www.WrensJournal.blogspot.com

This is an email exchange I had last night and this morning with a friend of mine from Socrates Cafe. Maybe we can continue the discussion there this Thursday. We meet at 7 pm at Trinity Church, 18th & Broadway, it's free and open to all. RSVP at http://socratescafe.meetup.com/82

My friend had asked me why I was against the Denver Tax/Bond proposals, I'd responded that there were some worthwhile projects, but that the way they were being promoted giving the illusion of choice was deceptive. This was his response and the rest of our exchange:

Question:

Please explain, John. What's the deception? If I have the flexibility to choose which of the 8 bond issues I want passed (as opposed to it all lumped together), that sounds like a better form of self governance than putting it all in the hands of a legislature that is similarly bombarded with lobbyists and all or nothing measures full of pork barrel stuff, written in complex legislative formats.

Wren:

Here is the deception:

1. Forming a committee of the "best & brightest" to develop the plan. We elect representatives to fulfill that responsibility. This is a PR trick, why can't you see that? And the Mayor claims the recommendation of the committee was unanimous, which is a lie. Mary Smith, Denver GOP Chair, tells me she was on the committee and did not agree with the recommendations.

2. Raising $1 million for those who will receive the cash to advertise the proposals. No one is hurt enough by this to take the time to oppose it in a significant way. Newspapers in the past would have taken this on, but they are no longer the watchdogs of the public they were in the past.


Question:

I understand your critique and find some merit in it, but I don't find the legislature approach necessarily any better. Legislatures have to deal with lobbyists (your PR campaign) and campaign funding, so they are also influenced by people who have a vested interest in certain bills being passed too. At least with the Bond issues up for public vote, it's all out in the open and not just argued within the marble chambers of the capitol.

The fact, as I pointed out, that you have a kind of "line item veto" over this Bond issues makes it compelling to me. I like that flexibility as some of the proposals, like Boettcher Hall seem a bit spurious. Under the legislative approach, all 550 million dollars worth would be bundled in a bill most likely and legislators would be seduced to pass it since more of the measures seem worthy.

No, John, simply saying that's it's better to leave it in the hands of elected officials, isn't necessarily a better way. Also, since you stated you like things going from the bottom up, doesn't putting these spending issues up for a direct vote empower the little guy to make a direct statement on what he wants funded in this matter?

Wren:

Direct democracy was not at all what the founders of this country had in mind, and
with good reason. We are a republic, not a democracy. Why? Because mobocracy is just a tool for tyrants. The mob is easily manipulated, as we are seeing with the Denver tax/bond issue.

The little guy is not helped at all, except for the illusion of being a good citizen when he cast his ballot or blows hot air with his friends. The real power is with the tyrant, or the small group that backs someone like Hickenlooper, and then manipulates the mob.


Question:

I generally sympathize with the mobocracy concerns but with our representatives being swayed by big money interests, campaign funding and lobbyists, one can also be concerned about oligarchical pressures as well.

And this is what makes political philosophy and theory so interesting. There are so many double edged swords out there to the issues. I see problems both ways, John.

Wren:

Yes, I agree, there are other real concerns. The price of liberty is eternal vigilance! Are you planning on attending your precinct caucus Feb 5?

(Denver voters must be registered with the party of their choice by December 5 to vote in the wonderful Colorado caucus-assembly system for nominating to the primary ballot. The neighborhood caucus system is where the average citizen’s voice can be heard most clearly and have the most impact.)