AV (uh-oh, politics)
Mar. 25th, 2011 06:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
andygatesSo, Westminster and this AV lark. I'm all for it. I'd be more for full-on PR, but AV will do for now.
The arguments for AV? Mainly that it gives a fairer representation of the will of the electorate, which is, after all, the point of having an election in the first place.
First-past-the-post, the existing system, is simple and traditional and... um. That's about it.
"But we'll end up with more coalitions!" isn't a mature objection: objecting to all coalitions because you don't like this one is like objecting to a baker's because you don't like one particular cake. I don't like the current coalition. People say coalitions never do anything, they just stall and bicker: well, this one sure is doing stuff. Stuff I dislike, but stuff. The "AV = coalitions = stagnation" argument is false.
"But the nutters will get in!" well, yes, but your thin wedge of sanity is my nutter; for every Green there's an Nazi and that's just the way fringes are. People hold fringe opinions. Those opinions deserve representation no less than the mainstream. Remember, we're electing MPs, not gods, and they are still beholden to the expert-steered beasts of the Committees. Plus, I like the idea that the minority communities have more power: I'm not too scared of a Burnley bigot to empower the various immigrants and happy mutants we cherish.
"But AV isn't proper PR!" No, it's not, but it's better than nothing. Don't think you'll have another shot at this in a couple of years -- this will be the one chance we have at fundamental system change. Once we get AV, there is precedent for change and the thing can be tuned. First, get away from FPTP.
So I'm for AV. Here endeth the pol-blog.
The arguments for AV? Mainly that it gives a fairer representation of the will of the electorate, which is, after all, the point of having an election in the first place.
First-past-the-post, the existing system, is simple and traditional and... um. That's about it.
"But we'll end up with more coalitions!" isn't a mature objection: objecting to all coalitions because you don't like this one is like objecting to a baker's because you don't like one particular cake. I don't like the current coalition. People say coalitions never do anything, they just stall and bicker: well, this one sure is doing stuff. Stuff I dislike, but stuff. The "AV = coalitions = stagnation" argument is false.
"But the nutters will get in!" well, yes, but your thin wedge of sanity is my nutter; for every Green there's an Nazi and that's just the way fringes are. People hold fringe opinions. Those opinions deserve representation no less than the mainstream. Remember, we're electing MPs, not gods, and they are still beholden to the expert-steered beasts of the Committees. Plus, I like the idea that the minority communities have more power: I'm not too scared of a Burnley bigot to empower the various immigrants and happy mutants we cherish.
"But AV isn't proper PR!" No, it's not, but it's better than nothing. Don't think you'll have another shot at this in a couple of years -- this will be the one chance we have at fundamental system change. Once we get AV, there is precedent for change and the thing can be tuned. First, get away from FPTP.
So I'm for AV. Here endeth the pol-blog.
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no subject
Date: 2011-05-17 12:21 pm (UTC)No matter who wins the government always gets in.
Promises are 90% crap. Promises to electorates are 99% crap.
To seal the deal to get into parliaments, they all have to suck up to each other, the wankers slide in on the party lists (or equivalent) and everyone is trading votes/forming ranks and still have to vote with party policy which is nailed out ahead of time by the behind the scenes folks.
Anything important is too politically or commercial sensitive, or just to real for journo's to handle let alone get correct and thus everything becomes a media circus a la' US.
Joined the Freemasons a few years back and get to bump shoulders with a few behind the scenes folks. Scary, damn scary. Seldom have the unknowing & unwilling been led so fully by the completely ignorant. Some of those folks make Creationists seem like scholars.