| Chapter 5. | The TRUE DEMOCRACY - Government. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Party leadership conventions are very interesting because they are a good example of democracy in action. Still, they have one basic flaw. It is rare that a leader of a party is elected on the first ballot. Deals are made and votes are shifted. Consequently, it is not always the best man or woman who becomes leader of the party and if this party is elected to form the government, chances are the nation will have a government with second-rate leadership. Moreover, the ruling of ‘conflict of interest' prevents many of the best and brightest of the nation to seek public office. Today the electorate often resorts to strategic voting, because elections are too convoluted and corrupted by money and people just choose ‘to throw the rascals out'. The result is that policies in socials reforms and external affairs are interrupted although governmental continuity could be desirable, but not always. Choosing a TD government is as follows: Each citizen with an idea, vision, reform plans, and demonstrable leadership qualities can file an application with his or her TD MP who will register it with the TD e-parliament. The applicants are put on a waiting list. As soon as an election comes in sight the would-like-to-be Prime Ministers will have access to this waiting list and can assemble their cabinet. When several teams are ready the TD e-parliament will announce the nation-wide election for the TD government. and set the date. At the start of the election campaign the nation's treasury supplies each team with an equal amount of money. Any other monies are not allowed. Whoever breaks this rule will forfeit the election. This ruling ensures that A - the election is won not by who got the most money and is consequently obliged to the money sources. B - it is the first test for the future government how it manages a given task. With this ‘no extra money' rule the people can elect their TD government which can now, unhindered by party politics, go on the realization of their ideas and reforms. The TD government has only two restrictions - it is accountable to the TD e-parliament and it can be recalled at any time if the cooperation between government and parliament is not working. Otherwise this government can stay in office as long as it needs to realize its ideas and reforms. However, some day when its leadership will run out of steam it is time for a new government to set the nation on a new course. The strict governmental accountability to the TD e-parliament allows it to waive the ruling of ‘conflict of interest'. This will attract those personalities who are already successful in private life, have the ambition to serve the nation and thus put another feather of their successes on their caps. Why restrict these personalities as long as they deliver? Of course, instead of selecting groups, the political parties could still play a role in forming the TD governments. But it is doubtful that this is, with strict accountability to the TD parliament, still a viable proposition. Ministers of the government are also members of the TD e-parliament so they may coordinate with the TD e-parliament and represent themselves and their work. An indicator that the process of diminishing democracy is under way is that elected governments become, not always but often enough, oligarchies who rule unhindered because parliament can be made dysfunctional. Rules like 'closure' and other measures should not be acceptable in a parliamentary democracy because any infringements on the parliament violates the spirit of democracy. The often heard remark by politicians that they have a mandate to do what they are doing is nothing but avoidance of their responsibilities and trying to secure still more political powers. Dictators like to be worshiped and glorified and an extensive personality cult takes care of this. However, in a democracy any personality cult is not only pathetic, it is even worrisome. Certainly the high office of a Prime Minister or President deserves respect, but it shouldn't be used to develop a personality cult around the office holder. The halo of him or her may be used to camouflage and skew the issues and manipulate the media and the public. The direct and transparent accountability of the TD government to the TD e-parliament will prevent this. A capable leader doesn't need a prop and is not hampered by accountability. Each, the government and the e-parliament have clearly defined tasks.
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