Punchbowl News reports that the former Senate majority leader, who is retiring after his current term ends in January, lost consciousness at his Washington, D.C., home at 8:36 a.m. on June 14, before a dispatcher sent over an Advanced Life Support ambulance. Journalist Desiree Townsend posted a recording of the call from the emergency dispatcher Tuesday afternoon to X.
Worth noting Athenian citizens were only about 10% of the population.
Of them, only maybe 1/6th could actually serve, as military or any other citizens too far away from the Ekklesia were excluded.
Also worth noting the Ekklesia was limited in voting on items presented to them by the Boule, which was basically a smaller council made up entirely of rich folks
Athenian democracy wasnt as democratic as advertised
Right, but with modern technology there wouldn’t be a distance restriction nor am I suggesting we reduce the citizen class to ~10% of the population. The primary similarity would be that citizens would be summoned to serve.
There’d still be a de facto distant restriction. As well as a job restriction
You still gotta go to DC to be able to vote. Which also means you have to be able to afford a place to live in DC
More importantly, how many people do you think are both willing and able to put their chosen career on hold for 2-6 years just because they get told they have to go do something else
I suspect most people would refuse
There are more political offices than just at the national level. City, County, State, regional water and fire districts. Also, just because you’ve been chosen for jury duty doesn’t mean you’ll end up serving.
Same issues still apply.
Still got the same issue about people not wanting to give up their jobs.
How many people live that close to their state capital?
Some states you can easily be 6 to 12 hours away.
Heck thats true at county too. Some countys are bigger than states.
And even local government isnt a guarantee.
My local government is the county government. We don’t really have town mayors or councils or anything like that.
And im not living out in some super rural area. I live in one of the largest metropolitan areas in the US…Just so happens outside the city limits of the major city by a few minutes .
The Athenian system worked because it was essentially limited and only covered a compatibly small area.
Its not really a usable model