The idea
You must have noticed by now that the comments presented here can't by any stretch of the imagination represent the public's breadth of views.
Respondents arise from a biased sample (on the face of it, reactionaries, hawkish retirees and pot smokers). The LSE's Charlie Beckett also notes that e-consultation excludes great numbers of digitally illiterate or poor people. (See link here; hyperlink function doesn't work: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/jul/01/nick-clegg-freedom-drugs)
To Clegg/Cameron: If you seriously intend to engage the public in a series of debates, please hold well publicised ones, in real town halls, with coverage from the national broadcaster. Or get MPs to do the same on a smaller scale, using old-school flyers, and take care to comprehensively minute the discussions.
Why is it important?
It would be illegitimate for this government to justify 'fat trimming' on the basis of this 'consultation'.