When someone is accused of murder, they normally go to trial. It is a very serious process. In many cases, there is a jury. At the very least, everyone has the right to a jury. Jurors have to take time out of their lives to pay attention to the case. They are often sequestered, and sit for hours, days and weeks on end to listen to the judge and the lawyers and witnesses. The future of the accused is treated with solemn regard and accorded the attention and detailed scrutiny deserved by each and every one of us. Then they vote. Why doesn’t the judgement about our collective future warrant the same level of serious scrutiny?

Why do we ignore the issues that affect our future for 4-5 years and then vote based on TV commercials, or worse, party affiliation? Perhaps it is because our representative democracy is pretty sick. Perhaps most people adhere to the dictum, “don’t vote, it only encourages them.” 60 percent of eligible voters do vote, but not many get involved or even care in between. Why? maybe its because the political system is run by special interest money, lobbyists and insiders, and it won’t change while that is still the case.

I don’t know how to fix the political party system, or general elections, but perhaps citizens should be required to do voter duty in the time in between in the same manner as they are required to do jury duty. Perhaps the debates of the legislature should be waged by the politicians, but voted on by citizens who are present for voter duty. Imagine how that might change the political culture itself?