The Political Thread

[Richmond Clements]

Now, I may not be a fan of his comedy, but by grud, Russel Brand has a fierce intelligence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YR4CseY9pk#t=44

Yeah, he wrecks my head, but he's as smart and as charismatic as it gets.  Every time I see or read him I think better of him, which is not a usual state of affairs.

Caught this on Newsnight the other day, and had to turn down the sound until the interview was over. The man's unbearable.

Nice to see you coming into it with an open mind.

[Spikes]

Much like your post, i found him predictable, and halfway through i voted with my volume control.

[Richmond Clements]

Much like your post, i found him predictable

I don't know what this means.

[CrazyFoxMachine]

Judge Jack do.... posts have sound for you?

You might have to get your computer looked at!

[JamesC]

I don't think he's against voting per se, just that he's against voting for something that you don't actually believe in just because those are the only choices available.

Speaking as someone who doesn't vote when it comes to personalities I presume the problem is most people who do vote tend to believe or swallow what they vote for.

My stance in the last couple of local elections was to go to the voting booth and write 'there's no one worth voting for' on the ballot.
My understanding is that this has to be counted and becomes part of the pie chart (counted as a spoiled vote).
When they count up the votes, even if only 5 percent of the population votes they can say - Conservatives (or whoever) won 70% of the vote (but that's only 70% of the 5% that voted). If everyone who doesn't vote spoiled their balot instead it would be more like - Conservative 7%, labour 5%, Lib Dems 3%, Spoiled votes 85%!

[Jim_Campbell]

If everyone who doesn't vote spoiled their balot instead it would be more like - Conservative 7%, labour 5%, Lib Dems 3%, Spoiled votes 85%!

And whoever got the most votes, even if it was just one vote, would still win. I'm a staunch advocate of adding a "None of the above" or "No confidence" option to the bottom of the ballot paper. In fact, once that was in place, I'd make voting compulsory.

Cheers

Jim

[Jim_Campbell]

Now, I may not be a fan of his comedy, but by grud, Russel Brand has a fierce intelligence.

A rather vigorous response to Brand's New Statesman piece:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/robin-lustig/russell-brand-not-only-dangerous_b_4155341.html

Cheers

Jim

[JamesC]

If everyone who doesn't vote spoiled their balot instead it would be more like - Conservative 7%, labour 5%, Lib Dems 3%, Spoiled votes 85%!

And whoever got the most votes, even if it was just one vote, would still win. I'm a staunch advocate of adding a "None of the above" or "No confidence" option to the bottom of the ballot paper. In fact, once that was in place, I'd make voting compulsory.

Cheers

Jim

That's right, but within the current system, if there were a large enough percentage of people that were shown as willing voters but not alligned to any party surely it would encourage parties to try to gain their votes by targetting their needs?
I agree that a 'none of the above' option is preferable though. I wonder if anyone has tried to implement this via the governments 'start a petition' system.

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

If everyone who doesn't vote spoiled their balot instead it would be more like - Conservative 7%, labour 5%, Lib Dems 3%, Spoiled votes 85%!

And whoever got the most votes, even if it was just one vote, would still win. I'm a staunch advocate of adding a "None of the above" or "No confidence" option to the bottom of the ballot paper. In fact, once that was in place, I'd make voting compulsory.

Cheers

Jim

That gets my vote Jim.

As for Russell Brand criticizing the current power institutions? Hardly mind-blowing insight, but it needed to be said, and it needs to be said again and again and again (although, maybe without the insipid whimsy), until those out of touch fuckwits start listening. It would be easy to criticize Brand for not really offering any solutions or alternatives, but he's not standing for election (thank fuck) and the people who are aren't offering solutions or alternatives either. I think that's why you shouldn't vote. The people asking for your vote, so they can get a good salary, a free gaff and expenses, aren't really offering you anything in return.

Those colonials had it right back in 1776. By the people for the people ( I love that episode of Star Trek where Kirk pisses all over the prime directive and starts lecturing an alien culture about the Declaration of Independence).

In other news, Barry Obama has proven he has a decent singing voice, so maybe he should consider offering a rendition of this song.

[Old Tankie]

Always voted.  Always voted Tory............... but not anymore.  Dave's got no chance at the next Election.  There are plenty of places in the world where you can't vote, I wonder if they're better off?  I don't think so. 

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

I can, and do, take part in the democratic process, I spoil my vote. As Mr Campbell pointed out, there's no 'none of the above' option. That's basically the political institution telling me that my choice can only be valid if I agree with one of their political narratives. I shouldn't feel privileged to be allowed to vote, the government should feel privileged to get my vote. I would love to vote for a politician that I can agree with, but none currently exist, and if I want to vote against an incumbent I don't agree with, I should have an option other than voting for another politician I don't agree with and to whom I can't relate.

[Frank]

Barry Obama has proven he has a decent singing voice, so maybe he should consider offering a rendition of this song.

Arf! Ange should record an answer song. Regarding Brand, there's obviously something substantial missing from the heart of his argument, but if he was peddling a five step recovery and reform programme the general public would be just as reluctant to give him an airing as they are when any of the figure heads of the established parties starts banging on about hard working families and QE.

The reason folk are prepared to listen to him is because - like Farage - he doesn't talk or act in the incredibly mannered and obscure fashion of the political class. Brand was poncing around the Occupy demos in London, saying he just wanted to understand what it was that had involved folk enough for them to take to the streets. The one thing seasoned commentators can agree upon with regard to that movement is that - like Brand - it had no singular aim or agreed plan of action.

Most analysts presented that as a weakness, but political operators more astute and better connected than Brand will have noted the inarticulate rage and vague demand that something's got to change, to which he's now giving a voice. The mathematics of Britain's arcane electoral system probably means that kind of protest vote can't swing more than one or two seats in parliament, but that might not be the case somewhere like austerity Spain - where youth unemployment is 56%.

[Ancient Otter]

All this talk of spoiled votes reminds me of a novel I read a review of a few years ago. The gist of it was there was a national election and nobody turned up to vote because the public was so disillusioned with any parties candidates thus causing a national crisis. I think it was a Spanish or Portuguese novel but for the life of me I can't remember the title, sorry folks.

[Professor Bear]

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, or someone's joke/protest candidate would win.  I recall there was some hilarity in the 1990s when people started insisting that Irish television celebrity Dustin Hoffman (no, not that one, this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dustin_the_Turkey ) run for office, and apparently to this day thousands of people in Ireland still deliberately spoil their ballots by doing him as a write-in candidate.

[JamesC]

I'm generally amazed at the number of people that seem to forget the Tories didn't actually win the last election.
The Lib Dems have really screwed up in the coalition - they now seem to barely register on the public consciousness.