Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat

Democracy in the UK

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Edge:

--- Quote from: "graham" ---Good to see I'm not on my own with my thinking, some good posts.

I've always voted but this time unless some party come out with some common sense and starts working for British citizens, I'm staying at home which i do anyway cos i can't have a fag with me pint.  :evil:
--- End quote ---

I lost faith in lab/con etc years ago... seems no-matter who is in power, we still get a raw deal by those who really run the country (the ones that tell the government what they can and cant do).
As for this immigration fiasco.... and the thousands of brits who cannot get a job because Mr.Primeminister and his cronies have given the jobs to immigrants..... i'm voting BNP this year (I aint racist, just feel theyre the only party who'll sort this country out for our benefit & not europe/rest of world). Asian taxi drivers i speak to also feel our borders should be closed.

"Apologies in advance for mentioning BNP, apparently i upset a member by having BNP website in my signature a few weeks ago".

crazymac:
1st of all, to moan about the government, you must have voted in the 1st place as far as I am concerned!! So I hope that all the wonderful contributions so far have come from voters?

Secondly, as Billy Connoly famously said in the late 70s,

"The desire to be a politician should forbid you from ever becoming one"

I have always vote, and I will continue to do so, if for no other reason than the hope that some day these idiots will get voted out!!

However for that to realistically happen, we need a fundimental change in the attitude of the voting public. To that end, I think that a move to the Australian rules should happen............ Vote or be fined!!!

Now I know before I am shouted down that this would mean more legislation etc but at least we could guarantee that whoever was in power would have been voten in by as near to 100% of the population as we can get, instead of the miserable attendance that we get now!!

wellieboot:

--- Quote from: "crazymac" ---1st of all, to moan about the government, you must have voted in the 1st place as far as I am concerned!! So I hope that all the wonderful contributions so far have come from voters?

--- End quote ---


Could be seen as a bit harsh that, but I can understand where you're coming from. First off, I vote - how I vote is nobodies business but mine. It certainly should be of no interest to the govt (personal freedoms and what have you - must check the laws on that!)

However, I know folk who don't vote, but would if a 'none of the above' was available. I for one, don't beleive in voting for nonsense parties like the MRL or such because it doesn't truely reflect the wants and desires of the political voter (unless you want, say, carrots to hold drving licenses, or the first Monday of the month to be a 'Badgers to work' day).

Should the public only be made to do something if there is a satifcatory option? I guess that would open up a host of debates then of what people want when at the end of the day we have to choose the best of a bad lot (alright, the best of a really bad lot!).

Mind you - the funniest arguement I heard was 'ask me if I want to be killed by injection, or by firing squad - neither, I don't want to die!' I laughed my socks off, but I guess the guy had a point!  :lol:

Having said all of that - their is a line of thought that says that not voting is a democratic right. But then in a power vacuum, tyranny seems to prevail. Which isn't good! Maybe that shoudl serve as a warning against apathy.  :?

I don't know what to think, really (you may have gathered!), but I've rambled long enough! I'm glad the moddies and addies have allowed this debate - it's interesting. Good call, gents.

toodles
Boots

Dr Strangeglove:
Politicians should listen to their constituents rather than the party “whip”.  Surely being a member of a political party is detrimental to democracy.  With an MP that is part of a “party”, they are expected to vote in a certain way – the way of the “party” and not on behalf of their constituents – surely that is wrong.

If you ever meet a politician (if your unfortunate enough!) how many of you think they will actually listen to what you say!

This is the manifesto according to Dr Strangeglove!

No free rides:-
If you are on benefits you work for what you get (up to a reasonable amount for your circumstances).  This would not include taking jobs off employed people so it would have to be things that we don’t do at the moment (or haven’t the manpower to do well!).  Things as basic as cleaning public places, keeping things in a good state of order and helping those that need help.  Others would include pre-school sports (help the obesity problem, give parents that work a place to take their kids (or have their kids taken too! – another job!!)), helping the elderly, charities, etc. etc.

Immigration!
If you are illegal and it is decided that you are, you are out.  No appeals, no benefits and no welcome mat.
If you are a legal immigrant, then commit any significant crime and you are out.  No appeal unless you pay for it yourself!
Limited numbers (this would include refugees) that are sustainable.

Respect for the views of the people:-
Any vote going through parliament would be “pre-voted” by a panel of ordinary folk picked at random (a bit like jury service where you are given the facts before you vote - one panel per MP).  If the MP votes in a way against that of this panel then three strikes and they are out! and a by-election takes place.  (Sorry Skibum346, I had not read your part of the thread – I don’t want to steel your thunder!)

Stop banning things and pass a law giving all people the right to respect!

Give the Bobby’s more respect and let them do their job.  If it means a clip around the ear then fair play.  Take away the bureaucratic paperwork that keeps lawyers in a job and let them use a bit of common sense.  This would get rid of the “you can’t touch me, that’s assault” brigade.  It would have to be monitored and it would not be perfect (Bobby's are people and people make mistakes) but policing at the moment is a mistake as far as I can see (and not down to the Bobby’s).

If we need to be taxed then tax us on the level and stop doing it in an underhand way.  And stop the wealthy from avoiding tax by having a good accountant!

If we are going to go to war, tell us why (honestly), how much we expect it will cost, and how many lives will be lost and people injured!  When someone is killed or injured they are helped financially.  If we can’t afford this then we don’t go to war or we ask for volunteers that don’t mind the fact that we will treat them like second class citizens when they return (you won’t get many MP’s volunteering – what about their expenses??).

Stop giving MP’s the right to secrecy on expenses.  They managed to get that one out of the freedom of information act didn’t they!  How many of you would have voted for that one?

Start investing in our manufacturing industry.  The way it’s going at the moment we will all work in call centres or Tesco.

Stop the super markets taking over, and stop them taking the pee out of our farmers.

The list could go on and on, but let’s face it, we are not getting our moneys worth out of our current parliament!

To the people that say “if you don’t vote you don’t have the right to an opinion” I say this.  If you were asked “should theft be legal” and you were given the answers: a) yes, b) yes but only on Sundays or c) yes but only by people called David, how could you answer the question (unless you agreed with a, b, or c that is)?  Until you have a party where you feel you will be represented or listened too, how can you vote?  Every time you vote for one of the political parties they use it as a tool to say they are right!  If people must vote then their must be a “none of the above” box too.  Just because you have a choice does not mean you have a choice worth taking!

All this is just my opinion and I do not say I am right!

Just one point however!  I used to shoot pistols, and after the tragedy of Dunblane my sport was taken from me.  I can understand the outrage at what happened (I was outraged myself) but I was not involved and I believe it should have been prevented!  However, the media and the PC brigade turned a great deal of the public against me and my sport at that time and I believe that politicians used it as a vote winner.  What I am trying to say here is that hysteria/outrage can lead to bad decisions (whether you think this was a bad decision or not) and the next time it may be you (or the 4x4 owner) that is the brunt of their sales/vote winning tactics!  So giving everyone a say may not always produce the right decision.  It is very easy to alter someone’s rights if yours are not affected by the decision!

P.S. – Sorry to go on…….I get a bit wound up about politics……….Though you probably haven’t noticed!!

Boddle:

--- Quote from: "Evilgoat" ---
Bad news, it is now illegal to spoil a paper and I'm not sure how anonymous your vote is, certainly changes are afoot so that your vote is no longer anonymous

--- End quote ---


That in it's own sense is non-Democratic don't see the that it would possible to do that as the voting system would infringe data protection act surely.

But there again you also don't have to put a mark on the paper to.

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