Clayton Cramer Has Seen the Future

And the future is a video-conferenced legislature. Cramer’s arguments for the idea are solid, and it makes a ton of sense as a long-term cost and time saver. I thing the idea would be great for our Congress. There would probably be several legislative positions you could eliminate towards this end.

Yes, you’d miss out on seeing Rep. Eric Anderson (R-1) get tased but hey, you can’t have everything. It would also make it a lot easier for people who live outside of Boise to lobby their State legislators. And there’d be no waiting in line to testify at public hearings. Anybody with a webcam could testify.

The wonderful system Clayton Cramer proposes has two powerful enemies:

1) Lobbyists who like having all legislators in the same place. It’s kind of hard to schmooze a swing vote with a $50 dinner out when they’re in Athol and you’re in Boise. So you’re basically limited to the influence you can provide over the phone or by e-mail.

2) The Ludite caucus, which seems to me to be fairly significant. One rural Idaho county chairman once told me he didn’t believe in blogs. ‘Nuff said.

Still, the idea could fly someday and if it does, taxpayers could reap huge benefits.