News Release

[Originally Released By Patriot Society]

Patriot Society To Sponsor Launch of Independent National Referendum Organization

Patriot Society, a US policy advisor and think tank, is embarking on an ambitious project to offer the American people the first ever national referendum system under a newly formed organization umbrella.

Known as the Patriot Union of America, the PUA will become a nonpartisan citizen’s advocacy seeking to build the nation’s largest union of US citizen voters ever gathered for a single purpose.

"For the price of movie ticket, we are going to place power back into the hands of Americans," said Founder Xelan Bonn. "People are tired of Congress telling them the job can not get done because of obscure political agendas and special interest maneuvering instead of focusing on the needs of Americans," he said. "Americans are tired of having their country sold to the highest bidder and not being respected by lawmakers," he said.

The new system being developed will be known as the Public Initiative Bill (PIB) system and will go through several iterations before becoming a true national referendum system, say organizers.

The process is fairly mundane and basic. First, the PUA will run a series of surveys on the Internet to get a clear picture of public concerns and issues. Next, it will use that information to compile an informally written set of guidelines that will be used in formulating the actual federal law proposals known as “Pre-PIBs” or “Pre-Bs” as the group is found of calling them.

The Pre-PIBs will be posted to the PUA Web site for public review and formal encrypted Internet vote until a final choice has been narrowed down and selected by majority vote. The system is expected to take between 5 and 10 minutes per month on any Internet terminal for any vote-qualified American wishing to participate in their democratic future and direct federal lawmaking.

Winning Pre-PIBs are then forwarded to the PUA legal arm for formal bill writing, then on to a Constitutional review panel for legal auditing, and then back to the PUA Board for final approval.

A offline, independent auditing system using phone, e-mail, and other confidential verification systems will ensure vote integrity and certification.

“We’re well aware of the computing pitfalls like hackers and such, which is why we will have multiple levels of not only security and redundancy, but of independent verification and certification,” said Bonn. “We’re not talking the average state voting terminal vulnerable to first grader level hacking and manipulation—we’re talking banking level encryption with military computing standards and independent checks and balance systems, including off-line systems. And if things are ever truly questionable, we can even go to traditional pen and paper balloting systems,” said Bonn.

Once the Pre-PIB has been approved by the PUA Board, the document will become an official Public Initiative Bill or PIB.

During Phase I of the set-up, the PIB will then be handled much like other special interest bills and placed into Congress through formal sponsorship, then lobbied toward positive vote and enactment.

Once all systems have been tested and proven for integrity and other aspects, the national referendum system will proceed to the next phase of development.

In Phase 2, organizers will submit a specially formulated PUA Board Bill which will seek to formally enact the national referendum system so that PIBs, once voted on by a majority public of registered voters, will move from bill directly to law, effectively bypassing the Congressional and Presidential approval processes (achieving a Constitutional Amendment, if necessary). 

Organizers feel that about two major issues or PIBs could be handled by both the system and the citizenry in any given year (or as many as a dozen smaller, less time consuming issues)all in keeping with ensuring a low time requirement for public participation.

“Our goal is to create a system that works within the range of American lifestyles,” said Bonn. “You give us 5 to 10 minutes a month online, and we’ll give you a better future America,” he said. “Come on—in less time than it takes to drink a cup of morning coffee, you can read about the issues, take a survey, and then go about your business for another month,” he said. “All while sitting in your pajamas!”

Voters use local and state referendums as standard practice so this is a natural extension of that proven system, say organizers.

“This will help restore integrity to the political system, empower Americans, and keep Congress a little more attentive to the needs of Americans," said Bonn

The system will apply online issue education and debate prior to asking Americans to cast votes, say organizers.

The system is not meant to replace Congress, pointing out that Congress deals with too many bills and complicated issues on a yearly basis for the average citizen's time or attention span.

“We think an monthly e-mail reminder and 5 to 10 minutes of reading and answering surveys per month will be the most we can hope for from Americans, but that’s a great start and a great release valve when the public gets frustrated with Congress,” said Bonn “Right now, Americans have to sit and take it when government uses its own will instead of listening to Americans.”

The PIB system will also act as an emergency override to Congress on certain issues, such a term limits or pay raises or critical matters to the American people, such as  border security where Congress seems to be completely out of touch with reality, say organizers.

"The age of the encrypted Internet is upon us and there is no longer a substantial reason as to why Americans cannot and  should not get more involved with deciding their country's future. This is an idea whose time has finally come---it's something that our forefathers could have never dreamed of but would certainly embrace in our modern era! If Americans want this, they’ll get behind it and make history and if not, they will never have a right to complain about federal laws again,” said Bonn. “The choice is strictly up to the Americans!”

To learn more www.patriotunion.org. [More on this program and Donate Here]

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