For this brainstorm (given new focus on 4 Nov deadline) let’s focus on what the e-enablement in govt should offer, eg access to information, more interactive consultative processes, the possiblity of a degree of hypothecation in taxes.

Let’s also nail e-voting, ie state exactly what our requirement is if we’re to be happy with it.

And how we want to support and have access to our MPs. FaxyourMP and Theyworkforyou are very cool and well executed – are they part of an ideal end point or do we want more I wonder?

But we need to be careful that such a system doesn’t end up being a direct democracy through the back door. Because if most issues became optionals through this proposed tax system then effectively we’d be having lots of referenda.

Which opens up a big discussion on what role would representatives play in such a system, how would voters get properly educated on the issues and how could we avoid manipulation of the results?

Thanks for the response. I didn’t quite appreciate the goal of the site, which is frankly an admirable one. That being the case, this level of automated calculation and application could apply to way more than simply your tax bill. Imagine if all benefits were equally handled this way; all the benefits to which you are entitled are automatically paid into your bank account, or into a Post Office account for those without bank accounts (since one must visit the Post Office to collect benefits anyway). It could even be set up such that only those benefits to which you are entitled and for which you have registered are paid, which neatly covers both the DIY trend and the automation ideal.

Stuart Langridge (I forget that I shouldn’t just sign my initials, sometimes)

Sil, I agree that something like this would be against a present trend (of ever more complex DIY goverment). That’s what we’re trying to do here – envision what it is we really want, regardless of the obstacles and the forces dragging us in the wrong directions.