Quake3World

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/apathy/s ... ?gusrc=rss

Mr Hoon will argue that "international experience points to compulsory voting being the most effective way to increase turnout". It is "the most obvious way to bring those who feel alienated into the political process and the best means to enhance civic participation". It would also "bring back the sense that we can all work together".

Since becoming leader of the house, Mr Hoon has tried to prompt a debate about political alienation. He claims "any penalties should be modest and rather like the introduction of seatbelt legislation, would only require one or two cases to be brought to encourage everyone to participate"

reason why I am against this:

- voting is a right, not a duty or obligation, therefore cannot be compulsory without it ceasing to be a right

- furthermore it's a right belonging to the people, not the government, so they have no business fucking with it

- low voter turnout is a symptom of a political culture degraded by the actions of government, not those of the governed. Government is remote because it pursues the interests of a (wealthy) minority and uses increasingly transparent propaganda to camouflage the fact

- Geoff Hoon is a scumbag who should be on trial for war crimes along with Rumsfeld

- the Labour government is casting about for something to distract us from their Iraq fiasco, and this is just another distraction

- Labour's alienation from its own working class roots expresses itself through a constant desire to 'punish' those same working class for 'betraying' it (note the suggestion that people be fined for not voting ) - instead of trying to win them back

- they want to include the means for people to spoil their ballot papers or vote for 'none of the above', thereby negating the whole point of compulsory voting

I'm sure there are other reasons for opposing it...

war in iraq, id cards, biometric passports, compulsory voting,.. i'm going to have to put a union jack sticker next to the stars and stripes one in my toilet bowl

seremtan wrote: - low voter turnout is a symptom of a political culture degraded by the actions of government, not those of the governed. Government is remote because it pursues the interests of a (wealthy) minority and uses increasingly transparent propaganda to camouflage the fact

:icon14:

seems to work alright here in australia, but then again, every single american is lazy, obese, and ignorant.

glossy wrote:seems to work alright here in australia, but then again, every single american is lazy, obese, and ignorant.

this is britain, and barely half of us are obese

christ, i'm on a roll tonight!

switch lazy with 'have funny moutaches', obese with 'can't speak straight', and ignorant with 'pompus'

i'm quitting the internet now for fear of making more of a fool out of myself. bye.

glossy wrote:seems to work alright here in australia, but then again, every single american is lazy, obese, and ignorant.

define "work alright"