Can More Voters Fix Politics? The Case for Phone Voting episode artwork

EPISODE · Apr 4, 2026 · 41 MIN

Can More Voters Fix Politics? The Case for Phone Voting

from Marketplace of Ideas - Critically Thinking the Seemingly Simple · host Charles Chakkalo

Ramon's TEDx Talk - https://youtu.be/-QcWBH1Zx9g?si=0EyXArGUh8oSu2AoJoin my Free Newsletter - https://Chakkalo.com/Follow me on X - It's fun - https://twitter.com/@MrChakkaloWhat if you didn’t have to wait years to have a say in government?In this episode, I sit down with Ramon Perez, Executive Director of the Digital Democracy Project, to break down a bold idea:👉 What if voters could weigh in on legislation in real time… from their phones?We get into:Why low voter turnout might be driving polarizationHow this system could bring the moderate majority back into the processWhether legislators should lead—or follow—their constituentsThe real risks: manipulation, mob mentality, and trust in the systemHow AI and blockchain are being used to reshape civic engagementWe also walk through a real-world example—my push for Ray’s Law / the ELSA Act—and what this system would look like applied to actual legislation.This isn’t just theory. This is a conversation about whether democracy needs to evolve—or risk losing people entirely.📬 Join my newsletter (goes out every Sunday):Get my breakdown of the stories that actually matter.📺 Live streams:I go live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday—covering a couple headlines I actually care about, with a centrist, no-BS lens.👉 Subscribe here so you don’t miss it.🧠 Topics Covered:Mobile voting vs traditional electionsGerrymandering and broken incentivesVoter apathy vs system designDirect democracy vs representative governmentAI in policymaking⏱️ Chapters:00:00 – Can you vote from your phone?02:15 – The real problem: turnout vs incentives10:30 – How the system actually works22:00 – Should politicians follow the crowd?30:45 – Can this be manipulated?42:10 – Ray’s Law & real-world application55:00 – The future of democracy

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Can More Voters Fix Politics? The Case for Phone Voting

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This episode was published on April 4, 2026.

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Ramon's TEDx Talk - https://youtu.be/-QcWBH1Zx9g?si=0EyXArGUh8oSu2AoJoin my Free Newsletter - https://Chakkalo.com/Follow me on X - It's fun - https://twitter.com/@MrChakkaloWhat if you didn’t have to wait years to have a say in government?In this...

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