Posts by Rich of Observationz
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At least in NZ, security firms don't strongarm their way into getting contracts. Well, I haven't heard of this - it seems standard practice overseas.
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I wonder at what point newspapers and television graduated from being all about printing presses and transmitters to just "content".
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brow-beaten into compliance in 1910/11
Well, after they (being an entirely hereditary, wholly unelected body) tried to thwart the actions of a government with a substantial popular majority based on a clear policy platform (income tax/social security and Irish home rule).
Not to mention the army acting in parallel to defeat those actions by mutiny.
It was the closest the UK has come to a coup since William of Orange.
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Exactly why I refuse to go to Big Day Out (and something which a lot of the media, who have access to VIP facilities, ignore).
I've been to festivals overseas where there are a range of bars with different operators (including the excellent Worker's Beer Company). If you look under age, you might be ID'd at the point of service, but there are no "beer ghettos" - once you've bought a drink you can carry it wherever you want.
This doesn't seem to lead to the breakdown of society.
Also, here in NZ, Pirongia races (at least up until 2006) had a bar, where you could buy beers to drink anywhere around the track, or you could BYO. Again, society didn't break down, and they didn't have license problems. (Possibly because there's one law for mainstream activities like horseracing and another for youth).
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If all that was wanted was to maintain a candidate-electorate link, it would be possible to conceive a proportional system with multi-member electorates and optional open lists.
In such a system, voters would either choose a party (and get their list rankings) or rank individual candidates within their electorate.
This would then be processed roughly as follows:
- the party lists are ranked, with "party only" voters being taken as approving the suggested list.
- seats are allocated using de Hondt or whatever
- optionally, seat allocations are adjusted to give proportionality on a national basis.This would enable people (if they chose) to have a say in which personalities got elected (like an instant run-off primary). It would also achieve proportionality. At the same time, it would allow for simple "one-tick" voting for those that wanted it.
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I don’t quite see the argument for STV (I’m not sure whether Graeme is making it or presenting it, barrister fashion).
If STV results in a similarly proportionate result to MMP, then it’s quite possible that the largest single party will fail to form the government because s different alignment of parties has gained more votes. That will leave the adherents of the largest party unhappy.
If it produces a disproportionate result, then some parties will have been disadvantaged. Their adherents will be unhappy.
Is the idea that STV provides a figleaf of proportionality, but doesn’t interfere with Labour and Nationals right to govern absolutely?
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not a single one of those voters will have voted for that government
No, over 50% (ignoring thresholds) of those voters will have voted for one of the parties making up that government, by definition. That to me is democracy, not electing a government that 60% of voters voted against, for instance. If voters don't like their parties coalition choices (as I suspect many Maori party voters do) then the remedy is to stop voting for them.
the supporters of the 'losing' party don't consider the 'winning' party the legitimate winner
That's always the case under any system. The Tea Party exists under FPP,
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Hard News: Holiday Open Thread 2:…, in reply to Craig Ranapia,
While I don't negotiate with terrorists
Are you often asked to, up there in Auckland?
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Hard News: Holiday Open Thread 2:…, in reply to Andre,
I think I saw a few of those aliens shopping in Porirua Pak and Save.
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Hard News: Holiday Open Thread 2:…, in reply to Jacqui Dunn,
I was told as a kid that if I didn't pass (UK) 'O' level German I would wind up as a dustman. I didn't and haven't.
I'm fairly convinced that the unhappiness caused by being 'pushed' impacted my career prospects much more than any lack of qualifications. Parents, don't do it. If the kid's smart, they'll be able to catch up on qualifications when they need to.