The Next L.A. / Reinventing Our Future : Governing : IDEA FILE: The Trust Factor

How It Works: Reviving trust in government. The voter feels little if any kinship with the government, let alone any clout. Their good ideas rarely get heard beyond the porch swing or the dinner table. Start with the schools, with hard-hitting interesting civic classes instead of the boring, bland garbage taught today. Bring government into the living rooms and classrooms with interactive cable TV, so you can see candidates, watch legislators in action--and tell government what you think immediately.

Benefits: It would create a more informed electorate and make government more accountable to the people.

Short-term or Long-term Impact? Long-term.

Supporters: Good-government believers, the disenfranchised, residents who want to take part but find it time-consuming and “geographically undesirable” would back it.

Opponents: Those who would argue that it would amount to mob rule and a waste of money. Schools and textbook publishers may be reluctant to have interesting, provocative civics courses because it might embroil them in controversy.

The costs: Paid for by cable companies under their public access obligation.

“REALITY CHECK”: Televising government sessions is happening all over, from C-SPAN to city councils. Interactive TV was successful during the last legislative session and will be expanded. It’s coming. Thumbs up.