86 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
86 lines
3.9 KiB
Plaintext
CALIFORNIA CAPITOL CONNECTION ONLINE
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(copied from the ONLINE TODAY magazine)
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Although Thomas Jefferson and John Hancock would have been
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puzzled by the thought, the California Assembly is looking at ways
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technology can enhance the democratic process.
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To this end, a legislative database called California Capitol
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Connection has recently gone online to offer legislators and con-
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stituents a close-up view of the legislative process. Included
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in the database are the texts of bills, committee schedules and even
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electronic access to certain California legislators.
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Eventually, the system will accommodate real-time conferencing
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so issues can be debated electronically. "We hope this will result
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in fewer hearings that are held before the issues are really thought
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out," said Bob Jacobson, a consultant with the California
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Assembly's Utilities and Commerce Committee.
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For more information, contact jacobson through CompuServe's
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EasyPlex at 75026,1650 or write the Utilities and Commerce Committee,
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State Capitol, Room 2117, Sacramento, CA 95814;
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916-445-4246. The phone number for the Capitol Connection is
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916-442-0746.
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==========================================================================
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After I read the above, I decided to try it.
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For those BBS users who are interested, the Capitol Connection really
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is there! I tried it 6/5/87, and found the transmission parameters
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you should use for access.
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If you do not yet have a validated account for this system, you must
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register when you sign in for the first time. They will mail you
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a form showing full access information, after they validate you.
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So, you must use your real name! And you must declare your party
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affiliation, or declare yourself a CITIZEN (like I did!).
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I was not able to determine the type of BBS they use, but it seems
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efficient. With four lines, it shouldn't be too hard to get on to.
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The following was captured directly from the board:
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WELCOME TO "THE CAPITOL CONNECTION," AN EXPERIMENT IN ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Telephone: (916) 442-0746, four lines, 24 hours a day, 300 and 1200 baud.
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Parameters that work best: 7 data bits, even parity, 1 stop bit.
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--------------------------------------------------------------------------
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==========================================================================
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A friend who has been on the system had this to say:
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The board is well worth the (somewhat stupid) efforts they make you go
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through to sign on. Further stupidity: when you send in your registration
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card they ask you to write out your password. right, all those passwords
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floating around in the mail. Yes, you can simply change it once you go online
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the first time, but a lot of people wont'. for a system run by some
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intelligent folks, that was quite a blunder (and Ive let them know that,
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by the way)>
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The board is run under the Caucus system.
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All it costs is some time and a long-distance phone call; the board does
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not charge a fee for it's useage.
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It might be of interest to know that Willie Brown was lobbying for the funding
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to set up the board, and that this is the summation of some 2.5 years worth
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of time and effort. but it's finally there.
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Also, it is going to be a "showcase" system; if this one does well, there will
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be others, many others.
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==========================================================================
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I think the democratic process could really use the input of
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people who are believers in the true shareware type of system.
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Why don't you give the board a try. And pass this on to others
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who might be interested in our legislative process. Who knows,
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someday, someone up there might hear us!
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Jim Robeson, Pacific Grove, CA
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