To vote or not to vote.

[mk1]

With a 'man-of-the-people' in the wings waiting for the call................

[Inspector Knacker]

There's always a man of the people waiting in the wings......ready to tell you he isn't a politician and his followers aren't a party.

[Jamescampbell78]

Couple of POSSIBLE (no comment on realism of liklihood here) scenarios.

Local election like the upcoming one here. Turnout is ridiculously low (under 100 voters).

Parliament could be asked to review what is going on in the Borough for turnout to be so low. Could lead to an investigation of the council and/or the electoral process in Hartlepool. Would definitely expose on a national level that all is not well.

General Election and turnout is very low, say under 5%. I don't think this has ever happened in a modern democracy but given we have a parliamentary monarchy, in theory the Queen should dissolve parliament or refuse to allow parliement to be convened by the winner (if there is one) of the election because the majority obtained is not a true reflection of the nations will.

Given that the monarchy is essentially self serving and as corrupt as the government I wouldn't like to say what would happen in real life but in an ideal world this scenario should lead to electoral reform.

If reform is the way forward one of the things I've always said should be first on a reform agenda is to make political parties of all kinds illegal. I'd also make donating anything to serving elected politicians illegal both for the giver and the recipient. MP's would be entitled to a wage paid by the state based on performance metrics around how well they serve their constituency e.g. Employment rates, economic output, crime etc as well as how well they perform any front bench role.

I'd also suggest a maximum term in office for MP's.

This, although nowhere near perfect may drive some of the right behaviours. However reform of any sort won't happen until the system is seen to be broken and corrupt beyond doubt.

[dowager]

couldn't put it better myself ...

[Jamescampbell78]

Tells you a lot about a site when you post one of the first well reasoned and thought out replies on a thread and get "smited" twice.

[The Great Dictator]

There is two clear scenarios here................

If everyone votes you get 33 councillors.

If nobody votes you get 33 councillors.

Its called democracy 

[mk1]

You got them yesterday-when you were dishing them out. Nothing to do with your reply today.

[HarryBlackwood]

Slightly wrong Mr Close.

What you end up with is 33 useless, self serving councillors who are doing it for the wrong reasons. You'd know about that.

James is spot on. Change the system. We can only do that by withdrawing our mandate.

What we have is not democracy. .

[DRiddle]

Harry, and the other 'don't vote' people.

I'll just make the statement earlier on this issue. The one that no one has answered.

Show me ANY political system through the history of our planet that has been overthrown and replaced by ANYTHING OTHER than ......... a new political system of one form or another.

As long as people have walked the Earth there's been some kind of 'system'. There's ALWAYS a system.

Jesus, haven't you read 'Lord of the Flies'?

[Jamescampbell78]

Apologies, didn't realise it worked like that. Thought it was an individual rating on the comment.

Have I been dishing them out? I'm sure I've applauded quite a few people but must have only smited one or two.

[DRiddle]

Simon Evans explains why NOT voting won't work and why they'll never be a revolution in England.

It took him about 4 minutes...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIL8F53V4yY

[Jamescampbell78]

David,

Glad you could take time off from the campaign trail, the posters PHF are promoting on Facebook don't actually verbalise it but imply you're standing in Hart, hope that's true.

I'm assuming you've posted a video but all I can see is empty space on my phone (a bit like the boxes on my voting card). Will look on the PC later.

[Jamescampbell78]

There's ALWAYS a system. Non voting is a tactic in getting rid of the current one that's corrupted and broken beyond use.

Enough people stop voting and the cretins in charge will even start pretending to clean their system up as a defence mechanism.

[HarryBlackwood]

Riddle. You asking people to answer questions? You have no shame.

Here's one. You standing in Hart?

[Jamescampbell78]

David,

Seen this before - He's quite right, a huge majority of people are effectively anaesthetised.  The proof is acknowledged in my blog post on another thread.

However - People are waking up, slowly.  Accepting his point and not trying to wake people up to the reality is giving in to what they want, as is participating in the game under their rules by voting.

By the way, that Hart Ward image being bandied about the net.....You standing in Hart then?