A question to the community

[Claude Desmoulins]

In the forums recently, I have picked up a couple of lines of thought:

1) The RA should proceed very carefully and do less rather than more given the proximity of elections and the absence of the SDF.

2) The RA should take up covenant reform/nature of the CDS/etc.

These two requests seem to pull against one another. I wish very much to respect the current political situation. On the other hand, the community is energized in a way it hasn't been for some time. I don't want this opportunity for progress lost while we wait six weeks until a new RA is elected and seated before we do anything.

What are your thoughts?

[Pelanor Eldrich]

To allay fears (opening can 'o worms), why not give Patroklus 2 seats for the next 6 weeks?

[Dianne]

I must admit I have been having similar thoughts to Diderot's. We are at a point where some of the most serious and "sim-altering" changes are taking place, yet our Representative Assembly has never been at a point where it is less representative (in the technical sense, nothing personal there) of the populace.

My opinion is that there is nothing for it but an election and the sooner one is called the better, but at the same time perhaps we could look at other democratic mechanisms like the referendum or the town hall meeting to carry us through decisions that simply need to be made immediately.

We cannot [i:25n5osd8]wait[/i:25n5osd8] another 6 to 8 weeks to *start* the process of deciding what happens with the various redevelopment plans for starters. How many months has it been since we had the "idea" of making the Platz a business district already?

On the other hand, an election can be the very thing that energises us even more. This last session of the RA has been enough to beat down the best of us. Perhaps the thought of a legislature where positive people contribute to exciting goals (and don't leave half way through under pressure from the terrorist), is something to really look forward to.

[Rubaiyat]

I understant the desire to put things into motion and to try to do a lot while there is energy, BUT

If our goals are sustainability then we must be able to function in times of energy and lethargy --

I like my government to act slowly, make few laws and carefully vet them.

I like lots of citizen input.

I hate secret meetings, and I hate it more when I cannot find out what happened at them