4 ms·

It's a small, local government run by people who actually live in the area they are governing. It's objectively better than a large, non-local government that h

It's a small, local government run by people who actually live in the area they are governing. It's objectively better than a large, non-local government that has no skin in the game and doesn't have to live with the consequences of their actions.

MonkeyMalarky 4y ago
That's not entirely true, my municipal government has skin in the game because taxes are based on property values here. So for example, I know someone who had the bricks redone on his house and when he got the permit to do the renovation, it stipulated that the surface area of brick afterwards was to be equal or greater than before. I suppose it is because brick has higher value than vinyl siding.
TeMPOraL 4y ago
> It's a small, local government run by people who actually live in the area they are governing. More specifically, it's run by people who live in the area they are governing and have nothing else to do with their time. Not sure what can be done about this; it's a general failure mode of democratic systems at every level (and many non-democratic as well): over time, the power goes to those who prioritize getting the power. I.e. career politicians. (Yes, I'd classify the few people who show up at our HOA-equivalent meetings as career politicians, and the small group of troublemakers in my block of flats as the opposition :).)
- hot_gril 4y ago
  I've thought of this too. Bored people don't prioritize things well.
  - TeMPOraL 4y ago
    It's worse. They're not bored. They're very much enjoying the politicking. And some of them are even in this with good, selfless intentions - but it doesn't change the fact that full-time politicians are not representative of the rest of the population, that has jobs to work, lectures to attend, children to rear, and countless other things to do.
mypalmike 4y ago
The phrase "objectively better" is an oxymoron.

MonkeyMalarky 4y ago

That's not entirely true, my municipal government has skin in the game because taxes are based on property values here. So for example, I know someone who had the bricks redone on his house and when he got the permit to do the renovation, it stipulated that the surface area of brick afterwards was to be equal or greater than before. I suppose it is because brick has higher value than vinyl siding.

TeMPOraL 4y ago

> It's a small, local government run by people who actually live in the area they are governing. More specifically, it's run by people who live in the area they are governing and have nothing else to do with their time. Not sure what can be done about this; it's a general failure mode of democratic systems at every level (and many non-democratic as well): over time, the power goes to those who prioritize getting the power. I.e. career politicians. (Yes, I'd classify the few people who show up at our HOA-equivalent meetings as career politicians, and the small group of troublemakers in my block of flats as the opposition :).)

hot_gril 4y ago
I've thought of this too. Bored people don't prioritize things well.
- TeMPOraL 4y ago
  It's worse. They're not bored. They're very much enjoying the politicking. And some of them are even in this with good, selfless intentions - but it doesn't change the fact that full-time politicians are not representative of the rest of the population, that has jobs to work, lectures to attend, children to rear, and countless other things to do.

mypalmike 4y ago

The phrase "objectively better" is an oxymoron.