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Open Government Brainstorm Defies Wisdom of Crowds
theodp writes "In May, the White House launched what it called an 'unprecedented online process for public engagement in policymaking.' Brainstorming was conducted in an effort to identify ways to 'strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness by making government more transparent, participatory, and collaborative.' So, what were some of the top vote-getters? Currently near the top of the list are Legalize Marijuana And Solve Many Tax Issues / Prison Issues (#2) and Remove Marijuana from Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act (#3). For those who remember Obama's earlier Online Town Hall, it's deja vu all over again."
Aren't alcohol and cigarettes alone not already enough of a problem? I'm not saying Marijuana intoxication is worse than Alcohol intoxication, but frankly said, I don't think we need more stuff that allows people getting high on it at all. We've got more than enough troubles, do we need another drug causing them?
A good education is a bit like a STD - it makes you unsuitable for a lot of jobs and gives you a desire to spread it.
Yes, because a bunch of loser stoners sitting in their mother's basement spamming the open government website shows the true face of America.
There is no "-1 offended" or "-1 you don't agree with me" mod options for a reason.
Can't do that, if you did, how would all the illegal undocumented workers get their say in government?!?!?
Are you a racist? Why do you hate brown people?
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Say what? Let me analyse this point by point...
Strengthen our democracy: How, by making people sit around their bong every night discussing the problems of the world? Like.. "Man... link um.. why do they fold those papers around those little sticks of gum? Can't they see we need to save some trees? Besides they taste terrible when folding a joint, their just disgusting."
Promote efficiency: Get real, Marijuana and efficiency in the same sentence? Last I knew all my childhood friends were doing nothing with their lives. Just sitting around getting high with no aspirations in life. Several are dead from accidents, suicide, some perpetually in rehab clinics, and all living life day-t-day. Efficiency is not the first word on my mind.
Making government more transparent: Ok, Marijuana is hallucinogenic for some people, but I doubt that the Government is going to get any more transparent that way.
Collaborative: Ok, lets get this one definition straight. We are talking about the Government being more collaborative, not people sitting around talking about fantasies while smoking joints. How is legalizing Marijuana going to get the Government to improve on their collaboration skills?
I know I'll get flamed, and I'm not trying to argue that it should or should not be legalized, but what the study is for and the conclusions being stated about Marijuana are just not related from my viewpoint. But as I remember back to 'hanging out' with my childhood friends, they usually were not thinking all so coherently about much of anything, and no doubt they were the ones 'brainstorming' here. So why would I think this study would be any different? Go figure.
You want it legalized? Good for you, go for it. This is a democracy after all. But, with the next study trying to 'fix the Government', please try to come up with ideas on topic and that actually solve the issues that the study is supposed to discuss. If you want to change the law there are already ways to do that. Go for it.
OK, I will admit I cannot stand Obama, but neither am I an extreme right-winger. I'd like to consider myself a thoughtful centralist that considers the issues individually on merit rather than official party stance. But I am stunned and saddened by the mad rush this country is showing to stick its head in the sand and ignore this lingering issue of eligibility for office and to brand those who dare question Jesus Hussein Obama, our Great Messiah, as crazy zealots. Gaddamn, I bet the Shroud of Turin can't hold a candle to his Charmin.
The simple, undeniable fact is that there does exists two variations of birth certificates issued by the State of Hawaii which differ in which information is shown. No one disputes that. But Obama's adamant refusal to allow the public to see both is illogical and indefensible if there is nothing to hide. Citizens of both parties deserve to see both Birth Certificates simply to put an end to any lingering doubts of eligibility -- the Republicans will either see the proof of what they suspect or the Democrats will see Obama vindicated and an end conclusively put to this mess once and for all.
I hate seeing politics dragged onto Slashdot but here, if anywhere, the logic of engineers should prevail (okay, maybe that's a *bit* of optimism). Face it -- this site removed a great number of posts and votes of individuals simply expressing valid concerns over that other birth certificate. Given that, it's clear that this poll of "what the public wants" has been edited and everything therein should be taken with a whole bag of salt.
Personally I'm not a smoker of anything but I think legalizing pot would solve a lot of problems. However, highlighting these discussions as "topping" public responses is really nothing more than a diversionary tactic deflecting attention away from other important issues -- a tried and true tool of propagandists for centuries. Don't be fools, don't be so easily side-tracked. Yeah, let's legalize pot but let's also demand to know why "inconvenient" public inputs are being discarded. And while we're at it, what exactly is on that other Birth Certificate that's so damned inconvenient?
If you can't ask logical questions you might as well go back to writing Excel macros and stop calling yourselves programmers
Yesterday, the number one topic was the birth certificate issue. One single post had the most votes. Then, the 3rd, 5th and 6th were also the same topic. Now go today, and those tops have been removed, and new ones are moving up the ranking, only around 200 now.
Yes, there's currently a spam problem going on. There should be no more than ONE instance of a topic at the top. But to remove the number one post AND the dupes is NOT transparent. Obama may not be happy with what the people are interested in, but HE opened that can of worms.
So, yes, remove EVERY SINGLE TOPIC that deals with the birth cert issue EXECPT the one that's performing the best.
What gets me the most is that the site is about being transparent but they are covering the fact that people are interested in this issue AND they are not not being transparent on this whole cert issue to begin with. Just release the damn original so they will shut up about it.
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
If you believe that you can be in a society and not affect other members of your society (especially the young, impressionable ones, and the ones that aren't so happy with their status quo), then you've been doing drugs way too long.
"Are there no abuse policy/software in place to catch this? "
What's wrong, pussy, can't handle a place where you can't whore yourself out to the groupthink and get them to censor those you disagree with?
No cunt, there's no "software". It's a lot like life that way, which may explain why you're so terrified of it.
You really have time to not only care about something so trivial, but actually write a post about it?
AFTER you write a post asking why people aren't being censored to your satisfaction?
Why haven't you killed your loser self yet?
"That's being more than a bit presuming and putting words into my mouth, wouldn't you say? "
No.
"Ah, so you have designated yourself a judge of who is and who isn't an enemy of freedom? "
No, he just voiced what we all saw.
"I apologize for having an extreme urge to shape new ideas into something tangible and workable. "
Shut the fuck up, thanks. You have no desire for that AT ALL, and lying about it is very pathetic.
You make worthless observations about form over substance, in a clear attempt to whore karma, while making NO ONE SINGLE VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION, then get pissy when yo uget called on it.
Fuck you buddy, you're everything he said you are.
"All the requirements to hold the office are checked by respective officials (and in this case also by a couple judges) a long time before elections. Any implications against that are an insult of the USA judicial system and its election officials. Very, very anti-American."
Wait, questioning the performance of a US government institution is "Very, very anti-American"?
Methinks you have absolutely NO IDEA AT ALL what being an American is about, but it is NOT about bending over and taking it. EVER. It DOES NOT MATTER that the agency is 100% correct, it would be Anti-American to NOT question the government.
In fact, you blathering idiot, the founding fathers made it clear they EXPECTED the citizenry to ALWAYS question the government as part of their responsibilities as citizens. What you're claiming is in total opposition to the principles of the USA and is totally factually wrong.
Stop talking about what is an isn't "American" you're proving you're a fucking imbecile.