THIS IS YOUR DEMOCRACY
Programme Aims and Objectives
- Invite public input and come up with new ideas
- Get good ideas implemented as expediently as possible
- Look at arguments for and against
- Debate problems and solutions in society
- Work out what is best, the best approach and best solution to any problem
- Properly research the facts (DOPE)
- Properly present and examine the facts (DOPE)
- Properly measure the strength of opinion and the popular vote on any issue
Department Of Propergander Engineering
The aim of the DOPE is to collect and collate the relevant facts and information necessary to make sure any case is properly presented, properly examined and properly understood.
22/04/11
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing to see if the BBC would be interested in producing and running a new series of programmes about serious social and political issues, called THIS IS YOUR DEMOCRACY. The current suggestion for the format of the programme is to outline and discuss particular issues, and, with a few invited experts or ministers, examine arguments for and against. In line with similar existing formats, the programme may also include some views or questions from a studio audience and or phone in. On any issue raised, people are then given the ongoing opportunity to vote for, or against, a particular motion. Voting and communication would be logged on a system known as CYCLOPS, on a basis of one vote per person per issue. In this instance, the current suggestion name, C.Y.C.L.O.P.S. is an acronym standing for combining your communications and levels of preference system. The idea being that CYCLOPS sees with the one eye (or the one I), the one truth or majority viewpoint as registered by the public will. Voting on any particular issue would give an indication as to whether people feel we have currently got it right or not. If people feel that we have not currently got it right, the idea is for the programme to approach the relevant government ministers or departments in order to try and bring about a change in line with the democratic view on that particular issue. Progress on any particular issue can be outlined with updates in follow up programmes, in the same way as in Crimewatch or Watchdog.
The programme would have its own website to facilitate the online voting, which would have all current issues listed and outlined along with the current vote status, relevant information and relevant links, etc. The website would also have a forum where people can discuss and debate issues and a facility to post comments. People can change their vote at any time, as long as they are registered on the system. The system would have to be cross referenced with the electoral register, in order that it be a legitimate representation and accurate democratic measure of people’s feelings on any issue up for debate. The system would be primarily internet driven but could also facilitate an element of automated telephone polling, with identity check, for those people that do not have internet facilities. At any time those registered can check their account and see the list of issues and their current personal vote status on each. The current suggestion is that voting would have four categories, for, against, no preference, and the default of no vote.
Despite what we are led to believe, many people feel that we do not live in a true democracy. This programme is aimed at trying to give the public more say in the society that we live in, show the democratic process to be exactly what it is, and give the politicians a chance to prove to us that we do live in a democracy (or not, as the case may be). It would help to engineer a more democratic society, bring about a massive improvement for and on behalf of the people that live and participate in the social climate of this country, generate a feeling of worth, and would be a demonstrative forerunner and prototype for a new and up to date political system that could eventually replace the current archaic one. A system where the public are encouraged to think and participate in policy decision making and the politicians and civil servants administer that policy decision as we the public see fit. It should be great fun and certainly give the politicians a run for their money! Please let me know if you would be interested as I would love to discuss further a slightly broader outline and additional ideas.
Yours faithfully,