That said,

(Tackling now the big, big subject of voting rights and democratic [a first principle being that every society ought to be as democratic as it can be] reforms--), I adopt from Mark Twain the suggestion that votes ought to be calibrated according to the competencies of the voters.  For some votes, of course, such as the ratification of constitutional amendments, or declarations of war, every vote of every citizen (at least six years old) ought to be considered equal.  [I am assuming that voting will be done via the Internet, and that no more than two weeks, for the most serious issues, should pass between canvassing and taking of a vote.]  But for votes upon matters which require specific knowledge and acquaintance with issues, academic degrees and work experience, should determine the weight of particular votes.  This is virtually to require of all citizens that a certain amount of time be spent online deliberating and attending to the affairs of government--I should think, minimally, about 4 to 12 hours a week per citizen--and that this "government work" ought to be recompensed according to its determined value and necessity.   This also is virtually to define citizenship as computer access to governmental websites.  I foresee many objections to these proposals from the slow-witted and hide-bound (particularly as regards privacy and security of communication), but I  am confident that most of these objections can be met with encryption and and other security safeguards--the same as they are for commercial and credit card transactions.  And thus,

I am perfectly amenable to the notion that I should go online 4 to 12 hours a week for the rest of my life (with my awards, degrees, and scholarships to determine the weight of my vote) to undertake the business of governing the society I live in, and to be remunerated for my participation.

Any questions?