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Previously on "oh dear: Hoon calls for compulsory voting"

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  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    Voting should be compulsory in Britain as a way of ending political alienation, restoring community and addressing the dangerous issue of "serial non-voters"
    Yes, this is really the solution to political alienation and restoring the community.
    Yet again it NL fail to address the real issue. The main reason people are politically alienated is because politicians are spin masters lacking any substance.

    In this country we have historically enjoyed personal liberty. This is yet another example of NL attempting to erode the fabric of our democracy.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    attendance

    > Geoff Hoon didn't call for COMPULSORY VOTING. What he
    > called for was compulsory ATTENDANCE at a polling station.

    Turning up or attendance in this respect is getting voting papers in the poll booth, naturally after that people will vote by either following procedure or spoiling the paper.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    No he didn't. He called for compulsory ATTENDANCE

    Excuse me

    Geoff Hoon didn't call for COMPULSORY VOTING. What he called for was compulsory ATTENDANCE at a polling station.

    Now I know this might sound like splitting hairs but if you're going to denounce a politician as a buffoon and/or a purveyor of unworkable policies (and hey, why not, and lets face it there are fewer more deserving cases than Hoon) then please get the charge sheet right before putting on the black cap to pronounce sentence.

    Mind you, I think all that ssuch a measure will do is reduce the amount of revenue collected by the returning officer,

    Think about it a minute.

    Back in the late 70's I voted for "The Official Bring A Bottle Party Candidate" because I couldn't bring myself to vote for Sunny Jim Callaghan and alas Miss Whiplash had pulled out at the last minute despite canvassing for my support at my front door (which is more than any mainstream party politician has ever bothered to do then or since)

    However, they all lost their deposit through lack of support as Jim Callaghan roared past them to claim the seat and .. a humiliating defeat in the country.

    Now is Hoon pressures thousands upon thousands of pissed off electors into walking into the polling station, they're gonna do one of three things :-

    1. Vote for someone just to piss off Geoff Hoon,
    2. Trash the polling station for something to do, or
    3) Possibly both 1 and 2

    However, all those carrying out task (1) will almost certainly boost the "any of the alternatives to the tosspot on the all woman shortlist" vote, and thereby drastically reduce the income from failed election seekers.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    Re: Well he would

    Currently the fine is about ₤20
    Blimey, you could buy a new car over here for that - how many oz dollars to the pound?

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    Well he would

    As it increases the labour vote. Oz has "compulsory" voting. It is mandatory to register at a polling booth otherwise one gets a fine. It is however perfectly legal to register then return a virgin ballot paper, thus one doesn't actually ahve to vote merely turn up. A distinction that is beyond most people. Currently the fine is about ₤20 - a deterrent to your average labour voting chav but not you high paid tory contractor.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    I'd like to see a law whereby the defence minister is forced to postpone his holidays on the eve of a major invasion.
    Excellent datestamp. I'd like to hear someone put this to Mr Hoon.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    Interesting. I'd like to see a law whereby the defence minister is forced to postpone his holidays on the eve of a major invasion. But it will never happen (either idea).............

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    It is to laugh

    "Stops cases like the US where a well organised minority (Christian right) have hugely dispropotional influence on national politics."

    Stop cases like the UK where a well organised minority (Labour voters) have hugely disproportional influence on national politics

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    I would have no problem with it as long as the last option on the card was "None of the above" and if that option was picked by the majority they had to keep redoing the election till someone came along that a majority actually felt worth voteing for.

    Especially if it gave us a little box to say why

    "Because they are all unprincipled lieing two faced gits"

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    If they ever did introduce it I suspect some egos would be pricked - lots of those who don't vote have a positive aversion to the slimeballs - sure some votes would materialise from those missing but there'd be a lot of spoiled papers.

    I currently vote in general elections only - I'd spoil all my papers if they made it compulsory.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    I'm all for it - they do it in Australia and it works there. Don't vote then pay a fine, don't want to vote then go along and spoil your paper. In an ideal world, if we could ensure it was secure, you should be able to vote on the net, just to make it that bit easier.

    Stops cases like the US where a well organised minority (Christian right) have hugely dispropotional influence on national politics.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    I could accept compulsory voting on condition that all ballot papers carry a "Re Open Nominations" option.
    If RON wins then the previous candidates are disqualified from running.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    I think geoff hoon has a keyboard in his back and people just type in what they want him to say.

    Maybe they should examine the reasons why nobody votes, instead of wagging their finger at the electorate.

    If people stop voting its becuase nobody sees any need to vote anymore, which would be considered a failure in the democratic process. Thats the fault of the government not the electorate.

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    How does compulsory voting end "political alienation". Surely forcing me to do something that I don't want to do creates alienation, not remove it?

    tim

    Leave a comment:


  • Guest's Avatar
    Guest replied
    Who listens to Geoff Hoon?

    Leave a comment:

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