A geeky possible solution to the war on drugs

[nancylebov]

By utilizing a non-binding, anonymous straw poll, elected officials can express their true leanings without feeling the political backlash from myriad sources. While such a measure would have to be used as a “non-binding procedural aid” (the Constitution requires a recorded vote if one-fifth of the quorum requests it), an anonymous straw poll can produce surprising results and offer political cover during the debate over the real vote. Oscar Wilde once said that if you give a man a mask, he will tell you the truth. This temporary “veil of conscience” would allow members of Congress to express their true sentiments without crossing their party leadership, political donors, lobbyists and even their own electorate. For one brief moment, politicians can vote for the nonpartisan common good as they truly perceive it.

Link thanks to Dglenn, who also isn't sure whether this would work.

ETA: This isn't about anonymous binding votes, it's about a non-binding straw poll so that legislators can express their opinions without fear of reprisal.

Comments

[madfilkentist]

I have a lot of trouble believing that letting politicians vote anonymously would make them more honest. If you give a man a mask, he can get away with lying more easily.

[selenite.livejournal.com]

Agreed. Anonymous votes would lead to a lot more laws favoring politicians and their friends.

[avram]

Where's the incentive to lie in this case?

[autopope.livejournal.com]

War On Drugs ==> more prisoners ==> more revenue for districts hosting large prisons ==> lobbying money to buy local politicians' complaisance.

An anonymous straw poll doesn't only allow pro-legalization pols to break cover; it allows others to help themselves to a slice of pork in secret.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

Maybe I don't understand what a straw poll is. I thought it was merely an expression of opinion, so no one would be able to help themselves to more pork as a result.

Or are you talking about the risk that so many pork-hunting politicians will favor the war on drugs when they answer the poll that they'll be able to say "See, the war on drugs really does make sense"?

[madfilkentist]

A straw poll is usually designed to decide what actions are worth pursuing. If a proposal gets little support in a straw poll, its supporters generally won't waste a lot of effort to get it passed. So a politician who has an incentive to vote for something also has an incentive to support it in a straw poll.

[nancylebov.livejournal.com]

The question is whether there are some politicians (possibly even enough to overturn the war on drugs) who think there are enough reasons to oppose the war on drugs to overcome those incentives.

At a minimum, the straw poll eliminates the incentive of needing to look tough.

[sodyera.livejournal.com]

The tricky part is that nothing politicians do is ever really anonymous. Staffers gossip with other staffers, emails leak or get leaked and secret talks are often recorded by one side or another to use against one side or another. To end the war on drugs, it's gonna have to be another sausage-making session just like the Obamacare bill. Besides, politicians are not in the game to be anonymous; their egos would never permit it.