Democracy Beyond The Destination

For posterity: this was recorded in mid-December, 2020. (1:55) Mitch introduces Jamie Skella, technologist and strategic advisor to the Aussie stars -- Mitch's words, not Jamie's. (5:26) Jamie explains how the blockchain-based voting technology he helped developed at MiVote, and later Horizon State, modernizes and optimizes voting to make it more equitable, more affordable, and more available as a lever for change. (8:47) We lay plain the literal transportation problems in location-based elections, and double down on how alleviating those problems paves the way for a dramatic increase in voting opportunities on a per-policy basis, rather than the character-driven soap operas plaguing conventional politics. (14:29) We touch on the blockchain solution as an exponential improvement on digital machine-based voting, rather than a linear progression. (17:09) Jamie reflects on the hurdles of getting his technology adopted in the public sector and beyond. (23:47) Mitch offers his hot take: the voting aspect of democracy is more or less mob rule no matter how you slice it; abiding by the social contract to support the winner after the fact is what actually makes a democracy. (31:50) Mitch posits that fast-developing countries could use the Horizon State platform to leapfrog established superpowers. Jamie reveals a few interesting discussions he's had with unlikely heroes for democratic revolution.