rant overload

[lobelia321]

Yesterday Bin Laden, today AV. It seems there is endless rantage to go round; one doesn't even have to stick to one rant-topic for longer than a day.

AV, for them as don't live in t'UK, means alternative vote, and is a non-first-past-the-post system of voting wot we are all being referendumed on this Thursday.

Oh, and apparently IT KILLS BABIES.

Yes, a new voting system in the UK will KILL BABIES. Trufax.

Me, I'm German. And in Germany we have proportional representation. And proportional representations is what I like. T'h said an interesting thing this morning. He said, "The British don't want to vote for a list. They want to vote for an individual whom they can trust." Me: "But I like the non-individual focus of proportional representation. I don't think a democracy should be built around individuals and personality cults. I like voting for principles and ideologies: for a party." T'h: "The British are sceptical of ideologies. They don't want to vote for them." Me: "So that's why they don't want to introduce proportional representation! But this strange AV system of first choice, second choice etc." (Wot they also have in Australia where t'h hails from.)

And everyone knows: in Australia, when they vote, they KILL BABIES.

Comments

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Hello! *waves* All these things happening are making me tired. Although that might be lack of sleep, now I think about it. Hmm.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

No. It's things happening. Sleep a lot. You'll still feel tired.

It's a PLOT.

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

Yes, this is what I think. I'd quite like to go on holiday to a place where nothing, absolutely nothing, is happening. Guaranteed.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

The moon?

Saffron Walden??

[miso-no-tsuki.livejournal.com]

"They want to vote for an individual whom they can trust."
I think I see a little problem there...
As Max Headroom says: How do you tell when a politician is lying?
Their lips move.
I'm seriously considering NOT voting for the first time in my life.Don't trust any of 'em. Don't believe any of 'em either.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Indeed!! Anyway, I think despite the blahblah about 'candidates' and so forth, most people vote for a party anyway, not an individual. I myself have no idea of the names before me when I turn up for local council elections; I just put my cross next to the party I want to have in there.

[viva-gloria.livejournal.com]

the only problem with t'h's explanation is that anyone with half a brain won't trust any of the candidates.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Indeed!! Which means people vote for parties, anyway, no matter what is blahblahed about 'candidates' and stand-up comedians televised political debates. For one, when I show up to my council election, I have no idea of the names there half the time; I just choose the party, no matter the name.

[msilverstar]

We just started AV, and the Mayor of Oakland was elected with second-choice votes: she was not the first past the post but she was less hated than the other candidate. Local newspaper columnists are still boggling.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

Oh, so AV exists in the US at a local level??! How very, very interesting. The anti-AV lobby in the UK claims that nobody, but absolutely nobody (except for a few weirdoes in Australia and a few pigeon shit countries whom the UK ignores) chooses with a free will to have AV. So I say: aha!

Less hated. That's about the most we can hope for. I'd be interested in the newspaper columnists, though.

[msilverstar]

Don Perata concedes Oakland mayor's race to Quan quote from the loser

Oakland ranked ballot: Least-hated tops most-liked (pissy columnist #1)

Ranked choice a rank choice for elections (pissy columnist #2)

On the perils of 'Instant runoff' voting: A blindfold and a dartboard (pissy newspaper editor oped)

The Real Story on Ranked Choice Voting in Oakland’s Mayoral Election, 2010 (pro-ranked choice group statement)

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

I love this, thank you! I had no idea that AV/RCV was used in local elections in the US anywhere. Who knows were else it is used? The no-campaign in the UK likes to claim that nobody has it or wants it (besides the baby-killing, of course). The ranting is also interesting! I liked best the admission of the candidate himself (!) that he did not understand his own voting system...!!

[andraste-oz.livejournal.com]

I myself kill babies every time I vote. MOAR DEAD BABIES, I SAYS.

This is the reason I voted 'no' in our referendum on whether Australia should kick out the monarchy and be a republic; not because I am a monarchist, but because the system they were proposing for a republic was one where the people elect the leader, rather than the party doing so. I could see it becoming an American-style system where the individual who has the most bucks has the best chance of manipulating the system and hiring smart publicists and the cult of personality sways people. I don't want that.

[lobelia321.livejournal.com]

AV = the King Herod of voting system!! Kill, baby, kill, I say.

I am so for not voting directly for the head of state. In Germany, we have a president who is not chosen by the people. He is lovely! (I've met him! I shook his hand!) I heard a very sensible exposition of the Australian system this morning on the radio by some Australian commentators who, unusually, seemed to know what they were talking about, gave facts and stats, and discussed the disadvantages as well as the advantages. Thank you, well-informed, non-ranting people!!!