The Political Thread

[JayzusB.Christ]

All that would happen in such a scenario is that the people who organise voting buses - usually right-wing parties - would win in a landslide result

Yep, that's the problem with not voting.  Someone will still win.  In Ireland, at least, all major parties are comprised mainly of bumbling buffoons and / or shady semi-gangsters, but some more than others.  For me, voting is picking the best of a bad lot, and at the very least doing my bit to keep Fianna Fáil's* oafish hands off the economy before they can do any more damage.

*Irish political party who played a massive part in ruining the country, and who for some reason people seem to be still voting for.

[JayzusB.Christ]

See that Tianenmen Square explosion?  If I was still living down the street from it (as I was for a couple of months last summer), I wouldn't have heard of it.  In fact, nothing of interest ever happened in Tianenmen Square, apparently

[TordelBack]

All that would happen in such a scenario is that the people who organise voting buses - usually right-wing parties - would win in a landslide result

Yep, that's the problem with not voting.  Someone will still win.

Or as someone wise put it, if you don't vote you double the value of some other bastard's vote.

[Frank]

See that Tianenmen Square explosion?  If I was still living down the street from it (as I was for a couple of months last summer), I wouldn't have heard of it.  In fact, nothing of interest ever happened in Tianenmen Square, apparently

I'm surprised you hear about any acts of political dissent or governmental corruption, Jayzus. Your quiescent print media is censored and silenced by exactly the kind of charter body which the brave Tommies of the UK press are about to go into battle against, to save readers from being squashed under the jackboot of fascism.

Good job Dave Cameron's close ties to Newscorp mean he would never intrude on the freedom of the press.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I'm surprised you hear about any acts of political dissent or governmental corruption, Jayzus. Your quiescent print media is censored and silenced by exactly the kind of charter body which the brave Tommies of the UK press are about to go into battle against, to save readers from being squashed under the jackboot of fascism.

I've been home in Ireland for the last year; but you're still not far off the mark (a blasphemy law was passed in 2009, for fuxake).  And just to link the themes of my double posting antics:

I like Russell Brand and respect many of his views, but the idea that apathy on the part of the electorate paves the way to revolution just does not wash with me.

As much as I could gather from my short time in Beijing, the Chinese culture of political apathy plays a large part in allowing their government to do what it does.  And it pretty much does as it pleases - corruption is rife; government officials roll in money while small-town kids walk ten miles to school, and generally speaking it is either not known about or tolerated. 

Small-scale protests do occasionally occur in Tianenmen Square and near government buildings, but the protestors are generally taken away without fuss (and definitely without any media coverage), presumeably for 're-education'.

So sorry, Russell, if you want to see what political apathy leads to, take a look at how the megalomania of the Chinese government has spiralled out of control.  At the very least, the fact that we can use our vote gives our governments cause to consider our opinions if they want to stay in power. 

[The Prodigal]

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2013/10/robert-webb-re-joins-labour-protest-russell-brand

Interesting response.

[JayzusB.Christ]

when you end a piece about politics with the injunction 'I will never vote and I don't think you should either', then you're actively telling a lot of people that engagement with our democracy is a bad idea. That just gives politicians the green light to neglect the concerns of young people because they've been relieved of the responsibility of courting their vote.

'They're all the same' is what reactionaries love to hear. It leaves the status quo serenely untroubled, it cedes the floor to the easy answers of Ukip and the Daily Mail. No, if you want to be a nuisance to the people whom you most detest in public life, vote.

Now that's more like it.  I'm going to see Russell Brand's show in a couple of weeks, and he was great the last time I saw him, but on this issue I'm fighting with Bob Webb block.

[Professor Bear]

Though the blood of thousands of innocents is a stain that's hard to get out, Webb is right that Labour did a lot of good while in power.  I recall being unemployed when the government changed hands and things turned nasty overnight for the jobless to the point that today the British courts ruled that what went on was unlawful.  Yes, I know - forcing people to work without payment is apparently illegal.  Who knew?

I would like to like Russel brand, but he's a knob.  That time he found his patter wasn't working on a makeup lady on one of his films so he held up production for hours until she showed him her breasts - or he'd walk off the film and make sure she never worked again?  He was kind of a hard sell for me after that.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I think you could make an argument that a least a few people that do vote aren't really engaging in democracy, just abdicating responsibility by complacently ticking a box every few years. In a real democracy everyone's opinion has to count, even if they have the opinion that no one deserves their vote, otherwise it's meaningless.

Anyways, the energy companies, does anyone think they'll be charged with price fixing under existing laws, or will we just have another completely unnecessary enquiry at the public's expense?

[Professor Bear]

The second one.  All expenses paid, naturally.

[JOE SOAP]

At the very least, the fact that we can use our vote gives our governments cause to consider our opinions if they want to stay in power.

Then they turn around and ignore every promise that got them elected i.e. every Irish government. Voting: damned if you do, damned if you don't. It's unfortunate that in our current education system and body politic the ideal of 'rule of the people' has been reduced to the idea of ticking a box next to the name of some local gombeen every 4 years. Our current 'democracy' is the furthest thing from that ideal as the only contribution by the people that matters to government is tax and the musical-chairs of assorted bribes and burglaries that accompanies it every year on budget day.

I know plenty of people who don't vote but aren't in the least bit apathetic but I know plenty who do vote that are. None of them are Russell Brand. To vote or not to vote matters little if the people are either clueless or apathetic anyway.

[Frank]

I know plenty of people who don't vote but aren't in the least bit apathetic but I know plenty who do vote that are. None of them are Russell Brand. To vote or not to vote matters little if the people are either clueless or apathetic anyway.

WHAT KIND OF RULER WOULD YOU BE?

My own result - 86% Big Brother. My people are like children, easily led and unsure of what is in their best interests.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I know plenty of people who don't vote but aren't in the least bit apathetic but I know plenty who do vote that are. None of them are Russell Brand. To vote or not to vote matters little if the people are either clueless or apathetic anyway.

WHAT KIND OF RULER WOULD YOU BE?

My own result - 86% Big Brother. My people are like children, easily led and unsure of what is in their best interests.

Anarchist.  This is what I get for reading Noam Chomsky and Alan Moore.

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

Authoritarian/Dictator-put your hands in the air and prepare to be judged!

[Theblazeuk]

I would like to like Russel brand, but he's a knob.  That time he found his patter wasn't working on a makeup lady on one of his films so he held up production for hours until she showed him her breasts - or he'd walk off the film and make sure she never worked again?  He was kind of a hard sell for me after that.

"That [widely reported] story," says Connolly evenly, "is a total invention. A complete fabrication. It's total bollocks. It never happened. Russell was very well-behaved, and I found him very interesting."

Or at least says big Yin.