Meaningful Majorities in Referendum

40 years ago a referendum about whether or not to use Nuclear Energy was held in Austria. The power plant was practically ready to go into operation but anti-nuclear activists had backed the government into a corner. As a result it was decided to let the citizens have their say. The result was an extremely narrow majority (50.5%) in favour of not using the finished (!) power plant. This raises the question of what level the qualified majority should be - easy to answer in case of constitutional matters. But not so easy in all other decisions.

Supreme Court Nomination Circus

Do not know what happened decades ago but the problem with the US Supreme Court is that judges are unelected and only an expression of the preferences of a small number of politicians. At least their terms should be limited so that a healthy rotation is possible.

Rules restraining Free Speech and Democracy

Establishment politicians from Right to Left have spun a web of restrictions that make it very difficult for any other party or movement to wrest control of the political process from their hands. So-called 'Rules' governing how elections are run have one outcome: the Establishment always wins. In a system of Direct Democracy all individual political decisions would be subject to an extensive political debate - not an election campaign with lots of general promises that are broken in a split second after the elections are over. THAT IS THE ULTIMATE FRAUD that is constantly perpetrated on the electorate - no police prosecution there of course!
Another Kangaroo Court: Leave Campaign referred to police (UK)

Media muddy policy debate

Presenter Beverely Turner (LBC London): 'But if you are against helping poorer countries then you are for immigration'. Stunned caller says no. Presenter explains: 'If you do not want to help these countries then people will want to come here'.
It is worth noting that this presenter has twisted the argument into a direction which suits her worldview. This happens day in day out and a constant barrage or such biased talk pushes the opinions of the silent majority into the background.

Reading List

US Supreme Court is much too powerful

Even small issues matter

To most readers this may appear to be a trivial matter. But it illustrates why ordinary citizens feel overwhelmed by more and more restrictions that are decreed by a pseudo-democratic political establishment.
Some political honcho decides to "introduce" new legislation/decrees etc. A few applaud the measure - there will ALWAYS be some lobbies and media that will support any hare-brained idea, or at least give them free publicity.
Naturally more paper pushers need to be employed, they can exert power without being elected and at the same time being unsupervised.
That the "accuser" stays unnamed is part of the neo-fascist system that takes more and more after a modern version of the Inquisition.
Under a system of Direct Democracy measures such as these would be subject to a referendum if enough members of the silent majority - you and me - support one.

"There plans to give Commons researchers and secretaries extra protection from sexual harassment.A new harassment policy would create a body with powers to probe serious cases and could even lead to MPs being sacked. Under the proposals an investigation will be launched if alleged victims bring rape and sexual assault claims at Westminster — even if they do not report an incident to police".

Iran Blackmail - Polititicans useless

Pressure on 'Europe'? Who speaks for this fictional country that is just a geographical term.
The blatant blackmail by the USA under Trump demonstrates that 'representative' democracy is unable to give citizens a voice. Our Politicians are meek, stupid or complicit with this effort to achieve world domination. Would a proper referendum and the observance of due legal process allow this state of affairs?
Direct Democracy exists exactly for that reason - to avoid shady backroom deals by weak politicians.
President Trump Is Putting Huge Pressure on Europe to Reinstate Sanctions on Iran

Harvard Admission Process: Discrimination?

The 99% have no chance. When a bulwark of the Establisment shies away from transparency the 1% have an open goal in their endeavour to preserve their priviledges. The ONLY objective admission process is via competition. No special favours to donors and former students.
Harvard University is fighting to keep its secretive admissions process under wraps

Who will stop Google and other Oligopolists?

USA certainly will not, they are an extended arm to preserve control over the other economies and states. Google reaps huge benefits from being able to exploit its near-monopoly on search, use of personal data. EU completely passive, as are individual member states. Only way to stop Google, Facebook, Apple, Amazon is Direct Democracy.
How Google's parent company is paving the way to become a transportation giant

Why does the USA get away with blackmailing the rest of the World?

Answer: lacklustre politicians that do not have the interests of their citizens at heart. They don't want to rock the boat or are at worst clueless, if not stupid. Stopping the US from applying their 'laws' ex-territorially would be easy - all one would have to do is hit the US hard where it hurts, its banks, Internet and media oligopolies. One would be surprised how fast this boycott spook would be over. A system of Direct Democracy would not allow the ruling political caste to get away so easily.

EU Axis of big spenders - how democratic is that?

All very well to see two leaders with threadbare democratic legitimacy agreeing on another plot to spend other people's money. And the other EU members just watch on the sidelines? not even mentioning the 'citizens' that nobody asks in this undemocratic construct. No wonder Merkel and Macron can have a good laugh if they can get away with this.

angela-merkel-emmanuel-macron-bridge-differences-on-eu-reform-france-germany/ (Politico)

Free Speech? - if you are a Billionaire!

Does the new owner of the Los Angeles Times really think it is going to make him even richer? Maybe yes, maybe no, but the sale demonstrates that major media platforms are firmly in the hands of the Oligarchy of the Super Rich or some faceless corporate conglomerates that peddle news the same way they sell toothpaste. Any reform of democracy has to include a reform of media ownership.

la-times-to-transfer-ownership-to-biotech-billionaire-on-monday/

Concerned about Democracy?

Then what do you make of these two headlines?

senate-passes-military-funding-bill-that-would-reimpose-sanctions-on-chinese-telecom-zte.html

Linking legislation in this manner is blatant manipulation, should also be subject to full scrutiny by citizens

trump-told-apple-ceo-iphones-will-be-spared-from-china-tariffs-report.html

Cosy special deals on an arbitrary basis usually is the trademark of dictatorships. All communication of politicians with outside parties, esp lobbies, should be published in full. Not just the list of appointments.

Democracy will die? It has not even started yet!

Claiming that Democracy will die misses the point. Real Democracy has not even started yet. The sorry state of affairs, with clueless individuals - Trump, May, Macron, Merkel - given way too much discretionary power - can only be described as 'Pseudo' Democracy.
How Democracy ends
Review (Bloomberg, Pay Wall)

Facebook 'curbing' information it shares?

Not good enough! Any sharing is dubious. And making your agreement a condition of being allowed to use the service can easily be gamed by Facebook & Co. See what happened to the requirement that you have to give internet sites permission to plant cookies on your computer when you access a site. It has become a pointless box-ticking exercise. Shame on regulators and their politician backers!
Facebook to curb information sharing

Online Voting and Blockchain

Tracking your vote like an Amazon parcel? Does not sound so good to me.
Blockchain-based voting is like tracking your Amazon package