🚀 go-pugleaf

cq884@torfree.net (Derek Brown) wrote:

>
>		THE EDEM PARTY	

>	What I propose is this.
>	Someone running for election with NO policies except democracy.
>	HOW?
>	Picture this. Someone saying " OK, you tell me how to vote"

1, it has already been done in the '93 election.  The candidate got
about 135 votes.

2, if you are going to govern by popularity polls, you do not need a
parliament and spend millions of your MPs

3, In case nobody has told you yet, Canada is not a democracy

4, Your system would require that each and every voter becomes an
expert on matters of public policy.  A nice dream, but considering the
voting record of Canadians, I woud not trust them with the decision
making.  Just look at who they have been electing.  If they can't pick
their own representatives right, what makes you think they would make
the right decisions?

5,  What you are advocating is not a democracy, but mob rule.  That is
exactly how dictatorships start.  First toss the country into a chaos,
then offer them a Strongman solution.  NO, thank you very much.

>A politician saying that et will set up a Website and database of all
>voters in et's riding, with mail, telephone and internet access.

Those who cannot afford a computer and internet access will have them
provided by the taxpayers, free of charge?

Those who are too old, incapable of learning how to operate the system
or just plain too stupid will simply lose their right to vote?

>	The technology exists to give each registered voter a VIN (voter
>identification number) to ensure one vote per person per issue.

Yes, it does.  But you have already seen the howls of protest when
Elections Canada asked a smiple question like "what's your birth date"
how many people would be disenfranchised because they do not want to
have another numerical tag by the government?

>The voice mail technology exists to give each caller as much
>information as needed to make an informed vote.

And WHO, pray tell will be the one giving the voters the information?
What is there to prevent your Enlightened Electronic Politician from
giving the voters choices
Are you:
A, in favour of giving me a 30% pay raise, or
B, going to continue to beat your wife?

>The web site would have a "voting booth" and the text of what is to
>be voted on.

Just as charlatan as the Defromed idea of running the country by
referendum. Just getting all the tools to gether to manipulate the
masses.


Karl Pollak <kpollak@portal.ca>
Richmond, British Columbia

Derek Brown (cq884@torfree.net) wrote:


: 	THE only thing the politician would need to say in et's campaign
: speeches would be,

: 	HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO VOTE?  MAJORITY RULES!


Lovely!  So the English majority would decide policies for the French 
minority;  a Catholic majority could determine legal/moral issues for other 
religions;  a majority of "straight" voters would determine what rights 
a gay minority is entitled to etc...
Since the majority is not always right, I don't think this would be much 
of an improvement.  Besides, most voters don't acquaint themselves enough 
with the issues to make an intelligent decision.  (Yes, I'm including 
myself there).
Are you sure you're not a member of the Reform party? 
RON

Derek Brown (cq884@torfree.net) wrote:
: 	HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO VOTE?  MAJORITY RULES!


: 	ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY

: 	
Many moons ago, Erich Fromm described just such a vision of democracy in 
one of his many tomes.
-- 
G.Green > ce000@torfree.net, looking for the ghost in the machine

G. Green wrote:
> 
> Derek Brown (cq884@torfree.net) wrote:
> :       HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO VOTE?  MAJORITY RULES!
> 
> :       ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY
> 
> :
> Many moons ago, Erich Fromm described just such a vision of democracy in
> one of his many tomes.
> --
> G.Green > ce000@torfree.net, looking for the ghost in the machine


I think Derek is also forgetting the $50,000 deposit now required to
register a federal party (among other things). The election laws have
been changed to remove any "competition" from any but the big parties,
blowing out (among others) perrenial favs like the Rhinoceros Party...

Bruce Becker (bdb@hotlips.gts.net) wrote:
: In article <3366E12B.68EE@passport.ca>,
: Chris Currie  <xtopher@passport.ca> wrote:
: |G. Green wrote:
: |> Derek Brown (cq884@torfree.net) wrote:
: |> :       HOW DO YOU WANT ME TO VOTE?  MAJORITY RULES!
: |> 
: |> :       ELECTRONIC DEMOCRACY
: |> Many moons ago, Erich Fromm described just such a vision of democracy in
: |> one of his many tomes.
: |
: |I think Derek is also forgetting the $50,000 deposit now required to
: |register a federal party (among other things). The election laws have
: |been changed to remove any "competition" from any but the big parties,
: |blowing out (among others) perrenial favs like the Rhinoceros Party...

: 	how many seats does each prospective party need to
: 	represent in order to be "official"?   I personally
: 	am voting for the boondoggle party, hurry there's
: 	a special on cod this week

To be officialy considered a party, an organization must contest at least
50 seats. 

While I would never vote for them, I do sort of miss the Rino Party... 
(for those of you new to this, the Rino Party is what some used a
political satire before TV shows like "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" 
:-) ).


Colin McGregor
President
Toronto Free-Net

Colin McGregor (aa005@torfree.net) wrote:

: While I would never vote for them, I do sort of miss the Rino Party... 
: (for those of you new to this, the Rino Party is what some used a
: political satire before TV shows like "This Hour Has 22 Minutes" 
: :-) ).

	but seriously folks, the rhinos were a real party.  they had such 
honest campaign platforms as being thick skinned and horney (if only the 
rest would be as succinct in defining their ambition).
	and this was a community grass roots movement (as opposed to 
those requiring certain club ties-relating economic sentiments not in 
keeping with the interests of the electorate).
	one must question the motivation of legislation which eliminates 
the interest and subsequently the participation of the greater electorate.  
--