This is a very interesting idea! I applaud you on your creativity, industry, and intent; but I worry.
Legislation that comes before the house is so long, often hundreds of pages of text. Most users voting with the app won't read the whole bill. We have all heard about congressmen slipping in unrelated things into bills that are going to pass, or even naming bills things that don't reflect what the bill actually does and just sounds catchy (e.g. "Patriot Act").
I am worried that widespread adoption of a system like this would put even more power in the hands of big media marketing individual bills, naming bills positive things to get more people to vote for them, and simultaneously take power away from elected representatives who vote against otherwise nice-sounding legislation because of the dirty politics buried in the details, since now they would have to deal with the backlash of voting against their constituents, who have been drawn to the surface rationale of the bill.
ThikMcLargehuge47 karma
This is a very interesting idea! I applaud you on your creativity, industry, and intent; but I worry.
Legislation that comes before the house is so long, often hundreds of pages of text. Most users voting with the app won't read the whole bill. We have all heard about congressmen slipping in unrelated things into bills that are going to pass, or even naming bills things that don't reflect what the bill actually does and just sounds catchy (e.g. "Patriot Act").
I am worried that widespread adoption of a system like this would put even more power in the hands of big media marketing individual bills, naming bills positive things to get more people to vote for them, and simultaneously take power away from elected representatives who vote against otherwise nice-sounding legislation because of the dirty politics buried in the details, since now they would have to deal with the backlash of voting against their constituents, who have been drawn to the surface rationale of the bill.
What do you think about this notion?
View HistoryShare Link