Although I often get tempted to get into the discussions that keep coming up in the “Comments” appended to each item we post, I usually hold my tongue. This isn’t because I don’t enjoy a good argument, it’s just because I don’t think it’s fair for me to get into arguments where I would always have the last word.
Still, there are times where specific questions are asked, or where I have some relevant information, and when that happens I feel free to get into those things in this new occasional column.
For instance:
Those of you who read the fine print are aware that there has been some discussion of the idea of a Selective-Service Congress in our “Comments” feature, mostly by friends who seem to have overlooked the existence of a really fine sf novel, by one of my favorite authors, The Years of the City, 
The author sums them up, if I remember correctly, by saying something like, “True, legislators and other high government officials chosen by lot might not be any more honest or intelligent than the ones we have now, but they would not be likely to be much less so, and they would certainly have one invaluable advantage over the present lot: They would not have to pay off benefactors who helped them get elected by providing them with large sums of money or political favors. Thus the system would remove at a stroke most of the tyranny of ‘special interests.’”
The book is currently out of print in the paper-and-print edition, but many dealers still have copies. (Unfortunately, the author gets no royalty on such sales, but enjoy.)
Patrick Di Justo says:
Can you make this available as an ePub ebook? I’d buy one!
May 26, 2012, 5:58 pmLarry Kollar says:
Heh, I’ve been stumping for that for a while now. Too good an idea to be original!
May 26, 2012, 8:27 pmGreg Morrow says:
The comic book “Legion of Super-Heroes”, set in a bright, shiny future, had a draft for the President of Earth — a computer picked several candidates who were thereby drafted to run, there was a day of campaigning, and then the people of the planet voted.
May 26, 2012, 8:51 pmAndrew Johnson says:
Fred, unless you actually disable further comments you won’t necessarily get the last word if you respond. Many authors participate in conversations on their blogs without becoming high-handed about it, and I don’t think anyone is likely think less of you for doing the same (more likely the opposite). The Internet generation actually like getting a response to their comments, it makes us feel appreciated; if you never respond it can make us feel we’re being snubbed.
May 26, 2012, 10:03 pmH. E. Parmer says:
Where to start …
For one thing, if we’re going to go with the Selective Service analogy, it has to be noted that historically drafts are meant to provide cannon fodder, not officers. (You don’t press-gang captains.) They almost invariably serve as a supplement to a pre-existing professional officer class.
So who provides that kind of institutional memory for a draftee Congress? Because without it, they’d get eaten alive by other power centers inside the Beltway, who don’t have to cope with a forced turnover of personnel every few years.
Sure, it would take money out of the equation for getting into office, but that doesn’t do a thing about the revolving door when the draftees’ terms are over. The incentive to write legislation with an eye to pleasing a prospective employer would still be there.
It seems to me that ultimately these kinds of solutions are bandaids on fundamental problems, like, few people have the time or inclination to pay attention to what their elected representatives are actually doing.
May 27, 2012, 1:24 amSubrata Sircar says:
These days, that seems pretty easily corruptible. If, say, Facebook wanted to, they could determine who among their members would benefit them if chosen. Then they pay the others not to serve if chosen. (There has to be an out clause, for all sorts of reasons.) That’s assuming that they couldn’t corrupt the lottery choice to begin with.
One thing that intrigued me in Starship Troopers was the citizenship system, specifically the idea that a sacrifice or commitment was required in order to get a say in how things would work. I mused for a while on a simple set of rules to make that work in the real world, but those darn details are devilish.
May 27, 2012, 1:49 amDouglas Dea says:
A couple of weeks ago a local used-book store was closing and I managed to pick up “Search the Sky”. It’s next on my list.
May 28, 2012, 5:33 pmJust saying.
Phillip Helbig says:
Arthur C. Clarke had the head honcho chosen by lot in THE SONGS OF DISTANT EARTH.
May 29, 2012, 4:57 amDon Sakers says:
Much as everyone likes getting individual responses to comments, remember that Mr. Pohl’s time and energy are finite. I’d rather have him spend it working on his next book, instead of discussions in the comments.
As I recall, H.P. Lovecraft wrote an unimaginable number letters to fans, spending at least half his work time on correspondence. Think of the additional books we’d have if he’d devoted that time & effort to fiction.
May 29, 2012, 9:18 amGerry Quinn says:
Subrata Sircar wrote: “One thing that intrigued me in Starship Troopers was the citizenship system, specifically the idea that a sacrifice or commitment was required in order to get a say in how things would work.”
I seem to recall a story by R.A.Lafferty in which a legislator passing a law would have to cut off one of his own fingers…
May 30, 2012, 5:31 amLarry Kollar says:
One of the problems with authors not actively participating in comments can be shown in the extreme case of James Howard Kunstler’s blog. When I stopped visiting, it was pretty much an unmoderated open thread where the discussions had little or no bearing on the topic at hand. Seeing that each weekly post was nothing but a variant of his “we’re all %$&!ed” theme, I guess that’s not surprising. Then again, I suppose classic scifi fandom is a little more intelligent & respectful as a whole.
Funny that you mention Lovecraft, +Don Sakers. I just finished the “Complete Works” spanning 1917-1935 — it was huge. But on the whole, while I’d rather see authors writing, if they have something to say on their own blog? They shouldn’t feel constrained.
May 30, 2012, 8:27 amJohn Kavanagh says:
Mr. Pohl, I assume you’re following these comments, so I’d like to suggest a topic for a future blog. How about doing something about your years at GALAXY and its companions. You were agent, author, ghost editor, and editor. I keep hoping you’ll get around to it.
May 31, 2012, 5:52 pmTom Swirly says:
You have a blog?! Finally the various inner dialogs I’ve had with you since I started reading you can be fulfilled!
“The Years of the City” is one of my all-time favorite novels of any type – partly because it’s about the future history of New York City, my decades-long love (though I’m sitting in Berlin right now and seriously contemplating a move…), partly because it’s about politics and yet it’s thrilling and makes me actually have hope for the future, but mainly it’s a book that’s made me cry on at least two occasions (that first story in particular).
I like the selective service congress a heck of a lot – but I like all the ideas. After the Impending Collapse(tm) perhaps we’ll get to try these. (Or perhaps I can convince the Berliners to try them…)
June 6, 2012, 4:36 pmTina Black says:
Fred, you definitely need to look into digital editions of books like this. I’ve moved to almost all e-books since I already have two book rooms. I really like them. Betty told me she has e-readers, though she doesn’t seem to use them as much as I do.
I hope you’ll consider it.
September 9, 2012, 11:05 am