Let's establish the "Chamber of the People"!
Proposed amendment to the Constitution of the USA and to state constitutions.

   More and more our politicians are being bought and intimidated by moneyed interests.  Below is a plan for Congress to share political power with a new house of legislators--not elected, but randomly chosen citizens!
   Currently the federal legislature of the USA is bicameral.  That is, Congress has 2 houses:  the House of Representatives (HR) and the Senate.  Each USA state also has 2 legislative houses (except Nebraska, for which see 34 below).
   This proposal is that the federal government and states would each add one new house, a "Chamber of the People" (CP), which will be comprised of new officials, called "Populans".
  
List of advantages in article below.
 
New terms:
   Chamber of the People  (plural:  Chambers of the People).  Coined 2010 February 16 by KD.
   Populan  (plural:  Populans).  Coined 2010 February 17 by KD; borrowed for this use from Suomi and Latin for "person".

48 advantages of the proposed
Chamber of the People (CP)

   1. The Chamber of the People will be established without bias or partisanship.  It will have no inherent political bias.  Nevertheless, partisans are allowed to participate fully and equally.
   The plan is hopeful, appealing, inspiring, helpful, reasonable, clear, simple, practical, easy, constructive, low-cost, courageous, virtually corruption-proof, and urgently needed.
   It will be popular among people of almost all political attitudes because it will fairly represent their political diversity.  At present, the 2 existing houses (House of Representatives and Senate) are not diverse politically or in any other way (except maybe geographically).
   Rather, they now represent only hardcore Democrats and hardcore Republicans.  Those 2 groups together account for only about 20% of those eligible to vote.  The rest, about 80%, are in the following categories: 
      A.  Those who usually vote Democratic or Republican but who prefer other parties and who vote how they do only because they are afraid of "wasting their votes" on smaller parties they think are better.
      B.  Those who voted Democratic or Republican but who are sorely disappointed in those parties.
      C.  Those who vote for other parties.
      D.  Those who vote for independents.
      E.  Those usually too disgusted, dispirited, alienated, uninspired, or oppressed to vote at all.
   2.  Similar lot systems to select public officials worked for ancient Hellenic and Italian legislatures.
   3.  Nowadays too much power is wielded by too few in Congress.  This amendment spreads that power among 435 more officials--in addition to the current 535 voting members of Congress (435 in the House + 100 Senators).
   The proposed new tricameral Congress will comprise 970 voting members--81% more members of Congress.
   This new, larger 3-house Congress will provide more knowledge, reasoning, energy, and service.  Currently, Congresspeople are overworked.  With these extra legislators (the Populans), Congress will be able to consider things from more points of view, and thus to do more and to do it better.
   With this plan, also, constituents will have more public servants to whom they can turn.
   The extra house will strengthen Congress overall.  This improvement is needed because Congress has been getting too weak and indecisive, especially in the last century, and so the presidency has been growing in power relative to Congress.  That's too much power for one person, the president.  (Ask also for my articles proposing an elected cabinet, which would spread out the power of the executive branch.) 
   4.  This new legislative house will exhibit a high degree of proportional representation (pro-rep).  That term is usually misunderstood in the USA, so you might want to read this from Wikipedia (2010 March 3) about pro-rep:
   a category of electoral formula aimed at securing a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive (usually in legislative assemblies).  PR is a democratic principle rather than an electoral system in itself.  It is often contrasted to plurality voting systems [as in the USA], where disproportional seat distribution results from the division of voters into multiple electoral districts, especially "winner takes all" plurality ("first past the post" or FPTP) districts.
   Random selection is one way almost to guarantee a proportional result.  Thus, the Chamber of the People, too, will be proportional in every possible way.  The most important kind of its diversity is that the political backgrounds, views, and goals of all the Populans will tend to reflect, much more closely, those of the voters, compared to disproportional representation, as in the current House and Senate.
   That diversity will include fair representation for the high proportion of voters who do not steadfastly hold to any political party.
   Furthermore, the addition of this one house is no hindrance to possible future efforts toward proportional representation (pro-rep) in the original 2 houses, or to other electoral improvements.
   5.  The Chamber of the People will have all the advantages of a random jury:  it will be impartial, proportionate and diverse in every way, investigative, deliberative, short-term, and not serving for their own personal gain.
   Yes, of course, it will be likely that not every Populan will be the greatest example of humanity.  (Not every Representative and Senator is, either.)  However, as a group they are very much more likely to show common sense, to be honest and sincere, and to provide the much-needed balance to the other 2 houses.  Experience with citizens' assemblies and court trial juries has shown what admirable people form the backbone of society.
   Trial juries do quite well nowadays, considering their hindrances, especially the starvation pay.
   Happily, though, the CP will have even more advantages than trial juries:  non-coerced members happy to serve, good pay, expenses paid (offices, staff, travel, family accommodation, etc.), good benefits (health insurance, child care, etc.), more prestige, good resume' experience (for enhancing their careers and studies), guarantees to regain previous jobs and school positions, more interesting and important matters to ponder and debate (compared to trial juries), and the likelihood of serving on committees especially suited to their talents and preferences.  See 47 below.
   6.  The one exception to the proportionality feature (4 and 5 above in this list of advantages) is that the Chamber of the People will be unbalanced, if need be, to counter-balance any sex imbalance in the House of Representatives.
   That works out so that regardless of a likely sex imbalance in the House of Representatives, the 435 Representatives and the 435 Populans together will comprise exactly 435 men and 435 women.  (Total 870.)  Each constituent then will have the choice of contacting either their Representative or Populan (or both), one of each sex (unless the former leaves office), or their Senators.
   Without some such remedy, the male sex likely will continue to dominate government for generations more, to the detriment of all.
   The only time that all 4 of your members of Congress will be the same sex will be the very rare occasions when your Representative leaves office during their term and is replaced by a Representative of the opposite sex, and both of your Senators are of that sex, too.
   In comparison, it isnow quite common to have 3 men represent you in Congress, since 83% of the House and 83% of the Senate are men (2009 October).
   7.  A greater proportion of young adults would have a chance to serve in the CP than in the other 2 houses.
   8.  A few years ago I heard that someone in a Moslem country proposed separate all-women and all-men legislative houses.  (Reference needed.  Maybe Iraq.)  This CP plan is an alternative to that plan, and is better for us in this form, I think.
   9.  This amendment to the federal Constitution would itself be constitutional.  In other words, it is clearly allowed under Article 5 of the Constitution, the part about amendments.  See  http://topics.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlev .
   10. The business of Congress will run more smoothly with this plan because not all 3 houses will have to agree to pass a law or resolution--only 2 of them.  Thus, each house can act like a tie-breaker for the other 2, when deadlocked.
   For example, in 2009 December the House and Senate passed 2 different health insurance bills.  Those bills cannot become law until the 2 houses agree on identical texts.  Congress is still deadlocked, as of 2010 March 10.
   If we had a Chamber of the People, and if most of the Populans liked one of those 2 bills,theChamber could pass it and thus break the deadlock.  If the CP liked neither bill, they could pass their own bill on the topic and then see if the Senate or the House would support it and thus break the deadlock that way.  In any case, the chances of resolution would be much better.
   11.  The Populans will be much less likely to make shady "back-room" and "pork-barrel" deals.  They will be unlikely to succumb to bribers, influence peddlers, and moneyed intimidaters.  That's because of 3 safeguards:
   a.  The personality of almost no Populan would be inclined like that--because of their method of selection, unlike Senators and Representatives.
   b.  They wouldhave no need for re-election money.
   c.  They would be too closely watched by the public.
   Compromises by the Chamber are inevitable.  They instead will what the public will find more acceptable, and by which they will be inspired.  That's largely because the Populans must do all their negotiating in public (see section J).
   12.  This plan, by its randomness, produces a fair proportionality in the Chamber of the People (except when it balances the House for sex, as per section 5Bv).
   In other words, the CP will be a very fair, diverse group of 435 people.  While perfect diversity in representation is impossible, this plan comes very close--much closer than the other 2 houses.  Therefore, it will thrill the public.
   13.  The Chamber of the People will be almost completely free of corruption and intimidation, including by the 35,000 lobbyists who now corrupt Congress with billions in bribes (much of it laundered as campaign contributions) and threats to fund the opposition of stubborn Congresspeople.
   The CP will be immune from corruption largely because of the openness of its operations (section J), which would expose any attempted corruption; and the 2 other reasons in advantage 11 above.
   Other factors preventing corruption will be the physical distance of the CP from Washington, DC; the comraderie among the Populans; and their longer time spent with regular constituents (compared to with paid lobbyists).
   Lobbyists now hog the time and attention ofthe Representatives and Senators.  Populans, on the other hand, will instead meet with deserving ordinary constituents and take them seriously.  The Populans generally will not be expert at being dishonest with their constituents, as Senators and Representatives can be.  Besides, with the cameras on, lobbyists won't be able to make dirty deals with Populans.  They will have to make their cases (on camera) only with arguments that the public would see as legitimate.
   14.  The mean center of population of the USA in the year 1800 was a short 65 km north of Washington, DC (~40 miles).  Then, over the centuries, the country's population shifted.  That's the main reason the new Chamber of the People will meet instead near the new national center of population (section I).  As of the 2000 census, that is in or near Phelps County, Missouri.  The county seat is Rolla, between St. Louis and Springfield.  See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mean_ctr_pop_US_1790-2000.png .
   In the 2010 census the center will probably be found to have moved southwest, but still within Missouri and in a rural area east of Springfield.
   To go to Missouri, the travel distances are more even and fair for morePopulans and their constituents than to go to Washington, DC.  Of course, the Populans may travel to their districts at will, as Senators and Representatives do.
   Phelps County, MO, is not far from 2 Amtrak passenger railroad routes going north and east to St. Louis, Missouri.  An Amtrak station is in Jefferson City, MO, only about 65 km from Rolla, the county seat.  Nearby is Rolla National Airport.  Also, Interstate Highway 44 goes through Rolla.
   15.  The cost of drawing lots and maintaining a third house of Congress will be less than for electing and maintaining each of the other houses--and a minuscule amountper capita of the country's population.  A bit of that low cost is because of the generally lower costs in Missouri compared to Washington, DC.
   16.  This plan will help restore trust in government, as "regular people" (the Populans) will share power with the other 2 houses of politicians.  That contrast will encourage members of all 3 houses to serve better.
   17.  Vacancies in the CP will be filled immediately, easily, cheaply, and fairly, without a chance for confusion or corruption.  (Compare the messy temporary appointment processes for replacing senators Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy in 2009.)
   18.  The definition of "high office" (amendment section 5Biii) is already established in law, so that should cause no problems.
   19.  Even if they were allowed to, Populans would have no need to raise campaign money, unlike Representatives and Senators, many of whom scrounge for donations nearly full time.  Populans are very different:  they must not campaign for themselves or for others or for ballot questions during their terms.  So the Populans are not corrupted, distracted, or worked to death on the "rubber-chicken circuit".  They can actually concentrate on their jobs.  Yet they will feel and act accountable to the public, just like millions of court juries have done for centuries--and still do.
   Populans are not allowed to run for re-election, either, though they will be allowed to run for some other office after their term is completely past.
   Other evidence in favour of this plan is the recent experience with citizens' assemblies, such as the Citizens' Assembly on Electoral Reform in British Columbia, Canada, which was (nearly) randomly-chosen:  80 men and 80 women.
   20.  Like the members of the other 2 houses of Congress, Populans can arrange for their families to stay nearby while the CP is in session.  Children of the Populans might include more small children than the other 2 houses, along with more women and more younger adults.  Therefore, theChamber of the People probably will do an even better job than the other 2 houses of caring for the children:  in the same room as their serving parent or nearby in the same building.  Therefore, service in the CP need not break up families, neglect children, or hamper breastfeeding.  They might have their assembly hall designed by an architect who is a mother.
   21.  The public will identify emotionally with random amateurs picked both to be their voice in Congress and to relate to the professionals in the other parts of government.  That will generate interest in politics and will generate genuine, lasting hope among the people, so many of whom are now very dispirited, disillusioned, and alienated.
   22.  Inter-house conferences (such as to reconcile bills) between Missouri and Washington, DC, can be done by delegation, by tele-conferencing, or by occasional trips en masse, etc.
   Individual Populans, on the other hand, can communicate with Senators and Representatives as they do already:  by telephone, e-mail, in person, etc.
   23.  If this amendment were different and the proposal were to replace an existing house of Congress, this proposal would spark massive resistance.  This plan doesn't do that, though.  It doesn't subtract; it just adds!  It doesn't destroy; it shares!
   24.  This plan encourages people to register to vote--and thus to be eligible for the exciting draws.  Higher voter registration will, in turn, boost voter turn-outs.
   Nevertheless, someone who wouldn't want to serve in the CP would not be deterred from registering to vote.  That's because this is not like a military draft--anyone may decline the job.
   Other, more willing, people of all ages will dream of being picked as Populans themselves some day, which will be very good for the spirit of the people.
   25.  The Library of Congress could set up a branch near the CP in Missouri.
   26.  Random samples of the public are constantly being polled by private groups for their opinions.  The CP is a random sample which, in addition, is being educated about the issues, so they are more like a jury in that respect.  Therefore, the public will conclude that the CP's conclusions are closer to what the public's conclusions would be if the public were systematically well-informed before being polled!  The public will be impressed with that and will respect the CP more than private polls.
   The media can compare those private polls to the statements and actions of Populans and ex-Populans.
   27.  Payment by attendance (section K) will reassure those who fear that Populans might play hooky.  The other 2 houses might even copy that policy to avoid looking negligent by comparison.
   Of course, the Populans may put in free "overtime" if they want to, but paying them for overtime would encourage them to drag out their deliberations.
   28.  Each new contingent of Populans (they are all new every 2 years) can continue the rules, traditions, and staff of the previous Chambers of the People--or change them at will.  All that is the same as in the other 2 houses.  That is good for continuity.  In other words, staff can serve also the future Chambers of the People, until decided otherwise by the Populans.
   That policy will ensure that the Populans can learn what to do and can draw on the experience of the previous Chambers.  New Populans can also get advice from willing ex-Populans.  Also, probably some ex-Populans would write books which the new Populans could read.
   29.  Many of us are tired of having a Congress of mostly men who are trying to look like Jack Kennedy, with a sprinkling of women trying to look like Jackie Kennedy.  In contract, looking attractive will not be needed to get into the CP.  Personal "image" (real or manufactured) will be much de-emphasized.
   30.  This system could be a good model and remedy for other countries, especially those plagued with election fraud or corrupting lobbyists, like the USA.
   31.  The CP should not build its meeting place on good farm land or in vanishing wilderness.  Other kinds of lands are easier to find inMissouri than in many states.  Missouri is relatively uncrowded.  Accommodation, recreation, and entertainment are good.  Water is plentiful.  Pollution is relatively low.  The climate is relatively mild.
   Suppose Missouri opposes hosting the CP, though that seems highly unlikely.  Since the center of population is drifting toward Oklahoma, Kansas, or Arkansas, those states could be considered instead.
   32.  Of course, as this plan counter-balances for sex, you might askwhy it does not counter-balance for other attributes, too.
   Of course, people have many other important attributes, such as age, race, ethnicity, origin, language, religion, creed, wealth, class, occupation, residence, stability of residence, type of abode, experience, intelligence, education, physical attractiveness, physical size, physical ability, mental ability, happiness, health, legal history, interests, sexual orientation, marital status, family, political party, political faction, political attitudes, changeability, etc.
   However, I recommend against counter-balancing those other 33 attributes with quotas or parity as compared to the House or Senate.  That is partly because doing so would be extremely difficult, and because diversity within the Chamber would be enough.
   Also, few of those attributes are the basis for as much political unfairness and misrepresentation as the USA has shown against women, with the possible exception of race.
   If one more "counter-balance" had to be added to this plan, it should be race, I think.  However, I'd advise against that.  Race is much harder to determine or agree on, and there are many more races and confusing mixtures than of sexes.  Also, racism is fading in the USA faster than is sexism.  That is because physical differences between men and women are much greater, on a practical basis, than the physical differences among the races.  That makes the remedies for sexism much more complex throughout the country and from the top to the bottom of the social structures.
   To hire a Black you merely need to stop thinking of them as inferior (or to hire them anyway).  On the other hand, to hire a female, you might have to make extensive on-the-job accommodations for her biological role as nurturer of the future nation.  Nowadays that natural role is mostly ignored in the workplace, forcing women to be more like men (that is, pay less attention to their offspring) if women want to succeed as well as men in their careers.
   Sexism is much older and much more deeply entrenched than racism.  For instance, it was much easier to elect a Black president than a woman president.  Counter-balancing for another attribute of "the 33" would be much harder in practice than this simple plan.
   Also, the gray area between the 2 sexes comprises far fewer people than do the boundaries between people of various other attributes.
   33.  Probably fewer than 2% of people have any sexual ambiguity, so that should not be a stumbling block for this plan, either.  The CP can define the male and female categories and determining procedures, considering public opinion and drawing experience from the Olympics, the courts, etc.
   If they ask me, I'll suggest that people be picked for CP service according to their genetic sex.  Thus, transexuals (and those in transition) would be chosen to serve according to their "original" sex.  Nevertheless, they can feel all right about that because that classification is only for qualification purposes.  They still can be considered as the sex that they feel that they are in day-to-day activities in the CP.
   For example, suppose that "Annette Defoe" is a transexual and genetic male.  Annette can be drawn by lot as a male to complement a female Representative in their Congressional district.  Yet Annette can still present herself in the CP as a female--as Ms. Defoe, Populan Defoe, or Annette.
   Furthermore, the few people who are physically sexually ambiguous are an even smaller minority.  They could be classified for CP selection purposes according to their sex on their voter registration, or, if their registration shows neither, according to their choice.  Anyway, so few people will be affected by this that it really won't matter.
   Classifying the sexes that way will result in the least disruption, scandal, and prying.  Instead of testing everyone genetically, let's just let the CP act when they think there is a problem, which will be very seldom.
   34.  Nebraska exception:  This is the only USA state which has a unicameral, not bicameral, state legislature.  Therefore, here is how to adapt this plan to the Nebraska state government:
   Passage of a state measure in Nebraska would require approval by any 2 of the following within the state:
      (a)  The elected legislature.
      (b)  The Chamber of the People.
      (c)  The governor.
   That is the only adaptation needed, I think.  That should be simple, fair, and practical.
   35.  Some good but dispensable ideas have been omitted from this plan in order to make it acceptable to the widest possible range of people, yet still make the USA much more democratic.
   36.  When they agree to serve, the Populans immediately have some public obligations, so they should be sworn in immediately, though they won't be able to work and vote in actual CP sessions until Congress begins its new term.
   37.  Between the time of their agreement to serve, in Novemeber, and the beginning of their service in the actual CP in January,Populans are invited to prepare by:
      A.  Meeting and getting to know each other.  This will help them later, when they will elect their officers and select committee members.
      B.  Studying history, the issues of the day, their roles, etc.  That could include reading books and articles by or recommended by ex-Populans, who, of course, will know what it's like to be new in the CP.
      C.  Putting their business, job, and other affairs on hold, packing belongings to set up a second residence near the CP, finishing their school term, etc.
   38.  The Populans will probably form some caucuses within the CP, but they are not required to do so.  However, caucuses will not be able to meet secretly, as they do in the other 2 houses.
   If Populans form caucuses by political party, the caucuses would likely be for many more parties than can get elected to the House or Senate (because of the USA's voting systems which favour the Democrats and Republicans).
   In caucuses or not, most probably the CP would include supporters of maybe 6 or more parties, including Greens and Libertarians.  Independent Populans (those not publicly adhering to any party) probably could form one of the largest caucuses.
   Unlike in the other 2 houses, a Populan could change their party inclinations easily or keep them secret.
   Seating supporters of more parties will give the CP more ideas to consider:  more options than are usually considered.  The public wants more options to be debated, even if they are not adopted.
   The Populans would not be able to set up a seniority system like in the other 2 houses.  Because of that and the likelihood of no party having a majority, the CP would probably choose very neutral committee chairs.
   39.  The CP is unlikely to be controlled by one political party.  Occasionally, though, one party will control the other 2 houses.  Anyway, you might wonder what would happen if one political party controls any 2 of the 3 houses.  Will the other house be ignored and become like a "lame duck"?  Not at all.  The other house still will have a high public profile and be able to send bills to the other houses.  The public will notice the fate of those bills and react politically (pro or con) and communicate their opinions in all cases.  The "outsider" (third) house still will be able, if they want to, to break deadlocks between the other 2 houses, which occur even when those 2 are controlled by the same party (as we see now with health care!).
   If 2 houses try to shut an "outsider" house out of a public discourse on a particular bill, by neglecting to send it to the outsider house, that tactic won't succeed.  The shunned house can simply introduce the same bill anyway.  In such a case the shunned house might then defeat it by a huge majority, which might embarrass the other 2 houses.
   The Populans can act partisan or not; they each can make their choice.  However, in all likelihood, no party will have a majority in the CP and many will be independents.  If that proves to be the case, the CP will be even better at balancing off the other 2 houses, even if both are controlled by the same party.
   40.  This plan can be compared to the fictitious Star Trek story (from a book) about Mr. Spock's planet Vulcan having a tricameral legislature.  Other than both plans having 3 houses, though, the 2 plans are quite different.  The Vulcan houses act successively:  the first proposes laws, the second enacts laws, and the third repeals laws.
   41.  This plan might work to create legislative bodies on the local level, too.  Local Populans would have to be paid enough to enable the poor as well as the financially comfortable to serve in that office.  (In some villages now, they are not paid at all.)  Alternatively, citizen juries could be convened occasionally--just to evaluate single issues for a short time.  Since cities, counties, and school boards, etc. are unicameral, this plan could work for them similarly to the way proposed for the state of Nebraska (see advantage 34 above).
   42.  For Canada and Great Britain, this plan could be used with some adaptations.  Maybe allow the Prime Minister to pass legislation with approval of 2 of the 3 houses.  (Canada has a Senate and Great Britain has a House of Lords, both of which now have minor powers compared to the House of Commons.)
   43.  After their terms, ex-Populans might be elected to other offices and, because of their CP experience, might serve the public particularly well.
   44.  As does the House of Representatives, the CP almost certainly will seat Populans from these 5 colonies of the USA:  Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; Samoa; Guam; and the Virgin Islands.  In the House, those "delegates" vote in committees, but not on the "floor" of the House.  The CP could copy that.
   The USA has 4 other inhabited colonies:  Northern Mariana Islands; Palmyra Atoll; Wake Island; and Midway Islands.  The CP could have one Populan drawn from a pool of the voters of all 4 of those.
   45.  This plan can continue to be improved, of course, before being added to the Constitution.  Please send your ideas to the author.
   46.  The House of Representatives is SUPPOSED to be of the "people", but it never really has been.  It used to be the House of the Propertied White Men and now it's the House of the Corporations (still mostly propertied white men).
   47.  Even if they were to add more Representatives to the House (which seems unlikely), that just will mean more politicians to serve the corporations.  To make a difference, we instead have to use a different method to select the legislators.
   48.  The CP can set up its committees at will.  They might copy the Senate's and HR's, or align them with the cabinet (executive departments), or create some combination of those, or however they think best.

Senate and house committees with the same names:

• Appropriations • Armed Services • Budget • Judiciary • Veterans' Affairs • Intelligence

Senate committees:                                          House committees:

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry                    Agriculture
Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs               Financial Services
Commerce, Science and Transportation          Science and Technology
                                                                         Transportation and Infrastructure
                                                                          Energy and Commerce
Energy and Natural Resources                         Energy Independence and Global Warming
                                                                          Natural Resources
Environment and Public Works
Finance                                                             Ways and Means
Foreign Relations                                              Foreign Affairs
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions           Education and Labor
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs  Homeland Security
                                                                          Oversight and Government Reform
Rules and Administration                                  Rules
                                                                          House Administration
Small Business and Entrepreneurship              Small Business
Indian Affairs
Ethics                                                                Standards of Official Conduct
Aging
Narcotics Control

Joint committees
• Economic • Inauguration • Library • Printing • Taxation

   49.  Perhaps the strongest advantage to this plan:  You cannot buy your way into the Chamber of the People!

   "We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office."  --Aesop

   "No one will believe you solved this problem in one day!  We've been working on it for months.  Now go act busy for a few weeks, and I'll let
you know when it's time to tell them."
   --R&D supervisor, Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing / 3M Corp.

End of Article 28:  A Third House of Congress.
The above article is for Part 4, but it doesn't fit there so I'm putting it here temporarily.