Slow Democracy

Foreward

 Calling America a democracy is like calling football tennis.

 The American center is collapsing.

 The left fears big business. The right fears big government.

Preface

 Individuals have less free time and are devoting less time to local democracy.

 "I'm tired of apologizing for the time democracy takes."

 To a large degree Vermont already does slow democracy.

Introduction

 We don't want fast food. We want slow food.

 Finding a place for the overworked and under privileged is one of the great
challenges of slow democracy.

 A strong democracy is one where everyone participates some of the time.

 Key principles: 1) inclusion, 2) deliberation and 3) power - connecting

participation and deliberation to outcomes.

 Slow democracy is about dropping left-right labels and trying to find real
solutions to real problems.

Chapter 1

 Since the Supreme Court's 2010 Citizen United rule special interests have had
the capability of unleashing almost unlimited anonymous negative advertising,
adding to general citizen disenchangent.

 What we now have is the McDonalds of democracy. Easy to buy and eat but
unsatisfying. Voters have very little control over what is being voted on, voters
now are just consumers with very few buying choices.

 Privatization and centralization are enemies of local decision making. Yes

more efficient and cheaper, but it often tramples other values.
  School consolidation does not work very well and it undermines local decision
making.

 There are advocates for frugality, advocates for children and advocates for
teachers. But rarely does anyone ask what's best for our democracy?

Chapter 2

 From a slow democracy perspective, the draining of power from municipalities

is troubling.

 Two factors have been driving forces: the desire for efficiency and the rise of
experts.

 With it has come a devaluation of local knowledge.

 The Civil Rights movement shows that some decisions need to be made at the
state and national level.

 Climate change is probably another example.

 Urban renewal and public housing is the flip side.

 Public housing projects can be designed with community input.

Chapter 3

 Privatization of municipal water supply leads to lower quality water, health

issues and rate increases.

 Towns can get their water systems back through eminent domain.

 Lots of stories about how local government can take on big business and big
government and win back local control.

 Corporations try to push decision making to the state and national level
because laws and decisions made at that level inherently favor them.

 Local power is necessary but not sufficient.

 Advocacy methods often create X vs. Y discussion when in fact it is not just two
or three alternatives that need to be considered but often many with parts of
the many being woven together to produce the best outcomes.
  Second, advocacy takes an enormous amount of energy and it is not sustainable
for most people over the long-term.

 So for slow democracy to work at the community level it cannot be traditional

political methods scaled down to the local level.

Chapter 4: Why now?

 Cites the emergence of the open source movement in computers, Linux etc.

 Citizens need to be given more than a choice between two solutions, they need
to be given a chance to frame the choices.

 Learn more about "study circles" as a tool to reach community consensus.

 People need to feel that institutions will both listen and act upon public input
for people to participate.

Chapter 5: Cultural Cognition and Slow Democracy

 Although he is not quoted this chapter is essential a riff on Upton Sinclair's

comment that "It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his
salary depends upon his not understanding it."

 In complex situations shortcuts used to arrive at opinions include the follow: 1)

considering the source of information, 2) selective listening, 3) choosing our
friends, 4) filtering out unwanted information and 5) last message in, first
message out.

 If you can present arguments in favor of your point of view and arguments in
favor of the other side, you have probably thought it through.

 The chapter argues that slowing down and discussing a matter respectfully,
inclusively and in detail can change minds.

 Continuums: egalitarianism to hierarchism and individualism to collectivism.

 The more we think someone is like us, the more we are willing to accept their
messages.

 Most people who lead deliberative processes at the community level tend to be
left leaning - something that needs to be recognized if slow democracy is to
work.

 Oscar Wilde: The trouble with Socialism is that it takes up too many evenings.
  Whoever succeeds in framing an issue usually wins, i.e., tax cuts = tax relief.

 Slow democracy needs to be aware for framing and should seek to frame to
promote inclusion.

 Slow democracy should seek to frame issues in ways that do not back people
into their personal corners or quadrants.

 Instead of asking how can we control growth and traffic and make housing
affordable ask instead how can we make the town the best place to live and
work for everyone.

 If an expert's "look" and position are aligned, that person is unlikely to change
any views but if the expert's look and position are not aligned people are more
willing to listen.

Chapter 6: The Promise of Local

 Most Americans are not engaged. It is hard to make a difference at the

national level but it is possible to make a difference at the local level.

 You have to love a thing before you are going to want to save it.

 It takes time to build those connections.

 People don't get involved unless they feel their involvement will make a
difference.

 Pulling power and responsibility away from the local level leaves people feeling
disempowered.

 At the local level economic, social and environmental concerns must be

balanced.

 Local means different things to different people and different issues. It can
range from a small neighborhood to a small state.

Chapter 7: Inclusion

 Inclusivity is critical to the success of public decision making.

 Diverse participation takes intense effort by organizers.

  Pages 120-121 provides a list of people and groups local organizers should reach
out to.

 Do local "asset mapping" and reach out to the leaders of those assets.

 Pages 126-127 provide a list of tools to promote local engagement and

describes them.

Chapter 8: Dialogue and Building Understanding

 Building community understanding is a key element of slow democracy - that's

why it's slow.

 Dialogue helps to build civility.

 Social capital comes in two types inward looking which helps to keep groups
together and outward looking which helps to build bridges across a community.

 Bridging capital is hard to build and is usually a by-product of other activities.

 So building understanding and building social capital are key parts of the slow
democracy process.

 Place making: creating spaces where people can come together. A coffee cart
located near benches for example.

 Mentions Front Porch Forum. It's goal is to get you out into your neighborhood
- just the opposite of many other social media programs.

 FPF tends to be used by higher income groups, but to produce change the lower
income groups have to be reached.

 Correlation between a community's level of civil participation and its resilience

against unemployment - although this just may be result of community size and
homogeneity.

 Civic involvement creates transferable skills and confidence

 Civic involvement improves information flows

 Civic involvement creates social networks

 Civic involvement creates trust

 Civic involvement increases attachment to one's community
 Civic involvement improves the functioning of government
Chapter 9 Deliberation

 Any public body that relies on public hearings for its citizen input risks unhappy
citizens and unsustainable decisions.

 Most public notice posting practices are not designed to bring in the public, but
rather "the usual suspects."

 Often public hearing occur too far along in the decision making process to make
a difference.

 Public hearings can be used by public officials as part of a "decide, announce

and defend" strategy.

 Many public officials are open to genuine public deliberations but don't know
how to go about doing it.

 Simply convening people in a public space to air opposing views can sometimes
do more harm than good.

 Deliberation can make participants open to new information.

 Well facilitated deliberations can enhance sense of community and mutual

respect.

 In effective deliberation, planning the process comes first, then set goals and
timelines. Inclusion and patience are key.

 Key elements of a successful deliberative process:

1) finding sound unbiased information
2) identifying a community's underlying values
3) determining a variety of solutions
4) evaluating the pluses and minuses of each solution
5) making the best decision possible

 Key principles:
1) making sure everyone gets a chance to speak
2) ensure all participants understand each other
3) consider a variety of ideas
4) ensure mutual respect

 Deciding how to decide is also key. Options include majority rule, consensus
and dynamic facilitation which seeks to find space to compromise.
Chapter 10: Power

 There is a "power dial" that ranges from me, to we, to everyone.

 Pages 164-165 discusses the various settings on the power dial.

 Factors that influence the need for public involvement:

1) The complexity of the decision to be made - more complex decisions need
more input.
2) Who will influence or be influenced by a project. Both groups need to be
part of the planning.
3) Are there concerns about legitimacy? If so, slow down and listen.
4) Where does the project sit in its timeline. Early is a better time for citizen
involvement.

 Democracy Impact Statement. How will a project influence the practice of

democracy in a community?

 When New England town meetings become informational attendance

plummets.

 In slow democracy government's responsibility shifts from problem solving to

supporting decisions made by local deliberations.

Chapter 11: The Jury, Town Meeting and Slow Democracy

 In Vermont, some town meetings have real power, other towns just hold
informational meetings and decide things by ballot the next day.

 Switching to voting the day after the meeting (which many people like because
it is easier) both reduces attendance at town meetings and reduces the
vibrancy of discussions.

 Attendance at Vermont meetings tends include all socio-economic groups

although women are slightly over-represented.

 Town size is the best predictor of town meeting attendance - with larger towns
having lower attendance.

 The second most important predictor is having issues of real importance on the
agenda.

 Town meeting discussions are often closed pre-maturely without all being given
their due say, particularly if those who have not been fully heard are
considered less important members of the community.
  Lessons from town meetings: 1) size matters, 2) having an opportunity to make
real decisions also counts.

 Jury deliberations tend to be high quality.

 Jury service raises voting rates.

 Other positive impacts of jury service include increased political participation,

increased self confidence and increased faith in public institutions.

 However, the chapter ends on a down note, saying that both the town meeting
tradition and participation on juries is in decline.

Chapter 12: When Advocacy Meets Slow Democracy

Sometimes differences are irreconcilable. It can be a matter of time, money, power

or injustice.

In the end, communities have to decide when talk is at an end and fighting (advocacy)
must begin.

The chapter includes a long discussion of the creation and use of the Appalachian
Trail, a trail that was once opposed by local communities but which now brings many
of them together.

Epilogue

Slow democracy is a process that brings the edges of social, political and economic
groups closer together and, as in nature, it is at the edges where life flourishes.

Annex A: Slow Democracy Rules (see pages 205-208)

 Start with the assumption that local government is a "we" rather than a "they."
 Avoid "drive-through" democracy.
 Make strange bedfellows.
 Involvement doesn't begin with the event.
 Define your purpose, then design your process.
 Match the technique to the goals.
 If you already know the answer, don't ask the question.
 Some things take a professional.
 Develop local abilities.
 Find (or be) a neutral convener.
  Choose rules and then follow them.
 Use your power gauge.
 Show the road map of decision making at every meeting.
 Tell the story of power and change.
 Open up and let go.
 Democracy is a long-term relationship.
 Make connections.
 Come full circle.
 Require a democratic impact statement.
 Celebrate your success and celebrate your community.

Annex B: Slow Democracy Resource List

 See pages 209-211.