09/14/2021
The trillion dollar military can't beat a band of terrorists carrying AK-47s riding around in pickup trucks .
We must end this era of pointless-endless war and start a new one.
I, Alan Dechert, an award-winning engineer at Intel, chairman of the Committee for Open Source Global Governance (OSGG), and heterodox constitutional law theorist, am the chief architect of this constitutional text.
I am asking for help refining the text. Beginning an important phase in a software development project, the code might be described as "feature complete" and "alpha quality." I am asking for your help to bring the code up to beta quality.
We will treat the text as we treat major computer software development projects, dealing with "problem reports" as they come in from near and far in a systematic way to bring the code up to Beta. Next comes Release Candidate 1, then RC2, and so on until perfect (or as perfect as we can make it).
My work on this idea goes back decades. I began serious discussions with legal scholars about five years ago. I never felt I was qualified to write any of it. I intended to work with a few scholars who might like the idea and would be willing to contribute some of their expertise -- even if they believed it could never be enacted.
Most of all, I wanted a suitable scholar to take charge of it. I was unable to recruit anyone for this role, and wound up writing a great deal of it myself. A few scholars contributed some insights and even some text. So, I -- and OSGG -- will retain ownership of it sink or swim.
I am passing along this message to you asking for your help. The links* are to the document in ODT format (Open Document Text) and PDF**
The document contains 3 constitutions: the existing text for the USA side-by-side our proposed replacement text; and text for a proposed international sovereign, the Human Federation.
I am not interested in handwaves (I'm 69 and not planning on attending law school... I did consider that one but decided against). My inbox has had its fill of them and I don't save them anymore. I would most appreciate it if you would mark up the document with any insights you might have. Can you provide any amendments? (at this point, we would want to stuff them into the body of the text without actually calling them "amendments"). Minor corrections? Do you know where any of the specific words or phrases come from?
I've tried to identify some of the origins, but I don't really know that much except for what I wrote. A few clauses were provided by scholars like Michael Dorf, Dan Farber, and Shubha Ghosh. I've noted that in the document, although I may have missed a few things. I haven't bothered to add notes to the existing US Constitution although I want to do that. I'm pretty sure James Madison wrote the first 10 amendments -- and the nearly forgotten 27th amendment -- but haven't gotten around to mentioning that. I tried to incorporate J P Stevens' 6 amendments (although I eliminated the 2nd altogether). One clause is from Emmanuel Kant's 1795 essay on Perpetual Peace.
Here are some essential features of the document:
• USA's World Cop role would be handed over to this international sovereign, with simultaneous adoption of two new constitutions
• worldwide ban on nuclear power as well as nuclear weapons.
• ownership of military weapons banned (Human Federation will collect them and keep what it needs for its mission)
• Unsustainable practices curtailed.
• How humans will make use of space; Outer Space Treaty subsumed; no "space force;" mineral resources in space can be produced and made available to humans in a responsible legal manner; Luna and Mars to become countries.
• New articles specifically covering equality in the US constitution as well as the international one.
• Strengthening local government
• Health Care becomes a human right in the US; Roe v. Wade memorialized in clause 5 written by Michael Dorf as I requested
• Peace becomes a human right, as spelled out in US constitution as well as international constitution
• voting in the US becomes mandatory with greatly enhanced voting processes
• One new Supreme Court Justice installed every two years (effectively defining an 18-yr term)
• term limits in US Congress (24 yrs combined service)
• Education becomes a human right
• Plural Executive -- Attorney General becomes elected executive with 10-yr term (process is spelled out)
A common response is we're trying to do too much. However, due to very long trends and a long string of major events, it's time to revolt. This is a unique time. The World Cop can't stop a band of guys in pickup trucks carrying AK47s. We have cowboys in space. Climate. There remains serious doubts about the voting systems. Something has to give. We can do this now and it may be the last time for centuries this can be done again.
Some will say this is utopian dreaming. Wrong. Utopia literally means nowhere. Utopia is used in strawman arguments. There is no reason we can't have a much better system of global governance and US governance. Instead of utopia, we can call it Ecotopia if you prefer (Ernest Callenbach, my friend and cohort many years ago in Berkeley, used this word).
OSGG can be a complete success. It's not easy to understand just how, but I know how. It's as feasible as open source voting and renewable energy... and those things are becoming law as we speak, first in CA then the USA, then the world.
Please, will you get in touch with me asap? There is a lot to discuss that I dare not attempt in one email. We need your help.
Alan Dechert, (916) 792-1784
* Here are the links to the documents I mentioned.
https://theanswer.fyi/constitutions.pdf
https://theanswer.fyi/comparisonsource.odt
(depending on your device and software, the odt file may not automatically open up. It's there and will download. It was written using Libreoffice, which is free and open source and runs on most anything)
** You can get to all the content on our site from
https://theanswer.fyi/frequently-asked-questions/
You can also see the intro at https://theanswer.fyi/ knowing that there is an Easter Egg opened by clicking on our logo (people making pledge requests as explained in our FAQ)
07/16/2018
Can we abolish war? Here's THE ANSWER on that. Please watch and share the video.
https://youtu.be/tZ9GIBlem6g
THE ANSWER
Episode 1, Peace as a Human Right, of weekly series by Alan Dechert ( [email protected] )
Today's (July 5, 2018) video is about 17 minutes
Here are several documents referred to in the presentation:
TWO INTERLOCKING CONSTITUTIONS (drafts) -- ONE FOR THE U.S. (pages 1-20) AND ONE FOR THE WORLD (pages 21-32)
http://openvoting.org/ad/revised-const.pdf
THE ELECTION TRANSPARENCY AND SECURITY ACT OF 2018 (now targeted for 2020)
http://openvoting.org/ad/e-tas.pdf
Emerging, our current age, the Solar Era, is a roll-up of all the ages that have been seen in the last 230 years. Each of these developments have had significant impact on our system of governance, which authors 230 years ago had no knowledge.
1. Industrial Age (citizens were all farmers before)
2. Age of fossil fuels (non-biological non-renewable energy)
3. Electronic Age
4. World War (and WMD)
5. Automobiles
6. Flight
7. Television
8. Space Age
9. Racial Equality
10. Computer age
11. Internet
12. Information age
13. Social media
14. Women
15. Smartphones
16. Robotics (emerging)
17. Solar Era (emerging)
18. Cryptocurrency (emerging)
Some large current issues impacting public policy that have been brewing all the while:
- climate change
- population
- privacy
Two MacArthur speeches
--------------------------
1955http://openvoting.org/ad/macarthur-booklet.pdf (quote was from this one... see last paragraph on page 7)
1961http://openvoting.org/ad/macarthur-1961-booklet.pdf
copied from, http://www.macarthurmemorial.org
Global Challenges Foundation (GCF) New Shape Contest
----------------------------
GCF recently awarded three contest entries $600,000. Two of the three focused on reforming the United Nations. See https://globalchallenges.org/
OSGG submission to GCF New Shape Contest (9250 words, 25 references):
The OPEN SOURCE GLOBAL GOVERNANCE PROPOSAL
http://openvoting.org/ad/osgg.pdf
http://openvoting.org/ad/osgg.jpg
episode1
07/16/2018
https://youtu.be/Kh6nl1GmiwQ
Here are the letters referred to in the vid
http://openvoting.org/ad/letter12jul2un.pdf
http://openvoting.org/ad/letter12july2nga.pdf
In summary, we ask for states and countries who want to participate in the process to send us a letter with a contact person we can work with.
episode2TheLetters
12/05/2017
This Global Challenges Foundation contest follows New Shape Prize. You don't need a formal teaching role to qualify. Anyone with an audience has a chance. Want info about our New Shape Prize entry? Write [email protected] Visit: https://globalchallenges.org/en/our-work/educators-challenge
09/09/2017
100 FACEBOOK PAGES FOR PEOPLE'S CONSTITUTION
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As of Sep 9th 2017, we have set up the 100 pages we think we will need to be successful. We consider these to be places on the Internet where formative delegations can develop and eventually obtain the approvals we need.
To become law, 38 US states will be needed to ratify, and the Human Federation constitution calls for 40 charter members. We may not be able to get all 100 to ratify, but we think we can get enough. The 50 countries listed here include about 78% of the world's population.
We are recruiting editors local to the US state or country. For countries outside the US, we want at least one who is fluent in English as well as the local language(s). About 15 pages have editors including 4 in the Middle East (Iran, Iraq, Turkey, and Palestine).
Of the 6600 likes we have on all the pages so far, most (by far) have been from people outside the US. Even states in the US are getting some likes from people outside the US. Wisconsin has the most likes in the US, with 135 (many likes from non-US). Iraq has the most outside the US, with 341 currently. People in Africa and the Middle East have been most responsive.
For countries outside the US, typically we place a $5 ad asking if they want to see establishment of an international peace keeping sovereign. Normally, this will get us more than the 25 likes that facebook requires to enable the short url (27 pages still need some likes to get to 25... 4 non-US and 23 US).
If you want to help with this, please like the pages with the long URLs. If you want to become involved, let us know.
Thank you!
COUNTRIES
----------------
Algeria https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.dza/
Australia https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Australia-129020414391789/
Bangladesh https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bgd/
Belgium https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bel
Botswana https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bwa/
Brazil https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bra/
Canada https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.can/
Chile https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.chl/
China https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.chn/
Democratic Republic of the Congo https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.cod/
Denmark https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.dnk/
Egypt https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.egy/
Ethiopia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.eth/
France https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.fra/
Gabon https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.gab/
The Gambia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.gmb/
Germany https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.deu/
Holland https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nld/
Hong Kong https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.hkg/
Iceland https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.isl/
India https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ind/
Indonesia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.idn/
Italy https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Italy-1082785725189747/
Iran https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.irn/
Iraq https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.irq/
Israel https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.isr/
Japan https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.jpn/
Jordan https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Jordan-122120175182182/
Kenya https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ken/
Libya https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.lby/
Mexico https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.mex/
Morocco https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.mar/
Namibia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nam/
Nigeria https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nga/
Norway https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nor/
Pakistan https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.pak/
Palestine https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.pse/
Russia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.rus/
Senegal https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.sen/
Somalia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.som/
South Africa https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.zaf/
Spain https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.esp/
Sri Lanka https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Sri-Lanka-238655949989901/
Sweden https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.swe/
Syria https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.syr/
Tunisia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tun/
Turkey https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tur/
Uganda https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.uga/
UK https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.gbr/
USA https://facebook.com/hf.discuss/
US STATES
----------------
Alabama https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.al/
Alaska https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ak/
Arizona https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.az
Arkansas https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ar
California https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ca/
Colorado https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.co/
Connecticut https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ct/
Delaware https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.de/
Florida https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.fl/
Georgia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ga/
Hawaii https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.hi/
Idaho https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.id/
Illinois https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Illinois-313902885725404/
Indiana https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Indiana-1787757454870792/
Iowa https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Iowa-148691589011347/
Kansas https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ks/
Kentucky https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Kentucky-1041454725992026/
Louisiana https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.la/
Maine https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Maine-125270871387661/
Maryland https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Maryland-162039091005138/
Massachusetts https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Massachusetts-1849724261945085/
Michigan https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Michigan-967637016672707/
Minnesota https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Minnesota-472334613107213/
Mississippi https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Mississippi-233960040434097/
Missouri https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Missouri-243635872790052/
Montana https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Montana-157927794754485/
Nebraska https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ne/
Nevada https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nv/
New Hampshire https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-New-Hampshire-1337878536319721/
New Jersey https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-New-Jersey-520029025002245/
New Mexico https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-New-Mexico-207000759828833/
New York https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ny/
North Carolina https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-North-Carolina-1334190563346564/
North Dakota https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-North-Dakota-315270008900148/
Ohio https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Ohio-221283025062491/
Oklahoma https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Oklahoma-1963143980637319/
Oregon https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.or/
Pennsylvania https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.pa/
Rhode Island https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Rhode-Island-785062465004579/
South Carolina https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-South-Carolina-116501338985905/
South Dakota https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-South-Dakota-124317024846024/
Tennessee https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tn/
Texas https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tx/
Utah https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ut/
Vermont https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.vt/
Virginia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.va/
Washington https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.wa/
West Virginia https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-West-Virginia-1118543178290614/
Wisconsin https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.wi/
Wyoming https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.wy/
07/11/2017
Can you like this page for South Africa? We need 25 likes on that page. Thank you! https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-South-Africa-115543745735473/
People's Constitution South Africa
No more wars. New legal structure for the US and the world. Presenting a revised US Constitution and Constitution for the Human Federation
05/24/2017
The Paradigm of Civilization
The history of civilization shows that our ability to secure a fair and habitable world for us and future generations depends on increasing levels of communication and co-operation. The common things among us is key in bringing the world together for a common good . A common constitution by people for the people is the way to go in order to end wars and eradicate poverty Think good, act good and feel good.
05/09/2017
Some progress to report Tues May 9, toward goal of a page for each of the 50 US states and at least 50 other countries. Thousands of people around the world are learning about our proposal.
Fifteen countries now have pages for People's Constitution with at least 25 likes. I am asking for more contributions so I can place small fb ads, $5 to $10. Ten US states so far with over 25 likes.
Interesting finding: people in poorer countries seem most anxious to support, perhaps because they feel more vulnerable to the war makers. A single $10 ad with Nigeria got over 1000 likes and 260 page likes, and some shares and nice comments, like, "we spot no more war."
Somalia, another of the eight African countries we've tried, has been very actively responding with a five dollar ad -- 137 page likes
COUNTRIES
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Belgium https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bel
Botswana https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.bwa/
Brazil https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Brazil-1444335798931384/
Chile https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Chile-1369134829817521/
China https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-China-227609227704415/
Denmark https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.dnk/
Egypt https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.egy/
Ethiopia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.eth/
France https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.fra/
Germany https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.deu/
Holland https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nld/
Hong Kong https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Hong-Kong-1360230987406269/
Iceland https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Iceland-1859776600978413/
Indonesia https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Indonesia-1315287918554253/
Japan https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Japan-673038499543109/
Kenya https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ken/
Morocco https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.mar/
Namibia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nam/
Nigeria https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nga/
Norway https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.nor/
Russia https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Russia-1587022124653413/
Somalia https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.som/
Spain https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Spain-221292125006642/
Turkey https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tur/
UK https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-United-Kingdom-481402762247256/
STATES
---------
Alabama https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.al/
Alaska https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Alaska-363864267342009/
Arkansas https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Arkansas-231861543884627/
Arizona https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Arizona-1830826133909984/
California https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ca/
Colorado https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Colorado-284702488643156/
Connecticut https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Connecticut-128921594315791/
Delaware https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Delaware-1882293958720761/
Florida https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.fl/
Georgia https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Georgia-625500450994290/
Idaho https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Idaho-1818695288390780/
Louisiana https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.la/
Nebraska https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ne/
Nevada https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Nevada-1810225892578771/
New York https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ny/
Oregon https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Oregon-1078385748973544/
Tennessee https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tn/
Texas https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.tx/
Utah https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.ut/
Washington https://www.facebook.com/hf.discuss.wa/
Wisconsin https://www.facebook.com/Peoples-Constitution-Wisconsin-1147431645367183/
People's Constitution Belgium
No More War. Revise US Constitution, add international sovereign, ban nukes, phase out fossils, replace electoral college, end war
05/05/2017
If a convention of many countries was held in order to create an international sovereign to end war and establish a system of collective security, I believe the people of Namibia would support it.