why don't we devise a computer system with checks & balances to run this great country ?

Question

We can then get rid of expensive and incompetent governments. How many billions could be saved each year

Answer 1

Excellent suggestion...! This is what I've been recommending for a very long time. Power ALWAYS corrupts human beings, because - no matter how fair-minded Presidents and Prime Ministers may seem when taking-up office - they are utterly incapable of sustained honesty and genuine objectivety.

The only slight difficulty to overcome is computer-tampering by human beings. But once we've sorted out that little problem, I reckon we can install "Government by Computer" all over the world... and at last say goodbye forever to wars, poverty and injustice...!!!

Answer 2

That would be a real nightmare.

Computers are no good at anything but maths. They can't have imagination, and no concept of justice, fairness and human emotions. To this day there is not even one computer program that could translate a novel from one language into another.

Computer programs are only as good as their programmers, and there you'd get "flawed" humans in again anyway.
The problem with incompetent gouvernments are the voters who leave them in office time after time, although they have already shown that they are not up to the job, because they themselves can't be bothered taking on responsibility.

Answer 3

The machine will always be large, expensive, incompetent, and corrupt whether that machine is electric or human. Don't forget that humans build the computers and write the software and therefore the system would be just as flawed.

Answer 4

At one time, not to long ago, I would have laughed at such a idea, but as things sit now, it could not be any worse then what any of the alternatives are. However, who's bases line social philosophies to you put into it for the AI decision base? I guess you could put them all in from I Chang, to Plato, to Aristotle, and let it find all the commonalities. However, I doubt it is would be any time at all before people started scream Anti-Christ, or No Representation, and demand that it be redesigned in their favor. It is an interesting idea for an AI modeler.

Answer 5

To err is human. To completely **** things up you need a computer.

There is a fundamental law about computer programming. Rubbish in = rubbish out. Who would input the data? A load of self-interested politicians!!

"President Joe once had a dream
The world held his hand, gave their pledge
So he told them his scheme for a Saviour Machine

They called it the Prayer, its answer was law
Its logic stopped war, gave them food
How they adored till it cried in its boredom

'Please don't believe in me, please disagree with me
Life is too easy, a plague seems quite feasible now
or maybe a war, or I may kill you all

Don't let me stay, don't let me stay
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen
You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine

I need you flying, and I'll show that dying
Is living beyond reason, sacred dimension of time
I perceive every sign, I can steal every mind

Don't let me stay, don't let me stay
My logic says burn so send me away
Your minds are too green, I despise all I've seen
You can't stake your lives on a Saviour Machine"

Saviour Machine by David Bowie 1972

Answer 6

Because we could never agree about what to INPUT into the computer......the parameters of HOW to run it......and HOW to respond to situations.

We'd be in the same sad shape that we're n now.

Answer 7

We did. Its called AL GORE

Answer 8

The neo-cons would tamper and infect it with their B.S.

Answer 9

There already is one - it's called Gordon Brown............(or at least HE thinks so!)