The foundation of the TDG is the neighborhood. It is from each neighborhood that a great neighborhood representative is found. This representative brings the right qualities into TDG governance.
In today’s democracies, we usually base our vote for three reasons: tradition, good feelings, and self-interest. I say the TDG voter should look for other criteria. One is “capacity for governance” of the viable candidates.
The executive committee of the TDG has an obligation to educate the membership about this voting criterion. Just before each TDG election, it should communicate “voting for capacity for governance” to the membership.
Here’s the catch! The executive committee really does not define “capacity” for the members. Rather the communiques should ask each member to think about what “capacity” means to each member. Then the member writes the name of the neighbor who best exemplifies that capacity on the ballot.
At the neighborhood level, I would consider “friendliness” as an attribute for capacity. I believe a neighbor representative needs to be chatting with neighbors. Some people are better at this social skill than others. A friendly representative is more likely to bring neighborhood concerns to the higher TDG tiers—and explain TDG happenings to the neighbors.
After the election, I would look at the current representative to see how well he or she is doing. If I see the representative out there in the community and holding town hall meetings, I would likely cast my annual vote to return him or her back into TDG governance.
If I somehow find myself in the higher tiers of TDG governance (to which I would have my doubts), I would look towards consultation skill as my voting criterion. For example, I would prefer those representatives who can bring out knowledge, experience, and wisdom of other representatives who are not that articulate. This skill would get my vote to move a person higher into the tiers.
Again, this is my criterion. I have the right to vote in this way. Other representatives may have a different idea in what constitutes “capacity for governance.”
But it all starts with the executive committee issuing annual reminders to vote for capacity for governance. Let’s get everyone thinking about casting wiser vote with this criterion.
Published on Medium 2024
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