Localizing government - Revision history

Woozle: making an "objections" subpage

2011-06-29T18:32:23Z

making an "objections" subpage

Woozle: another bottom-up angle

2011-05-24T16:09:07Z

another bottom-up angle

Woozle: one more thing: SMW for what this is a solution for

2011-05-24T15:58:34Z

one more thing: SMW for what this is a solution for

Woozle: tweaks; "own the beast" section

2011-05-24T15:57:22Z

tweaks; "own the beast" section

Woozle: done-ish

2011-05-24T13:15:15Z

done-ish

Woozle: saving work

2011-05-24T11:59:32Z

saving work

Woozle: saving work; not done

2011-05-23T23:59:28Z

saving work; not done

New page

==About==
[[Localizing government]] is one possible [[thing type::solution]] to the problem of the [[corporatocracy]] in the [[United States]] (and possibly elsewhere). The idea is that decision-making processes would be initiated at a level no larger than that of a city or county, and possibly as small as a neighborhood or community, with larger decisions being negotiated between local governments (presumably by representatives appointed by their members).
==Advantages==
Government that is more local rather than being larger in geographic scope:
* is generally more [[accountable]] and responsive to its constituents
* does not pose as much danger from [[concentration of power]]
* is much more free to adopt quality [[/standards|standards]] at a level suitable to members of the community, since standards cannot be imposed from outside (this has both good and bad aspects)
==Disadvantages==
However, government that is smaller in geographic scope also:
* lacks the ability to act as quickly in dealing with problems of a scale larger than the individual governments
* faces additional obstacles in working together to achieve goals that are too large or expensive for any individual government
* lacks the ability to directly impose uniform quality [[/standards|standards]] (e.g. food safety, human rights, access to medical services)
==Methods==
The transition from the current governmental structure to a more localized one can be via either (or both) of two main paths: top-down (government reform) or bottom-up (grassroots reform).
===top-down===
The existing government in the US -- including many states and certainly at the national level -- has largely been captured by corporate/big-money interests (exacerbated by the 2010 [[wikipedia:Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission|Citizens United]] decision which granted political money the status of free speech), so it is unlikely that reform can come from within the system by:
* mass appeal to current legislators (they are too conscious of the need to please the Big Money spenders)
* election of populist candidates (some may win, but most will lose due to outspending by pro-BM candidates)

The only top-down reform venue which has not been eliminated as an option would seem to be that of a [[Constitutional convention]] in which many specific changes would be written into the US Constitution, starting with a reversal of the Citizens United decision.

See discussion at LessigWiki:
* [[lessigwiki:Article V Convention|Article V Convention]]
* [[lessigwiki:Conference on a Constitutional Convention|Conference on a Constitutional Convention]]
===bottom-up===

@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 * how the transition ultimately takes place (through legal/legislative means, through municipalities "going rogue" in some way, or something else)
 * whether this can be done quickly enough to prevent the powermongers from retaliating with draconian anti-independence legislation, shattering local orgs before they are ready to fight back
 ====Own the Beast====
 This method may or may not be workable depending on the resources and methods available, but it is worth keeping in mind.

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 ===bottom-up===
 Enacting change from the bottom up (i.e. grassroots) will require more work, but also presents more opportunities. Strategies include:
-===Starve the Beast===
+====Starve the Beast====
-(This phrase is used here ironically, because it was originally used by anti-tax and typically pro-corporate forces who urged making the government smaller -- in order to eliminate regulations that "tie the hands of industry" -- by depriving it of tax revenue.)
+(This phrase is used here ironically, because it was originally used by anti-tax and typically pro-corporate forces (such as the [[Koch brothers]]) who urge making the government smaller -- in order to prevent enforcement of regulations that "tie the hands of industry" -- by depriving it of tax revenue.)
 # create more [[local autonomy]]:
@@ Line 41: / Line 41: @@
 * how the transition ultimately takes place (through legal/legislative means, through municipalities "going rogue" in some way, or something else)
 * whether this can be done quickly enough to prevent the powermongers from retaliating with draconian anti-independence legislation, shattering local orgs before they are ready to fight back

@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 (This phrase is used here ironically, because it was originally used by anti-tax and typically pro-corporate forces who urged making the government smaller -- in order to eliminate regulations that "tie the hands of industry" -- by depriving it of tax revenue.)
-# create more local autonomy:
+# create more [[local autonomy]]:
-** locally-grown food
+#* locally-grown food
-** locally-created energy, including home energy installations (such as solar panels)
+#* locally-created energy, including home energy installations (such as solar panels)
-** locally-made staple products such as clothing
+#* locally-made staple products such as clothing
-# this deprives the large-corporate "beast" of revenue
+#* encourage farmers' markets, grocery co-ops, tech shops (e.g. [http://www.techshoprdu.com/ RDU Tech Shop])
-{{draft}}
+# this increases the power of citizens over that of large corporations:

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:59, 24 May 2011
Line 24:		Line 24:
	* [[lessigwiki:Conference on a Constitutional Convention\|Conference on a Constitutional Convention]]		* [[lessigwiki:Conference on a Constitutional Convention\|Conference on a Constitutional Convention]]
	===bottom-up===		===bottom-up===
		+	Enacting change from the bottom up (i.e. grassroots) will require more work, but also presents more opportunities. Strategies include:
		+	===Starve the Beast===
		+	(This phrase is used here ironically, because it was originally used by anti-tax and typically pro-corporate forces who urged making the government smaller -- in order to eliminate regulations that "tie the hands of industry" -- by depriving it of tax revenue.)
		+
		+	# create more local autonomy:
		+	** locally-grown food
		+	** locally-created energy, including home energy installations (such as solar panels)
		+	** locally-made staple products such as clothing
		+	# this deprives the large-corporate "beast" of revenue
		+	{{draft}}

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 * faces additional obstacles in working together to achieve goals that are too large or expensive for any individual government
 * lacks the ability to directly impose uniform quality [[/standards|standards]] (e.g. food safety, human rights, access to medical services)
 ==Methods==
 The transition from the current governmental structure to a more localized one can be via either (or both) of two main paths: top-down (government reform) or bottom-up (grassroots reform).

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ==About==
 [[Localizing government]] is one possible [[thing type::solution]] to the problem of the [[corporatocracy]] in the [[United States]] (and possibly elsewhere). The idea is that decision-making processes would be initiated at a level no larger than that of a city or county, and possibly as small as a neighborhood or community, with larger decisions being negotiated between local governments (presumably by representatives appointed by their members).
 ==Advantages==
 Government that is more local rather than being larger in geographic scope: