Can SORTITION help fix our polarized and toxic political landscape?

C

cwjerome

Verified User
Sortition: In governance, sortition (also known as selection by lottery, selection by lot, allotment, demarchy, stochocracy, and aleatoric democracy) is the selection of political officials as a random sample from a larger pool of candidates.

Greek democracy was largely based on sortition.

I believe our democracy is broken as political cults engage in toxic permanent campaign with divide and conquer tactics while putting the true long term health of the country way down the list. What we need is SORTITION! Turn the House of Representatives into a REAL representative legislative body. Make it a lottery-based system with citizens drafted by (mostly) random sample… 1 year terms.
This would help move away from special interests, cronyism, corruption, oligarchy, and the horrible party bullshit that’s dragging us down. A legislative body free from election and party pressures, free from power hungry stuffed suits with ulterior agendas and no inclination to reason or compromise.

Another benefit of sortition is that it encourages a type of citizenship that I promote... a true "republican" type of citizenry in the classic sense.

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cwjerome said:
Sortition: In governance, sortition (also known as selection by lottery, selection by lot, allotment, demarchy, stochocracy, and aleatoric democracy) is the selection of political officials as a random sample from a larger pool of candidates.

Greek democracy was largely based on sortition.

I believe our democracy is broken as political cults engage in toxic permanent campaign with divide and conquer tactics while putting the true long term health of the country way down the list. What we need is SORTITION! Turn the House of Representatives into a REAL representative legislative body. Make it a lottery-based system with citizens drafted by (mostly) random sample… 1 year terms.
This would help move away from special interests, cronyism, corruption, oligarchy, and the horrible party bullshit that’s dragging us down. A legislative body free from election and party pressures, free from power hungry stuffed suits with ulterior agendas and no inclination to reason or compromise.

Another benefit of sortition is that it encourages a type of citizenship that I promote... a true "republican" type of citizenry in the classic sense.

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FB Page: "The Radical Independent"
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First, the ancient Greeks only did the random ballot from a group of aristocrats.

Second, what does randomly choosing people for government have to do with a republican citizenry?
 
BidenPresident said:
First, the ancient Greeks only did the random ballot from a group of aristocrats.

Second, what does randomly choosing people for government have to do with a republican citizenry?
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Actually it was the lottery of citizens, who at that time were a smaller and "elite" group compared to the entire population. Today, "citizens" is a much broader and more inclusive idea.

A true republican type of citizenry is a citizenry that seeks virtue, is sincere and honest, and takes their public responsibilities seriously. That type of citizenry that will serve nobly if/when they are called up.
 
If 12 random, normal people can decide whether or not a human being will spend their life in prison, or be sentenced to death… can random, normal people represent each other? Can normal, random people help create (or remove) legislation and policies? Can anyone explain to me why slick, power hungry hacks that belong to corrupt cults are necessary to make and carry out laws? Why exactly do we need a professional political aristocracy to rule over us?

We don’t need a rigged and destructive electoral system, but people are trapped into thinking this is the only way.

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cwjerome said:
Actually it was the lottery of citizens, who at that time were a smaller and "elite" group compared to the entire population. Today, "citizens" is a much broader and more inclusive idea.

A true republican type of citizenry is a citizenry that seeks virtue, is sincere and honest, and takes their public responsibilities seriously. That type of citizenry that will serve nobly if/when they are called up.
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Greek citizens excluded women, slaves, the working class.
 
Obviously sortition at the national level would never happen (although it should) because it'll require an Amendment. But the idea that democracy/republicanism is purely electing someone to represent us is simplistic. Having some sortition at some levels would greatly reduce the horrible politicalness, polarization, and corruption in government and society.

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cwjerome said:
Obviously sortition at the national level would never happen (although it should) because it'll require an Amendment. But the idea that democracy/republicanism is purely electing someone to represent us is simplistic. Having some sortition at some levels would greatly reduce the horrible politicalness, polarization, and corruption in government and society.

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FB Page: "The Radical Independent"
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How does it reduce corruption?
 
BidenPresident said:
How does it reduce corruption?
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Right now the parties are bought and sold and Congress represents their owns interests, not the peoples. This is because of permanent campaign and power. If big money, special interests, and lobbyists cannot help get someone elected or re-elected, they lose influence and there's less corruption. If legislators aren't part of the partisan con, they can focus on the actual job efficiently.
 
cwjerome said:
Right now the parties are bought and sold and Congress represents their owns interests, not the peoples. This is because of permanent campaign and power. If big money, special interests, and lobbyists cannot help get someone elected or re-elected, they lose influence and there's less corruption. If legislators aren't part of the partisan con, they can focus on the actual job efficiently.
Click to expand...

Why wouldn't they bribe them in office? Or offer them big paying jobs after?
 
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