See these web pages
http://www.iniref.org/brainstorm.html
http://www.iniref.org/partner.html
http://www.iniref.org/crew.html
MORE IDEAS
- ideas for election run-up periods
- thoughts for the longer haul
ideas for the (next, local or country-wide) election run-up period
1 Ask representatives of political parties about their attitudes to direct
democracy.
2 Write to head offices and approach local constituency branches.
3 Suggest that they should indicate support for I&R in their election
manifestos, if they have not already done so.
4 Show them the "People's Proposal to Renew Democracy" and ask them to
introduce a similar bill in the House of Commons and in the local or county
council.
5 Consider voting ONLY for those candidates who pledge to work for the
introduction of I and R if they get elected
6 Give special attention to candidates in borderline and "mega-star"
constituencies, and those with ministerial ambitions
7 Stand as a direct-democracy candidate in a local or country election
8 I&Reach out to people and groups (see below)
Thoughts for the longer haul
Ask ourselves "What must be done to promote I and R in Britain?" and prepare a
list of aims and tasks.
Suggestions:
9 Inform family, friends, colleagues, about existing resources and proposals
e.g. the I&R website
http://www.iniref.org/ and Direct Democracy Campaign
10 Reach out to schools, churches, sports clubs, trade unions and
professions, unemployed, self-employed, colleges and universities, other groups
and "people in the street" (and pub).
11 Persuade your own leisure/work group or organisation to support I&R.
12 Design an I&R logo. Volunteer as Webmaster , Web site designer,
internet fundraiser ....
13 Find ways to produce (or locate) printed information, e.g. brochures,
booklets about I&R. These could contain brief history, outline practice, and
show how I&R might work in Britain.
14 Consider commissioning one or more studies of the history and practice
of I and R, in order to produce rich material which can be put to different uses.
Aspects such as:
a) current state of I and R in Britain
b) I and R examples from other countries
c) potential of digital communication to enhance I and R
d) history of direct democracy (DD) in Britain
15 Organise conferences about I and R in several different regions of Britain.
16 Seek journalists who want to write about I and R, plus magazine and
newspaper editors who agree to publish our materials or a commissioned article
by one or more of us. Try to convince TV journalists to make programmes about
how I and R works, e.g. recent spectacular results in Thuringia and Hamburg,
also 1995 in Bavaria; the very extensive Swiss experience – a hundred or more
years of DD. Look into the human stories behind the campaigns and the
enthusiastic participation.
17 Ask the owners of (especially frequently visited) internet websites to
display a prominent link to our www sites. How about a "Green (or Orange)
Ribbon" campaign for I and R ?
18 Put an I and R link in your e-mail "sig". Spread direct democracy via
mobile 'phone "text"
19 Build a list of experts on I and R, who are willing to answer questions
and/or to speak at meetings.
20 Vote for more democracy and register your comments at
http://www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/i-and-r.gb
21 Demonstrate support for I and R in Britain, e.g. persuade other people to
vote for I and R, in the pilot "referendum for the right to referendum", on
paper or on-line (collect signatures)
http://www.iniref.org/campaign.html
22 Start a membership organisation, club or movement with the aim to
promote I and R in Britain.
23 Volunteer to help, e.g. work up campaign materials, design internet
presentations, fundraise, donate.
24 Launch an I&R group in your area
a sensible project for the run-up period to parliamentary elections.....
Why not start a group for more democracy and real public participation, based
for example in your town, city or county? Network with campaigners in other
regions.
The idea is to introduce elements of binding direct democracy into all levels of
governance: village, district, county and country; and applying to major
decisions of or about the European Union.
