Divorce? Death Penalty? "Just Ask Spock"

By Vincent R. Pozon

We need government that listens

Many of the debates and arguments today are rancorous only because the people in the legislative and the executive departments have little respect for the majority. Bought for their roles in movies or television, or for their surnames, they begin to believe they were bought for their brains.

What we need are their ears.

Should we reinstate the death penalty? Is it right to disallow provincial buses from entering the metropolis? Should we allow POGOs in the country? Is the airport in Bulacan beneficial to the country? Is cleaning up Divisoria of vendors and stalls really a good thing? Should we restart peace talks with the left?

Of course, there will be exceptions, when we have to protect the underrepresented, which is why we have partylists. But as a general rule, this works: "Just ask Spock".

No answers are proferred, merely a pleading that they listen to the people.

Consider it a facetious reminder that government officials, president down to barangay officials, are elected to represent us, hear our groans for better conditions.

We now have the technology to ask people what they want.  Since cell numbers are now registered, it is possible to ask people, a sizable subset of adult Filipinos, for their preferences on issues important to them.

"Payag ba kayo kung..."

We can ask if they would prefer that government allow use of medical marijuana, or if they would like divorce legalized. We can ask for directions, or indications which legislators could consider and incorporate in laws, or even in the constitution. Imagine the ease, the swiftness with which we could get the feel of the market or the voters.

This isn't dipstick research; this is the people indicating preferences. And government can respond with, "you asked for it, you got it".

We can even hold elections this easily, this cheaply.