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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 19:17 
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Gogmagog

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Christine wrote:
MaliA wrote:
My fear is, and I consider it to be a proper one, is that people will rank all candidates, from 1-5 and then candidate 3 gets in through being the third best choice "If we can't have X or Y, then we might as well have Z". And I don't think that is an accurate representation of democracy. I'll probably be able to articulate this to you better come next week or so, but the hang-up I have over the whole thing is that those that want to change the system stand most to benefit from such a change.


That's not how it works. Your third place choice is only counted if your first and second choices are eliminated from the race as a result of them not getting enough votes.


Apologies, I didn't articulate that terribly well. My fear is that people will say "Well, if Candidate A doesn't get in, then I think Candidate B would be the next best option, and if not them, then Candidate C". I suppose my problem lies within people, rather than the system.

Christine wrote:
AV isn't a compromise vote. It's a vote that allows you to support minority candidates without losing all ability to express a preference between majority candidates.


I'm completely on board with that, just somewhat suspicious of it.

What would happen if Party A stood 2 candidates for election in a constituency, with an instruction of "Vote for A, then B"?

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 19:30 
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But with AV you don't HAVE to express a preference for 2nd choice, do you?

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 19:35 
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Mr Russell wrote:
But with AV you don't HAVE to express a preference for 2nd choice, do you?


My fear is that people will.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 19:38 
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Gogmagog

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MaliA wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
But with AV you don't HAVE to express a preference for 2nd choice, do you?


My fear is that people will.


Insofar as

"i'd like A, but B wouldn't be so bad, would it, and C as a third"

Where B and C are quite the opposite of A.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 20:11 
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But people are doing that now, except by tactical voting. They're saying "I really like A, but let's face it, he'll never get in. Same for B, really. So I guess I vote C to stop D getting in."

And voila: the two-party system.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 20:16 
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Christine wrote:
But people are doing that now, except by tactical voting. They're saying "I really like A, but let's face it, he'll never get in. Same for B, really. So I guess I vote C to stop D getting in."

And voila: the two-party system.


But because everyone thinks that, the same old people kept getting in. I mean turnout is about what, 20-25%?

It was only through those fucking EXCELLENT live TV debates that we got anything close to a change this time around.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 20:47 
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Mr Russell wrote:
It was only through those fucking EXCELLENT live TV debates that we got anything close to a change this time around.


I'm going to side with Baron Mandelson, of Foy in the County of Herefordshire and of Hartlepool in the County of Durham and agree with him that the TV debates did really take valuable time and energy away from the real campaign of going door to door and what-not. I think they were a waste of time.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 20:49 
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You loon.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 20:57 
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MaliA wrote:
I think they were a waste of time.


Not as a big a waste of time as the 90 minutes I spent in a Virginian motel watching the US Vice-Presidential debates in 2008. Other than that, the politics geek in me was loving touring that state during the last month of the US election campaign. I'll never forget the huge crowds in Petersburg around the Democrats' stand, and the more or less complete lack of interest in the Republicans.

As for our ones, I only saw one and I can't actually remember much about it. I suppose it helped raise interest in the campaign in a way that party political broadcasts fail to do so.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 21:07 
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MaliA wrote:
The 'No' leaflet came through with the Conservative councillor's election conspectus. It says "Your first choice could count as much as someone's fifth choice".


Oursfrom the 'no' people came through a few weeks ago. It was basically "NICK GCLEGG IS SATAN ALL IS HIS DOING AV IS WHAT HE WANTS OOGA BOOGA SAY NO".

Quite pathetic. Even the BNP leaflets that come around in election years are more mature and rational.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 21:11 
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I know someone who is going to vote 'yes' on basis that they don't like David Cameron and as Mr Cameron doesn't like AV it must therefore be right to support it. Oh dear.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Sun Apr 17, 2011 21:58 
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Kern wrote:
I know someone who is going to vote 'yes' on basis that they don't like David Cameron and as Mr Cameron doesn't like AV it must therefore be right to support it. Oh dear.
Who the fuck likes him? I've always assumed that even the staunchest of Tory supporters feel sick when they look at him. Same with George Osborne, although that might just be because he looks like a babyfaced Gordon Brown :spew:

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 14:25 
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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 14:30 
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Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Image
The conversation around that on b3ta was very useful & insightful funny as fuck :DD
http://www.b3ta.com/board/10391777

EDIT: In fact most of the challenge entries are amusing. http://www.b3ta.com/challenge/yesornotoav/popular

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Mon Apr 18, 2011 15:30 
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Zardoz wrote:
Is Kate Middleton fit or do the Royal low breeds she stands next to make her appear fit by comparison?

She's quite fit, but a bit skinny for my liking. She needs a bit more meat in on her. I just hope that the Windsors don't drive her potty like the others.

There's too much talk about the merits of Audio Visual in here - I think that AV and Kate's fitness should have been given separate threads.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 7:52 
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Warhead wrote:
There's too much talk about the merits of Audio Visual in here - I think that AV and Kate's fitness should have been given separate threads.


It's a joint thread because I can't decide which Event of National Importance I'm most excited by. I'm hoping to be drying my dishes with my commemorative tea towels listing the proof of Arrow's Impossibility Theorem for years to come, not to mention telling my grandchildren where I was on these two grand state occasions.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 11:10 
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Wullie wrote:
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
Image
The conversation around that on b3ta was very useful & insightful funny as fuck :DD
http://www.b3ta.com/board/10391777

EDIT: In fact most of the challenge entries are amusing. http://www.b3ta.com/challenge/yesornotoav/popular


Megalol on this image.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 14:51 
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Is it just me, or outside of forum people and the odd person interested in politics, is nobody really interested or even aware of what all this means?

A fair few people don't even seem to have any idea that there's a referendum coming. Which wouldn't be that surprising given the indifference most people have to politics beyond blaming everything on blacks/poors/bankers/[insert party], but this isn't exactly a little thing we're referendumating about.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 14:55 
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sinister agent wrote:
Is it just me, or outside of forum people and the odd person interested in politics, is nobody really interested or even aware of what all this means?


Not just you.
I think the problem is that the question isn't seen as critical enough by the majority of the populace, in the way that a vote on the EU would be.

I still think that we ought to have a vote on any reformed House of Lords, because that would be a substantial change in our legislative process which really shouldn't be just left to the Commons to decide upon.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 15:12 
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The Conservative canvasser who knock on our door to big up the local candidate could barely be bothered to talk about the referendum - either she didn't care, or it was seen as lower priority than getting their guy on the district council, or so many other people didn't care she didn't bother with me.

I wonder if a lot of people see it as a fairly "theoretical" question that won't really affect them.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 15:33 
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Squirt wrote:
The Conservative canvasser who knock on our door to big up the local candidate could barely be bothered to talk about the referendum - either she didn't care, or it was seen as lower priority than getting their guy on the district council, or so many other people didn't care she didn't bother with me.


I had that experience to. After a rather empty conversation with a young Tory canvasser, I thought I'd ask him about the referendum. He looked flummoxed, stuttered something about the need for 'strong government' but really wasn't prepared for it at all.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 19:56 
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How can I place my vote in the referendum?

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 22:53 
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sinister agent wrote:
Is it just me, or outside of forum people and the odd person interested in politics, is nobody really interested or even aware of what all this means?

Most people seem to think it's a referendum on Nick Clegg, which is horribly depressing. Must be even worse for him: he's elected leader of his party, manages to steer against the tide of FPTP to coalition government and—somehow—wring an AV referendum out of the Tories, and now he's the reason FPTP is going to remain in place for at least another two decades.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 23:21 
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I got a glass tankard today to celebrate the upcowing nuptials. I only had to drink 5 pints of beer to get it, so, onoccasion, it was time to up the ante. Thing was, I only found out about the five pint thing after the third. Hic.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 19, 2011 23:40 
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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:26 
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CraigGrannell wrote:
sinister agent wrote:
Is it just me, or outside of forum people and the odd person interested in politics, is nobody really interested or even aware of what all this means?

Most people seem to think it's a referendum on Nick Clegg, which is horribly depressing. Must be even worse for him: he's elected leader of his party, manages to steer against the tide of FPTP to coalition government and—somehow—wring an AV referendum out of the Tories, and now he's the reason FPTP is going to remain in place for at least another two decades.



Part of the problem is that we've not had a coalition government for decades (the Lib-Lab pact in the 1970s was more of a confidence-and-supply agreement) so the usual commentators are struggling to understand the internal dynamics of a coalition. Those who think that the Lib Dems could have got their entire programme view are utterly naive but surely it's better for their supporters that they are in office having influence than being a minority party on the opposition benches?

But yes, vote on the issue, not because of your views on the government.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 14:15 
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Kern wrote:
Part of the problem is that we've not had a coalition government for decades (the Lib-Lab pact in the 1970s was more of a confidence-and-supply agreement) so the usual commentators are struggling to understand the internal dynamics of a coalition. Those who think that the Lib Dems could have got their entire programme view are utterly naive but surely it's better for their supporters that they are in office having influence than being a minority party on the opposition benches?

Also, they had no choice anyway. Had the Lib Dems not gone into government, they would have been seen as the party that wouldn't take the chance when it had it, a weak party not worth voting for every again. Instead, the party joined up with the Tories (not least because loads of Labour MPs said they'd vote against coalition, and the numbers weren't there anyway), and have taken a little (although, in my opinion, not enough) edge off of a vicious Tory administration.

People seem angry by a couple of things. First, the Lib Dems have broken manifesto pledges and other promises, like EVERY OTHER PARTY IN HISTORY. But—shock!—they are also the junior partner. They're in government, but they do not lead government. People should be more angry with the Tories, but their polling's remained fairly stable. By comparison, the Lib Dems are on 8–17%, depending on who you believe, and Labour's grabbed most of those who now hate the Lib Dems, because, clearly, none of the UK's current problems are anything to do with Labour. (Personally, I think the Libs have capitulated too much and too often, but some people seem to think they should have already met every promise.) Secondly, people misunderstood what the Liberal Democrats stand for, in part due to our outdated left/right political spectrum. In terms of left/right, the Libs aren't a million miles away from the Tories. They're not socialist, and they are capitalists. They're not as rabid as the Tories in those areas, but they're also not entirely for safeguarding things like the NHS anywhere near to the level of the Labour party. But stick the three major parties on a compass (economic left/right and authoritarian north to anarchist south) and you have Labour and the Tories pretty much together near the top and the Libs down south, showing where their main differentiator is.

But even with people hating the Lib Dems, it's insane how anti-coalition people are. My Icelandic wife is finding the entire situation mind-boggling, because Iceland only ever has coalitions, and they lead to a modicum of continuity between governments. They (and other countries with coalition) can easily enough vote out MPs, but they don't get Party A having a few terms in charge and then Party B winning, wading in and scrapping everything, having a few terms in charge, only for Party A to win, wade in (and so on).

Still, it's pretty academic anyway. The no guys have way more money, far more effective scare tactics, and the backing of the Tories and the Tory-backed press. The yes polling is plummeting, and, frankly, I think it has no chance of getting through. And there was me a few weeks back hopeful that my vote might at least mean something by the next election.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 14:34 
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CraigGrannell wrote:
I think it has no chance of getting through. And there was me a few weeks back hopeful that my vote might at least mean something by the next election.
Don't worry, according to Davie Cameramoron us lot up here are going to ensure it passes because the referendum is being held on the same day as our elections & we already have a funny voting system.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 15:31 
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I've seen lots of campaign material from the Tories no to AV camp. The misrepresentations and outright bullshit are staggering, but they'll pull a lot of people in. Not least as I've seen absolutely fuck all from the yes camp.

The Tories played the last year incredibly well. They suggested this shitty system, knowing they could shoot it down because it's crap, and they knew that by waiting this long, they'd have had a year to shit all over parliament and let the public blame the Lib Dems for the mess.

Clegg got played like a flute.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 16:34 
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sinister agent wrote:
I've seen lots of campaign material from the Tories no to AV camp. The misrepresentations and outright bullshit are staggering, but they'll pull a lot of people in. Not least as I've seen absolutely fuck all from the yes camp.

That's because the yes camp is primarily weedy lefty liberals who aren't stonkingly rich. There's been grass-roots campaigning by the yes lot, including town centre demos, but no mass mailouts yet. Maybe they're going to do one closer to the day—here's hoping.

Quote:
The Tories played the last year incredibly well. They suggested this shitty system, knowing they could shoot it down because it's crap

Oddly enough, having heard a number of viewpoints on this, I'm actually warming a little to it now. I'd sooner have PR, but I don't hate AV nearly as much as I did. Interestingly, some people I know—notably those who aren't of a very specific political bent—like the idea of 'those guys are OK, those guys are OK, but not really those or those' as a voting system.

Quote:
and they knew that by waiting this long, they'd have had a year to shit all over parliament and let the public blame the Lib Dems for the mess.

Clegg got played like a flute.

Yup, but it shows how fucking stupid the public is. Yes, it's all Clegg's fault, despite the Tories being the senior partners in the coalition. Oh, and let's look at the vote, shall we?

Party :: FPTP :: AV :: STV

Tories :: 307 :: 281 :: 246
Labour :: 258 :: 262 :: 207
Lib Dem :: 57 :: 79 :: 162
Others :: 28 :: 28 :: 35

So under AV, we'd have a 281:79 ratio instead of 307:57—a bit more clout for the Libs and therefore a less Tory government. (Or, possibly, we'd have gotten a Lab/Lib coalition, since Labour might have argued they only won 19 fewer seats and therefore still had enough of a mandate.) But under STV, everything wildly changes, and we'd have had a 5:3 Tory:Lib coalition, or an even closer split for Lab:Lib, either of which would have resulted in a radically different government.

But, no, best everyone screams how awful coalitions are and buries electoral reform, so we in 2015 head increasingly towards the US system, because, as we all know, THAT WORKS WELL!


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 16:58 
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The presidential style debates didn't help there, either. I think they made an enormous impact on the outcome (and arguably a good one overall - the tories would absolutely have been worse without the lib dems in), but they haven't helped the public understanding of how our system actually works at all.

Re: grassroots stuff - you may well be right. I'm inclined to give the locals here a little credit, as they were smart enough to elect the best MP for the area despite generally disliking his party, and I think a lot of them will see through the bullshit in the 'no' campaign, and simply make up their own minds one way or the other.

For the record, I'm not saying that any 'no' voting is a bad idea - there are certainly reasons to vote that way. But the official campaign by that group has been pretty dishonest.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 17:12 
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Talking about the debates & the UK media's fucked up priorities, see if Nick Clegg got himself to fuck & resigned I reckon the belming masses would look more favourably on the Lib Dems and would in turn be more likely to vote yes to AV. Nae cunt seems to care about the parties any more, just the gurning cunts that they see on the tellybox. Plus everyone loves a good sacrifice.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 17:16 
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I'll be quite surprised if Clegg's reign doesn't end in a backstabbing a lá Charles Kennedy. You could be right though - it'd be a lot harder to pin hate on the Lib Dems than on Clegg specifically right now.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 17:20 
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At the back of every LibDem's mind must be the split in the old Liberal Party between Lloyd George and Asquith. Although The Goat/Welsh Wizard did almost succeed in tearing the Conservative Party apart too before his defenestration.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 17:40 
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sinister agent wrote:
The presidential style debates didn't help there, either. I think they made an enormous impact on the outcome (and arguably a good one overall - the tories would absolutely have been worse without the lib dems in), but they haven't helped the public understanding of how our system actually works at all.

Quite, and Blair also pandered to that, becoming 'presidential' in the way he acted. To some extent, that's why I didn't mind Brown becoming leader for a while—he wasn't of that photogenic 'look at me' crowd, to which every one of the three main party leaders currently belongs. There was also a certain cachet in saying you'd vote Lib Dem, which came off the back of those debates, but it's pretty damn clear people were either lying or confused, because Lib Dem support backtracked shockingly in the few days before the election.

Quote:
For the record, I'm not saying that any 'no' voting is a bad idea - there are certainly reasons to vote that way. But the official campaign by that group has been pretty dishonest.

I agree that there are reasons to vote not, not least if you actually like the FPTP and single-party-leading system. Some people want winner-takes-all and hate the idea of compromise in government (a.k.a. They Never Get Anything Done). But from a system standpoint, the vast majority of AV's drawbacks exist in FPTP too (as outlined in that jungle animals video I linked to yesterday), but it at least offers some benefits that FPTP cannot match, notably practically obliterating the spoiler effect. This, of course, is why the Tories are petrified of AV—they've ended up in government way more than they would have done by nationwide spoilers splitting the 'liberal' vote between the Lib Dems (and earlier versions/equivalents of the party) and Labour. AV will knock Labour a little, but it could hit the Tories hard, which, presumably, is why we see Labour tactically being in favour of AV. (If AV wins, just watch Labour clam up utterly on further reform—no way in hell will they back AV+, STV or any other PR-oriented system.)

Wullie wrote:
Talking about the debates & the UK media's fucked up priorities, see if Nick Clegg got himself to fuck & resigned I reckon the belming masses would look more favourably on the Lib Dems and would in turn be more likely to vote yes to AV. Nae cunt seems to care about the parties any more, just the gurning cunts that they see on the tellybox. Plus everyone loves a good sacrifice.

The smart money's on Clegg resigning 9–12 months before the next election, assuming the coalition survives. Farron's looking fairly likely to take over. (EDIT: For the record, I'm not sure he'd be a particularly good choice, but there you go.)

Part of the problem with the Lib Dems, of course, is that a chunk of the top-tier and some of the younger MPs are a lot more Tory than the grass-roots of the party. It won't need a sneaky fucking over as per what happened to Charles Kennedy—he'll be out on his arse in a rather simpler manner.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 22:11 
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CraigGrannell wrote:
Yup, but it shows how fucking stupid the public is. Yes, it's all Clegg's fault, despite the Tories being the senior partners in the coalition. Oh, and let's look at the vote, shall we?

Party :: FPTP :: AV :: STV

Tories :: 307 :: 281 :: 246
Labour :: 258 :: 262 :: 207
Lib Dem :: 57 :: 79 :: 162
Others :: 28 :: 28 :: 35

So under AV, we'd have a 281:79 ratio instead of 307:57—a bit more clout for the Libs and therefore a less Tory government. (Or, possibly, we'd have gotten a Lab/Lib coalition, since Labour might have argued they only won 19 fewer seats and therefore still had enough of a mandate.) But under STV, everything wildly changes, and we'd have had a 5:3 Tory:Lib coalition, or an even closer split for Lab:Lib, either of which would have resulted in a radically different government.



How are these 'results' generated? I certinately didn't express a second option at last year's ballot.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 20, 2011 23:40 
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Where are you?

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On the basis of polling and intention. Regardless, you can estimate STV on the basis of pure PR (although that weights slightly higher to Other and Lib Dem and away from Con and Lab).


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 23:26 
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Delightfully, some members of my re-enacting troop have decided that in honour of the Big Day we should hold a Victorian Wedding Party on Friday evening. I'm just hoping that nobody whips out Prince Albert...


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 23:29 
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Oh, do people want a 'proper' AV poll? Or perhaps a sweepstake?

William Hill are offering 1/5 on 'No'; 10/3 on 'Yes'


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Tue Apr 26, 2011 23:33 
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Kern wrote:
Oh, do people want a 'proper' AV poll? Or perhaps a sweepstake?

William Hill are offering 1/5 on 'No'; 10/3 on 'Yes'


Alarmingly, 100/1 on Will being jilted! *



*Might be a publicity stunt


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 14:58 
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Heavy Metal Tough Guy

Joined: 31st Mar, 2008
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NBC news appear to have completed their invasion of Trafalgar Square, and have constructed their own little shack and compound there. Outside Buckingham Palace looks pretty crazy as well - there's some odd "media centre" that's sprung up over the past month or so.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 17:01 
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Squirt wrote:
NBC news appear to have completed their invasion of Trafalgar Square, and have constructed their own little shack and compound there. Outside Buckingham Palace looks pretty crazy as well - there's some odd "media centre" that's sprung up over the past month or so.

Image


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 18:12 
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When is this?

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 20:20 
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sinister agent wrote:
When is this?


Can't make it, sorry.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 13:17 
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Heavy Metal Tough Guy

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Bloomin' eck - having taken a lunchtime stroll down the Mall ( as is my wont ) the place is bonkers. People camping, TV crews wondering about, camera towers and cranes lurching about. There are a lot of people sitting out with their tents, marking out their patch already.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 13:26 
SupaMod
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Est. 1978

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While it's tricky to feel too sorry for them, I do hope the get a chance to sneak off and have a proper wedding that isn't just one big piece of PR :(

I do like the way they invited Thatcher and Major but not Blair and Brown, though :D

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 18:27 
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A bar in Truro was offering a free drink to anyone who attends their Royal Wedding bash in a wedding dress. Which is quite appropriate, as you can't have a Royal Wedding without a few queens.


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 19:03 
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I was flicking through the Order of Service (CONTAINS SPOILERS!) to see what music was being performed (no Elton John! Huzzah!) and was shocked to learn Will's middle names:

ZOMG Spoiler! Click here to view!
Arthur Philip Louis


Which begs the question... is he named for the Sun King, or in the hope that he can keep his head when all about are losing theirs?


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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 20:39 
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and!

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Quote:
There was also a certain cachet in saying you'd vote Lib Dem, which came off the back of those debates, but it's pretty damn clear people were either lying or confused, because Lib Dem support backtracked shockingly in the few days before the election.


I've got a vague recollection that after the debates the media went into panic mode and did some mental Clegg-slagging? Not sure. They've been doing it ever since, certainly and it's worked big time.

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 Post subject: Re: Official Royal Wedding and Voting System Referendum Thread
PostPosted: Thu Apr 28, 2011 22:55 
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Peculiar, yet lovely

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Grim... wrote:
While it's tricky to feel too sorry for them, I do hope the get a chance to sneak off and have a proper wedding that isn't just one big piece of PR :(

I do like the way they invited Thatcher and Major but not Blair and Brown, though :D


Someone mentioned this today. Apparently Major is their godfather or something (I assume they're brother and sister, yes?). Thatcher, of course, was invited because failing to invite her would have breached the seventh seal.

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