P-poll Now, a 40-day vigil for the voice of the American people, planned for this summer

June 2, 2008 - PRLog -- Pablo del Real, President of Auroras Voice, plans to hold a 40-day vigil for the voice of the American people this summer at the U.S. Capitol. The goal of the vigil is to make the will of the people visible.

From June 14 to July 23, Mr. del Real plans to picket outside the U.S. Capitol. Each day his picket will display a fresh message. The first day’s slogan is “Wee, the people.” The other 39 days it will be spontaneous and may include suggestions from the audience.

Through its website at p-poll.org, Auroras Voice invites others to picket with Mr. del Real this summer. If unable to attend, people can suggest a message for display by submitting it at p-poll.org.

Mr. del Real, a poet, says he feels compelled to speak for the voiceless. “Average citizens have no representation when it comes to legislation. Our U.S. Reps consult with friends and lobbyists about the laws but they never seek the advice of the majority of their constituents. Representative democracy is alive and well, but the entities being represented are corporations and not average citizens. The P-poll can fix this,” he said.

P-poll Now, the name of the vigil, refers to the historic opportunity to make the will of the people visible. If U.S. Representatives would poll their constituents regarding bills up for a vote and publish live results at house.gov, that would create a picture of the popular will on proposed laws. A national preference poll, or P-poll for short, can be easily managed via the Internet and cell phones.

In the absence of such a nationwide legislative preference poll, Mr. del Real offers himself as a channel. “A poet is traditionally the spokesperson of the people. U.S. Representatives are not speaking for them, so I will.”

Regarding the event’s overall message, Mr. del Real says the people have a lot to say. “My sign will reflect what I’m hearing. People are unhappy with government, that’s what I hear today, but also that there is a better way. In sum, citizens are saying that they are ready to play a more active role in their own self-government and that having a voice in the process of legislation is a logical next step. They are excited about what that represents--a move from analog to digital democracy--for that is a momentous event.”

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About Auroras Voice
Our goal is to require U.S. Representatives to poll their constituents about bills up for a vote and to publish the results at house.gov. Pablo del Real, our founder, is the author of P-poll: are you happy now? (P.S. Auroras Voice, no apostrophe, is spelled correctly, like Finnegans Wake, by James Joyce.)