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The sad part is they feel a website like this is necessary. They're professional politicians in a democratic country. They should already be in touch with their

by lukev 16y ago

The sad part is they feel a website like this is necessary. They're professional politicians in a democratic country. They should already be in touch with their constituency. They should have a chain of advisement and direction built all the way from local caucuses at the precinct level. And if they were serious about making the project more efficient by taking it online, they should have a registration-based website with registration tied to actual party membership and heavily moderated to allow only articulate arguments.

pyre 16y ago
> they should have a registration-based website with registration tied to actual party membership So if I'm in an area that is represented by a member of another party, then my voice deserves less weight than the voice of someone that is a member of that party?
- smallblacksun 16y ago
  You can be a Republican in a district represented by a Democrat.
  - pyre 16y ago
    Where is joining a particular political party (even 'independent' parties) a requirement for participation in the political process?
    - eru 16y ago
      If it's the political process of that party, they may very well require joining them.
- lukev 16y ago
  If this was a government or public institution website you'd be correct. But it's a website specifically for the GOP to garner ideas.
  - pyre 16y ago
    Yes, but in the example we're talking about elected officials. It's their duty to represent everyone in their constituency, not just the ones that are members of their political party. I was of the understanding that this thread had branched to discuss communication at the ground level with your elected representative, not a forum to discuss the direction of an entire political party as a whole. The discussion was just framed around each political party providing their elected officials with a way of communication with their constituents. [I could be way off here, though.]
    - byrneseyeview 16y ago
      It's their duty to represent everyone in their constituency, not just the ones that are members of their political party. I'm not sure that's true. In that case, there would be a moral argument against voting for third parties, since they definitely don't represent the views of a majority of people. And there'd be a moral argument against voting Republican in Manhattan, or Democrat in Utah.

by lukev 16y ago

pyre 16y ago

> they should have a registration-based website with registration tied to actual party membership So if I'm in an area that is represented by a member of another party, then my voice deserves less weight than the voice of someone that is a member of that party?

smallblacksun 16y ago
You can be a Republican in a district represented by a Democrat.
- pyre 16y ago
  Where is joining a particular political party (even 'independent' parties) a requirement for participation in the political process?
  - eru 16y ago
    If it's the political process of that party, they may very well require joining them.
lukev 16y ago
If this was a government or public institution website you'd be correct. But it's a website specifically for the GOP to garner ideas.
- pyre 16y ago
  Yes, but in the example we're talking about elected officials. It's their duty to represent everyone in their constituency, not just the ones that are members of their political party. I was of the understanding that this thread had branched to discuss communication at the ground level with your elected representative, not a forum to discuss the direction of an entire political party as a whole. The discussion was just framed around each political party providing their elected officials with a way of communication with their constituents. [I could be way off here, though.]
  - byrneseyeview 16y ago
    It's their duty to represent everyone in their constituency, not just the ones that are members of their political party. I'm not sure that's true. In that case, there would be a moral argument against voting for third parties, since they definitely don't represent the views of a majority of people. And there'd be a moral argument against voting Republican in Manhattan, or Democrat in Utah.