This a presentation prepared for the University of Washington's Digital Democracy class for the MCDM Program.

1. DEMOCRACY,
UNDER EVERYTHING
Sarah Schacht
Discussion prepared by Eric Burgess
Digital Democracy, Summer 2012
Kathy E. Gill, MCMD

2. Technology has enabled us in recent years to want to be
more involved in the democratic process.

3. The tools and systems we use to get information from
Congress are archaic and outdated, the different networks
often can’t talk to one another.

4. It’s easier to get the snowpack of your favorite mountain than
it is to get updated information on a state bill.

5. Since the revolutionary period, Americans have always had
frustration with inaccessible public records.

6. Some state and local governments actually charge citizens to
access legislative information!

7. Many of the legislative information available to the public
requires those to have a law degree to read.

8. Short-Term Solutions for Citizens to Improve Civic Engagement
• Be knowledgeable
• Focus on quality over
quantity
• Clearly identify your emails
• Forego the use of form
letters

9. Long-Term Solutions for the Government to Improve Civic
Engagement
• Use XML to disseminate data
• Use open source tools

10. QUESTIONS
Schacht argues that it’s not the things that are getting more
political (school lunches, urban trees, fish in the ocean) but it’s
us who are. Do you agree or not?
How connected do you feel to the legislative process? Do
you feel like you can look up a specific bill when you need?
Where do you do it? When did you last do it?
Why has it taken the government so long to update their
systems? Is this intentional?

11. CREDITS
Main Source:
Lathrop, Daniel, and Laurel Ruma. Open Government: [collaboration, Transparency, and Participation in Practice]. Sebastopol, CA: O'Reilly,
2010. Print.
Photo Credits:
“President Obama sitting with Steve Grove, head of news and politics at YouTube” by The White House hhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/
whitehouse/4344884802/
“Teddy Roosevelt lays the cornerstone of Cannon House Office Building - 1906” by the US Capitol Government Work (USCapitol) http://
www.flickr.com/photos/uscapitol/6354905837/
“Ancient Writings...” by Mikko Luntiala (mikko_luntiala) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikko_luntiala/5370221430/
“A fool and his money” by David Groehring (CarbonNYC) http://www.flickr.com/photos/carbonnyc/5747629074/
“Yale Law School Building” by Stepping Out (stepnout) http://www.flickr.com/photos/stepnout/278392548/
“Citizens Government Academy” by the City of Murietta, GA (mariettaga) http://www.flickr.com/photos/mariettaga/5595594797/
“Capitol Hill, Washington, DC” by Adnan Islam (orangeadnan) http://www.flickr.com/photos/adnanbangladesh/4917853713/