Jihad." *
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