Why Elections Are the Problem and How To Make Democracy Real

Representative democracy is in crisis. Legislatures do not accurately reflect all sectors of society. Ordinary citizens should have more say than merely pulling a ballot lever once every few years. A government that is merely 'for' the people is not any longer good enough. It is time to institute a government that is also 'by' and 'of' the people. The original Athenian democracy used a method altogether different than elections to select its officials. They used the system now used to select citizens for jury duty -- random selection, also called sortition. This essay reflects upon how the lessons from that first democracy might be used to develop a 'legislative jury' capable of truly representing all citizens without regard to party affiliation, financial status or any ideology other than fair play. The essay is about 10,000 words with images piquant and provocative. Abundantly footnoted. Includes links, bibliography, how to hold a workshop and access to other goods and services.