Friday, June 27, 2008. The telecasts from St. Kitts were non-stop, as viewers could tune in to witness and observe all the activities going on; they could even participate in discussions by going online to interactive web sites. This was truly democracy in action, as 'common' citizens from all over the United States actually helped to write the language that would eventually become new laws of the land. In 1992, H. Ross Perot had suggested interactive online voting, along with a paid holiday that would encourage more voter turn-out.
The United States was in a position to become a true democracy, ruled by the people, instead of a republic, ruled by representatives elected by the people. Computer technology enabled instantaneous interaction and popular participation. Unlike in colonial days when communications took weeks to reach many areas of the new country, referendums could be posted and voted on in quick order. Newly-elected members of Congress would no longer play, "Let's make a deal" and pass laws without the public's knowledge or consent. They would introduce legislation, write the laws, and make recommendations to their constituents. The people would have the final say as to what became law and what didn't. Members of Congress would become subservient to the people, and would only be able to do what the people wished to be done. This was a striking difference; politicians over the past fifty years had become jaded, believing they were some kind of royalty or pompous monarchy onto themselves. Now, politicians would return to being public servants who had to answer to the citizenry before they could take action on anything.
As such a concept gradually sunk into America's consciousness, people began remembering lessons from their civics and government classes which reminded them of how it was supposed to be. "We the People....." meant all the power was not intended to repose inside the beltway. Never had political reform been so pronounced in the United States.
Article XI was a resolution to relocate the federal government's headquarters to Lebanon, Kansas, designated as the exact center of the contiguous 48 states. A panel of experts were working on that resolution, assisted by a sub-committee of architects and contractors who today were ready to reveal preliminary sketches for the new government facilities.
When one thought about it, moving the government's offices to the center of the country made perfect sense for lots of practical reasons:
1) When Washington, D.C. was established as the nation's capital, it was pretty much in the center of the country; now it was thousands of miles from much of the country, causing an imbalance that created serious financial and geographical concerns. Members of Congress were reimbursed for travel expenses from their home states to the Capital. That mean many Congressmen received lavish reimbursement checks for their travel. Putting the nation's capital in the center of the nation would provide more equal reimbursements instead of the disproportionate compensations some now earned.
2) The nation's capital would be more protected if it were in the middle of the country. Washington, DC could easily become a target from incoming aircraft or seagoing vessels intent on attacking. It would be far more difficult to attack a target that was thousands of miles inland.
3) Since the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. explosions and the devastating hurricane had all but demolished Washington, DC, it made sense - both emotionally and financially - to rebuild somewhere else. Pennsylvania Avenue, K Street, and most of Washington's 'business district' consisting of government-related offices, were gone. In an ironic, almost eerie twist of fate, Independence Mall and many of the city's memorials had remained standing. Those areas could be rebuilt and preserved as monuments to the city that had served as the nation's capital for so long. It was more pragmatic, and prudent, to move on and relocate the capital to a more central region of the country.
At 4:55 p.m. EST, the committee presented their sketches to the nationwide television audience. Strikingly simplistic and altruistic, the designs reverently demonstrated a memorial to those killed by the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. 'Rebellion of '08' and at the same time glorified the promise of a new beginning for America's government. Architects who worked on the project saw a need to commemorate the dead and honor their memories. Now, rising from those ashes would emerge a new kind of moral and ethical government that would set high standards for society and return America to a clarity of genteel and purgative wholesomeness. A web site had been established to show details of various plans, and citizens would be asked to vote for the presentations they preferred. Article XI would be written to accept the design chosen by the majority of Americans. It would then be proposed as legislation, to be considered by the incoming Congress in November, 2008. Once Congress approved the bill, it would be put to a popular vote. If the American voters authorized such action, construction on a new U.S. Capitol and a new U.S. capital city could begin before the end of the year.
The United States was in a position to become a true democracy, ruled by the people, instead of a republic, ruled by representatives elected by the people. Computer technology enabled instantaneous interaction and popular participation. Unlike in colonial days when communications took weeks to reach many areas of the new country, referendums could be posted and voted on in quick order. Newly-elected members of Congress would no longer play, "Let's make a deal" and pass laws without the public's knowledge or consent. They would introduce legislation, write the laws, and make recommendations to their constituents. The people would have the final say as to what became law and what didn't. Members of Congress would become subservient to the people, and would only be able to do what the people wished to be done. This was a striking difference; politicians over the past fifty years had become jaded, believing they were some kind of royalty or pompous monarchy onto themselves. Now, politicians would return to being public servants who had to answer to the citizenry before they could take action on anything.
As such a concept gradually sunk into America's consciousness, people began remembering lessons from their civics and government classes which reminded them of how it was supposed to be. "We the People....." meant all the power was not intended to repose inside the beltway. Never had political reform been so pronounced in the United States.
Article XI was a resolution to relocate the federal government's headquarters to Lebanon, Kansas, designated as the exact center of the contiguous 48 states. A panel of experts were working on that resolution, assisted by a sub-committee of architects and contractors who today were ready to reveal preliminary sketches for the new government facilities.
When one thought about it, moving the government's offices to the center of the country made perfect sense for lots of practical reasons:
1) When Washington, D.C. was established as the nation's capital, it was pretty much in the center of the country; now it was thousands of miles from much of the country, causing an imbalance that created serious financial and geographical concerns. Members of Congress were reimbursed for travel expenses from their home states to the Capital. That mean many Congressmen received lavish reimbursement checks for their travel. Putting the nation's capital in the center of the nation would provide more equal reimbursements instead of the disproportionate compensations some now earned.
2) The nation's capital would be more protected if it were in the middle of the country. Washington, DC could easily become a target from incoming aircraft or seagoing vessels intent on attacking. It would be far more difficult to attack a target that was thousands of miles inland.
3) Since the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. explosions and the devastating hurricane had all but demolished Washington, DC, it made sense - both emotionally and financially - to rebuild somewhere else. Pennsylvania Avenue, K Street, and most of Washington's 'business district' consisting of government-related offices, were gone. In an ironic, almost eerie twist of fate, Independence Mall and many of the city's memorials had remained standing. Those areas could be rebuilt and preserved as monuments to the city that had served as the nation's capital for so long. It was more pragmatic, and prudent, to move on and relocate the capital to a more central region of the country.
At 4:55 p.m. EST, the committee presented their sketches to the nationwide television audience. Strikingly simplistic and altruistic, the designs reverently demonstrated a memorial to those killed by the O.U.T.R.A.G.E. 'Rebellion of '08' and at the same time glorified the promise of a new beginning for America's government. Architects who worked on the project saw a need to commemorate the dead and honor their memories. Now, rising from those ashes would emerge a new kind of moral and ethical government that would set high standards for society and return America to a clarity of genteel and purgative wholesomeness. A web site had been established to show details of various plans, and citizens would be asked to vote for the presentations they preferred. Article XI would be written to accept the design chosen by the majority of Americans. It would then be proposed as legislation, to be considered by the incoming Congress in November, 2008. Once Congress approved the bill, it would be put to a popular vote. If the American voters authorized such action, construction on a new U.S. Capitol and a new U.S. capital city could begin before the end of the year.
posted by Bushwacker! at 6:59 AM
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