The people's revolution

Government's have taken liberties for which they were not elected. This problem is a global one across many nations and historical periods. They have declared war; bailed out car manufacturers, or not; set carbon emission targets; detained refugees and set Internet filters to censor information to name a few. They have done deals with large enterprises, other governments, international organisations, NGOs and lobbyists.

The partisan approach to government and politics has created an old boys club that punishes 'conscience voting' or crossing the floor. This is hardly representative democracy and unlike the system in Switzerland where each issue is independently voted for by each adult entitled to vote. Politicians are not given individual or independent votes but fully represent their electorate.

Australians wouldn't like weekly voting though. In this time of electronic and technical revolution, a voting system can be easily, inexpensively and automatically be generated so that each person has their democratic right and input to government and legislature changes.
The social networking of Web2.0 can provide a people's revolution.

Governments can then become agents of the people's needs rather than dictatorial and abusive. There is of course a long history of state abuse of individuals, from early history, slavery to genocide, Robert Mugabe, Hitler, unwanted wars, George W Bush, John Howard and Blair, political prisoners as in Guantanamo Bay, Gulags, torture and other abuses of civil rights. Sadly the system of electioneering, as seen in the recent USA debates and federal election system, promotes the aggressive, sociopathic political animal. In this way we do not elect the right people to government. We do not elect people based on their intelligence, academic record, problem solving ability, essence of moral justice or sense of caring. We elect people who are good at rhetoric and are set up by corrupt systems. It is only if you learn to play the game that you progress.

Idealistic people who care are soon destroyed by the current political system. Green groups have quickly been burnt by their idealism in combat with political systems such that one has to join them to beat them.

People have power however, not just over their individual rights but also en masse they have the power to revolution and of their vote. The revolution is gaining groundswell as information and communication provides cohesion. The common man is not happy to have his economy manipulated, his taxes paying large greedy corporations, his children's future destroyed by economic rather than environmental needs. The grass roots revolution has immense power and is only just starting to flex its muscle.