An idea occurs that can never be tested, but maybe you folks would think it is interesting enough to discuss. My question is based on 2 assumptions:

ASSUMPTION 1:
It has been shown that, in general, most people are kind and honest. You can cite the wallet test (how often a lost wallet is returned with all the money intact), or the car test (hand a stranger your car keys to watch your car for a minute when you run into a building and they will almost never steal it).

The point is that if you were to randomly select a person to do something that required some honesty, the chances are that the person you trust is up to the task.

ASSUMPTION 2:
The type of people who tend to run for political office, or to overthrow entire countries, are not often the type of people we theoretically want. They will lie, they will distort or mischaracterize their opponents. They will pretend to know a great many things that they do not. They mostly appeal to emotion - even the ones who may honestly be trying to make things better.

THE QUESTION:
Would a government system comprised of randomly selected citizens with single terms in office be a better system than any we currently have?

CAVIATS:
1. I know it could never happen.
2. The theory presumes true randomness, and an incorruptable selecting system (probably impossible).

__________

I'd love to see something like this on a city level. Randomly select X citizens to serve as city council for Y years. The mayor is randomly selected among these citizens, with an option for a simple majority to de-select that mayor.

No more campaigns. You get called up, you can refuse if you wish (no forced service). If you accept, you get a nominal salary (not a full time job).

Talk about a government of the people by the people.

So, I estimate that I'm within 20 pages of finishing "Consequences" at this point. A few folks have asked what's next, so I thought I'd talk about it here.

I plan on printing "Consequences" in three books, each priced under $15 (ten bucks if I can swing it). The first will most likely be in black and white, but the second and third will be color. If I get time, I may colorize the first ... but that's a huge time investment so we'll have to see.

Naturally, we'll be offering these same exact books for sale as digital downloads, probably for about five dollars each.

I have nearly set up a digital release of "For The Death Of Kings", something I've been leery of for a very long time because of quality issues. It will be a PDF for sale and I'll use the funds to put towards printing "Consequences". To make it worthwhile, I plan on rolling "Volume Zero" and "For the Death of Kings" in the same book, with a short story joining both tales. I have a friend who might take a crack at fleshing out this "bridge" story, but nothing firm has been set.

So, what about the online comic after "Consequences"? Well, I think I want to release the short story "The Point of Some Return" which was part of the Drunk Duck book, but was missing a page and lacked color.The PDF for that is, of course, always available for $.75

After that, I will be taking a break. Figure around July there will be no new pages of GoA by me for a while. I'm actually finishing the stories before releasing them online, so that the deadlines don't compromise the story, as happened a few times in "Consequences" (I'll fix it for the printed version though).

I'll probably make a few short stories, and then maybe begin a project I've named "GOA: Taro City" at some point.

I've asked a handful of people if they'd be interested in writing a short story for GoA in the interim, and have had some favorable responses. The problem with asking people to get involved in things like this is that it takes away from their own projects, and even if they think it'll be fun, it isn't always possible. I totally get that.

Then there's the Warlock Sholmes idea knocking around in my head as well. Something must be done with that, I think.

There's also something in the planning stages about zombies...

It's hard to establish a publishing empire AND work full time in a paying job, but I'm doing the best I can!