Reply to topic  [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3
Alternative Votes: your thoughts 
Author Message
Legend
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
Reply with quote
l3v1ck wrote:
PR is silly.
A) you'd never get a majority government.
B) extremists like the bnp may actually get a seat.

You can get a cut off below which they cannot get a seat. Also as much as I hate the BNP if they get a seat it will be because the government has failed the constituency. Why do you think that they did so well in council elections a few years ago? Government has to deal with the issues or there will be BNP winning seats.

_________________
Do concentrate, 007...

"You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds."

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTk

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21


Tue Jan 18, 2011 5:58 pm
Profile
I haven't seen my friends in so long
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm
Posts: 5836
Reply with quote
l3v1ck wrote:
PR is silly.

Sillier than a system where a party's number of seats has nothing to do with its share of the vote?

In 2005:

Labour won 55.2% of seats with 35.2% of votes
Tories won 30.7% of seats with 32.4% of votes
LibDem won 9.6% of seats with 22% of votes
UKIP won 0% of seats with 2.2% of votes

In 2010:

Labour won 39.7% of seats with 29.0% of the vote
Tories won 47.1% of seats with 36.1% of votes
LibDem won 8.8% of seats with 23.0% of votes
UKIP won 0% of seats with 3.1% of votes

That can't possibly be described as democratic representation, surely?

l3v1ck wrote:
A) you'd never get a majority government.

And?

Majority governments are, by definition, an elected dictatorship that cannot be restrained except by internal rebellion. The opposition cannot, even with unanimity, vote down the executive without significant help from government rebels.

To have a system where, most of the time, the executive is unrestrained by Parliament cannot be anything other than a dangerous, ludicrous and totally undemocratic state of affairs.

l3v1ck wrote:
B) extremists like the bnp may actually get a seat.

That's very easy to deal with using thresholds.

_________________
Jim

Image


Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:28 pm
Profile
What's a life?
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
Reply with quote
rustybucket wrote:
That's very easy to deal with using thresholds.


Or a shotgun. Either works.

_________________
www.alexsmall.co.uk

Charlie Brooker wrote:
Windows works for me. But I'd never recommend it to anybody else, ever.


Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:37 pm
Profile
I haven't seen my friends in so long
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2009 5:10 pm
Posts: 5836
Reply with quote
ProfessorF wrote:
rustybucket wrote:
That's very easy to deal with using thresholds.


Or a shotgun. Either works.

Now now - naughty naughty.

;)

_________________
Jim

Image


Tue Jan 18, 2011 11:42 pm
Profile
What's a life?
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 10:21 am
Posts: 12700
Location: The Right Side of the Pennines (metaphorically & geographically)
Reply with quote
Quote:
And?
And you'd always get a Lib/Lab coalition government with over 50%.
They'd treat the public with contempt knowing they wouldn't be voted out, much like Labour did when they had a large majority.
At the moment, the most popular party in any election has a reasonable chance of winning. That's as it should be.

_________________
pcernie wrote:
'I'm going to snort this off your arse - for the benefit of government statistics, of course.'


Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:05 pm
Profile WWW
I haven't seen my friends in so long
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 6:06 pm
Posts: 6355
Location: IoW
Reply with quote
I'd like to say the weaker coalition party will temper the stronger party's more controversial leanings. However, the current coalition of tyrants and sellouts has pretty much killed off that notion.

_________________
Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes; after that, who cares?! He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!


Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:23 pm
Profile
Legend
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
Reply with quote
Spreadie wrote:
I'd like to say the weaker coalition party will temper the stronger party's more controversial leanings. However, the current coalition of tyrants and sellouts has pretty much killed off that notion.

It will probably be more of a two party state in future. The Lib Dems could take a generation to come back from this period in power.

_________________
Do concentrate, 007...

"You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds."

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTk

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21


Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:01 pm
Profile
What's a life?
User avatar

Joined: Thu Apr 23, 2009 7:56 pm
Posts: 12030
Reply with quote
Amnesia10 wrote:
The Lib Dems could take a generation to come back from this period in power.


Sadly the same can't be said about the people who're actually calling the shots, the Tories.

_________________
www.alexsmall.co.uk

Charlie Brooker wrote:
Windows works for me. But I'd never recommend it to anybody else, ever.


Wed Jan 19, 2011 8:15 pm
Profile
Legend
User avatar

Joined: Fri Apr 24, 2009 2:02 am
Posts: 29240
Location: Guantanamo Bay (thanks bobbdobbs)
Reply with quote
ProfessorF wrote:
Amnesia10 wrote:
The Lib Dems could take a generation to come back from this period in power.


Sadly the same can't be said about the people who're actually calling the shots, the Tories.

Actually I think what they are doing to the NHS might actually do that to them. Karma.

_________________
Do concentrate, 007...

"You are gifted. Mine is bordering on seven seconds."

https://www.dropbox.com/referrals/NTg5MzczNTk

http://astore.amazon.co.uk/wwwx404couk-21


Wed Jan 19, 2011 11:04 pm
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Reply to topic   [ 39 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 62 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group
Designed by ST Software.