Comments for The Great E-mancipator

Comment on Open data manual by Andres Nin Pérez

Andres Nin Pérez — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:34:50 +0000

I follow your blog regularly as my main source of information about UK eGov reports. I have just read your post related to opendata, and maybe you could be interested in this iniative and campaing for it

http://apunteselectronicos.blogspot.com/2012/02/call-for-single-opendata-licence-in-eu.html

Comment on Participating in a democracy by Leonard Anderson (@pferdy)

Leonard Anderson (@pferdy) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 06:21:24 +0000

My point, which I did not articulate, is that e-democracy should be easier-democracy. I had assumed that old style democracy was not only harder, but inexorably involving fewer and fewer citizens. Somehow or other, LAs should be engaging the next generation of voters.

Comment on Participating in a democracy by greatemancipator

greatemancipator — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 22:56:55 +0000

My point is that it’s fiendishly difficult to get democracy working, let alone the ‘e’ version.

Comment on Participating in a democracy by lenand

lenand — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 20:28:53 +0000

It is fiendishly difficult to get e-democracy moving. Here’s another site that is trying hard – linked to my posting. http://lenand.wordpress.com/2011/03/04/digital-democracy-challenge-to-mps/

Comment on Keep it stupid, simple by lenand

lenand — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:42:05 +0000

Simplicity is the key to reducing costs. The problem is the tangle we have already get and the time required to sort out both the politics and the logistics. Once you are on a means test treadmill it is difficult to reverse it. My solution is a simpler integrated approach – not means tested. It has to bring the personal taxation and benefits system together. Everybody get a citizen account and money from the treasury. The PAYE system balances out this effective minimum allowance. We scrap National Insurance and replace it with a Singapore style personal provident fund, mainly for retirement. Every penny you earn is taxed, saved for a pension and some kept – there is no benefits trap. Low wage earners get their citizen allowance and keep their earnings, without the need for a minimum wage.

I have been told that anything as bold as this will not get political party support, as it would no doubt take several parliaments for the transformation. 20 years may not be an overstatement.

See more on http://wp.me/p14MGf-sT.