Online Direct Democracy

Online Direct Democracy

   

Never knew they existed.
They look like a very interesting idea with existing infrastructure.
Perhaps such "every issue" engagement and the complexity of bills and supporting information would exhaust informed participation.
But even if it degenerated a bit into "Not enough time, so i will just follow X's advice", it could still make politicians far more responsive to the direct and immediate will of the people.
I believe that it is impossible legally to bind any politician's vote on any issue, so a rogue politician who refused to follow a democratic decision would survive until the next election - just as they do now.

Darjeeling: Separating the Gorkha

We watched and listened to a large and long Gorkha separatist march through Darjeeling.

The local police (who wear military style uniforms and carry automatic weapons in addition to large batons) were out in force.

Women comprised the first 100m of the march chanting in unison slogans supplied by the sole male in the centre with a megaphone. The men followed up.
Around Darjeeling, many shops display "Ghorkaland" prominently above their shops. During the recent strikes, virtually all businesses in Darjeeling either shut down voluntarily or through social pressure. Tourist trade tanked and many parents reassessed their enrolment in prestigious local schools.
Luckily for us, the ensuing tourist season saw economics trump culture, and a peace deal was struck providing relative calm.