Unity- the time is now
Unity application- an idea whose time is NOW
No one thinks our democratic republic is working well. A blanket statement, but by and large true. There are too many issues that have been around for decades that just seem to lingering around with no political will, and a complete absence of rational, reasoned discussion of the issues and possible solutions. We have a large number of groups dedicated to social change, well funded, who seem to kinda work together, but not really, not enough to get to a resolution of the problems that keep plaguing humanity. We have a disconnected, ill informed populace, busy keeping their own lives together, feeling increasingly alienated and disempowered by the political system that was designed to be the most accessible ever, but simply is not. No democratic republic will function properly without the informed participation of the people. Government officials themselves struggle with the ability to connect to the people once elected, and to rally them to support initiatives.
We’re in the digital age though, and the problem is that there are simply too many disconnected services TRYING to fill gaps. Let’s fix this, let’s find a practice- technology plus human habit- the strongest force we have- to connect people to the politicians, and the politicians to the people amplify the voices of the people, and make social change happen at a rapid pace. So a simple set of questions that your state city and national officials can ask you, based on your address, maybe 3 per month, plus the groups you choose based on your interests. 5 minutes of filling out check boxes amplifies your voice, gives you an idea of what your different officials are up to, and lets them know how you feel about things- anonymously, if you want, not if you don’t. The groups you choose based on your interests, can ask you questions, ask for donations, ask you to read more about what they are doing, tell you about events, etc, and use your feedback to force decisions from the elected officials. The best part of it for me personally is the idea that I don’t need to get as many emails- I just look once a week, and make my decisions.
This also incentivizes groups to work together- they can barter with one another to get bigger audiences, on larger initiatives. I also believe we should encourage in person community meetings so lower tech folks can get involved, and let’s face it, pun intended, there are certain things that are meant to be done in person. We’re looking for some publicity, and to work with some groups who like this idea- and for some folks to test the proto type and become part of the initial audience.
Feel free to reach out- dprince@thecallforunity.org
