If at first you don't succeed...
All right, let's try again. For those that don't want to try again, please get out of the way.
Although the
experiment in "Rule by the People" known as the United States failed spectacularly (not unlike the first revision of United People), some of the ideas that were put into place were not without merit.
I would like to place some ideas in the forum for discussion.
First -- given the voter fraud that occurred here, UP obviously needs some kind of voter requirements and voter registration. For voter requirements, I suggest:
- A minimum amount of time on the forum.
- A minimum number of non-trivial posts on the forum.
- A completed voter registration.
Number 1 will help prevent invited disruptors from joining just to manipulate the vote (ala GW and crew). Number 2 allows some insight into member seriousness towards UP's goals (thank you GW and crew again). Number 3 helps to minimize voter fraud, like sockpuppets (yes, GW again).
For voter registration, I suggest:
- Real name and full residential address.
- A verification that this public information is correct (a picture ID).
- A public posting of that information for member scrutiny.
My rationale for the above is -- if you can't stand up and be counted, then you won't be counted. If you are too afraid to register and have your public information put out in front of the public, as is required for any voter registration, then stay away from the polls. If you wish to remain anonymous, you are free to do so and continue to have your voice heard, but you will not vote.
Second -- in developing the organism called United People from the members (the body
cells), we are going to need a primitive
brain to make quick decisions when voting is not practical – at the moment, as I have learned, that's me. This quick decision-making organ would benefit from a small network of specialized
cells (members) to ensure that it does its job in the best interests of the membership, and some kind of efficient and accurate feedback loop between the
brain and the other
cells (something like a primitive
nervous system) must be in place to ensure these two control structures do not work at cross-purposes. Traditionally, administrators and moderators have been the
brain and have worked reasonably efficiently, but the efficient feedback loop with the membership, the
nervous system, has been lacking. For the
brain, we could use the traditional forum control system of admins and mods, or we could use something new, like a Steering Committee. But the key component would have to be in the feedback loop that keeps the
brain and body
cells interdependent.
These are just suggestions and discussion points to try to resolve the problems we have recently witnessed at United People. Any other ideas?