YouTube for Open Government Equals Clear Democracy

YouTube is great and Google got them for a sweet price (eh hem...). Just love watching dogs lick their privates, repeats of the Daily Show, and the Mentos and Diet Coke explosions is the most important contribution to art and society in years.

But how about using Web 2.0 and our billions invested in broadband technology for something as old-school as governance? In case you haven't heard about Halliburton and Jack Abramoff, or Tom DeLay and friends, start reading. Guantánamo Bay fiasco is a good story too. So what do we know about what our leaders are doing behind closed doors? Unfortunately we learn too much too late.

Well now there's an new idea to change that. Clear Democracy is the concept that we can use technology to "Get In Bed" with our congressmen and women and find out in real-time who exactly is calling the shots. It works like this. Savvy voters choose to only elect candidates who promise to abide by the Clear Democracy Manifesto which basically states that the candidates will record and broadcast all meetings, phone calls, financial transactions and the like during their time in office.

It's radical for sure - but maybe, just maybe...