General Election 2015

[Titanic]

So we have a national vote at least once a week,..... very practical, just how much do you think that lot will cost eh?

We have several votes a day on NSC. Not too tricky, is it?

 

[Triggaaar]

Direct democracy is one alternative

So what are you going to do to get direct democracy in our country?

 

[Guerrero]

Labour have to win or we are all (except the filthy rich) flucked.

 

[Deleted member 22389]

Labour have to win or we are all (except the filthy rich) flucked.

What you mean like the billionaire foreigners Labour and the Tories allowed in to buy up half of London which has and still is forcing up the prices of property for local people.

Both parties are as bad as each other, in one way another on top of the global financial downturn, our membership of the EU, It's contributed to making peoples life's harder in this country.

Private companies involved in our NHS under Labour, well I never, which was started by the Tories, and continued under Labour.
All hypocrites the lot of them, so next time Labour go about the NHS remember this below

http://www.newstatesman.com/staggers/2014/07/save-nhs-labour-must-face-ugly-truth-pfi

 

[pastafarian]

That's why it's time to end representative democracy.

Direct democracy is one alternative -

Many people like to speak about the Swiss when it comes to direct democracy and how it works for them.

They are the best example we have in the western world of direct democracy in action.It seems to work for them very well,i actually am a bit of a fan.But here is the thing....direct democracy in Switzerland works because they use it in conjunction with representative democracy.Your idea of ending representative democracy destroys direct democracy at the first hurdle......they have to work in tandem to be successful.

Every law the government of Switzerland makes a law the population can vote on,they only have to gain enough signatures 50,000 i think.....then there is a referendum on that law.

96% of laws never reach the referendum stage,this is because the country enjoys a high level of legitimacy amongst its parliamentary members and the population.,they know the scrutiny they will be under so do a good job.

Direct democracy perhaps but dont be such a naive young fool that thinks this only works with (according to you) ending representative democracy.

 

[Hastings gull]

Direct democracy is one alternative - this is where we vote on issues that affect us personally, locally, nationally and even perhaps globally. Rather than those tossers making all the decisions for us.

Don't underestimate social media, either.

So we all go along dutifully every week, say. Everyone will really want to, won't they? No one will get tired of it and everyone will have intimate knowledge of the most complex cases -it is going to be wonderful. I am not sure what you mean about social media - if you think this might be a way of direct democracy, then this is a rather dangerous idea. People are anonymous, and you only have to be on here to read what anonymity can do for you.
As another post said, criticism of the present system using your usual sweeping generalisations is one thing, but actually coming up with a workable alternative that takes into account human nature -well, has anyone ever done so. If not, then there might just be a reason for this.

 

[pastafarian]

I disagree, but I have zero faith in politicians. Of course the public will always need to delegate decision making, but that's not what happens with the current system, where we have all our decisions made for us by crooked toffs in Westminster.

Westminster should be full of experts, scientists, economists and so on - not a bunch of public school boys who have been trained mainly to lie and deceive.

,here is a good example of direct democracy which you favour working in tandem with representative democracy.......and yet all you can come up with is this is unworkable here because of "toffs in westminster"

really does say all anyone needs to know about your ridiculous far left rantings.

There are some great MP`s in parliament,you really are an arse to dismiss them all as toffs so willingly,your sort of rhetoric which spews the general political class as useless leads to a far more drastic form of representatives taking their place......i am sure you would love that.

For what its worth i vote tory......my favourite politician by a country mile is however Dennis Skinner,this guy is relentless not only in his beliefs but more importantly in representing his constituents,his attendance record to debate issues in the commons should be applauded.

There are plenty of MP`s on all sides trying to do the right thing,speaking out against racism,homophobia,inequality,homelessness etc etc.......its rather juvenile you are putting them all in one box

 

[Seagull on the wing]

,here is a good example of direct democracy which you favour working in tandem with representative democracy.......and yet all you can come up with is this is unworkable here because of "toffs in westminster"

really does say all anyone needs to know about your ridiculous far left rantings.

There are some great MP`s in parliament,you really are an arse to dismiss them all as toffs so willingly,your sort of rhetoric which spews the general political class as useless leads to a far more drastic form of representatives taking their place......i am sure you would love that.

For what its worth i vote tory......my favourite politician by a country mile is however Dennis Skinner,this guy is relentless not only in his beliefs but more importantly in representing his constituents,his attendance record to debate issues in the commons should be applauded.

There are plenty of MP`s on all sides trying to do the right thing,speaking out against racism,homophobia,inequality,homelessness etc etc.......its rather juvenile you are putting them all in one box

You Sir,have just won yourself a Kewpie Doll for the most sensible reply to our resident communist...well done

 

[Simster]

,here is a good example of direct democracy which you favour working in tandem with representative democracy.......and yet all you can come up with is this is unworkable here because of "toffs in westminster"

really does say all anyone needs to know about your ridiculous far left rantings.

There are some great MP`s in parliament,you really are an arse to dismiss them all as toffs so willingly,your sort of rhetoric which spews the general political class as useless leads to a far more drastic form of representatives taking their place......i am sure you would love that.

For what its worth i vote tory......my favourite politician by a country mile is however Dennis Skinner,this guy is relentless not only in his beliefs but more importantly in representing his constituents,his attendance record to debate issues in the commons should be applauded.

There are plenty of MP`s on all sides trying to do the right thing,speaking out against racism,homophobia,inequality,homelessness etc etc.......its rather juvenile you are putting them all in one box

Correct. What makes this all the more galling is Mustafa's views on the Utopian society that is North Korea. Apparently we should all stop bullying this peaceful, pleasant society based on self sufficiency, all decreed in a crap book loudly derided as complete drivel by economists (Juche) but written by a cult leader (and not at all a blood thirsty oppressive tyrant responsible for ruining the country).

As such, Mustafa's views aren't really worth a tuppenny toss IMO.

 

[Titanic]

Latest YouGov national poll (5-6th Jan):

CON - 33% (+2)
LAB - 33% (-1)
UKIP - 13% (-1)
GRN - 8% (-)
LDEM - 7% (-)

 

[Vegas Seagull]

Latest YouGov national poll (5-6th Jan):

CON - 33% (+2)
LAB - 33% (-1)
UKIP - 13% (-1)
GRN - 8% (-)
LDEM - 7% (-)

UKIP starting to slide from the 15 & 16s last year and Cleggy down to 5th. Performing worse & for longer than Hyypia, just what does he have to do to get demoted!?

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Latest YouGov national poll (5-6th Jan):

CON - 33% (+2)
LAB - 33% (-1)
UKIP - 13% (-1)
GRN - 8% (-)
LDEM - 7% (-)

This poll supersedes the YouGov one from the day before when Labour had a 3% lead UKIP seem to be losing some support , I wonder if this is due to Dodgy Dave announcing the referendum on leaving the EU will be brought forward to 2016 if re-negotiations flounder.

 

[spring hall convert]

Cameron is getting an absolute shoeing at PMQ's over the NHS at the moment.

He needs to sort this and quick - Millband's got the bit between his teeth.

 

[Stato]

You Sir,have just won yourself a Kewpie Doll for the most sensible reply to our resident communist...well done

Why do some many people lazily label people on the left of politics as communists? What Mustafa seems to be advocating for is radical as opposed to representative democracy. This debate can be traced back to the 18th century arguments between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine and pre-dates Marx's 'Communist Manifesto' by 50 years.

 

[Titanic]

Cameron is getting an absolute shoeing at PMQ's over the NHS at the moment.

He needs to sort this and quick - Millband's got the bit between his teeth.

No idea what you were watching... but if that attempt to 'weaponise the NHS' is the best Miliband has got, this election is over already.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

No idea what you were watching... but if that attempt to 'weaponise the NHS' is the best Miliband has got, this election is over already.

Presumably hardly anyone watches it but I can't imagine the string of Tory businessmen sucking up to CMD plays particularly well with the majority of voters...?

 

[Moshe Gariani]

ps Andy Burnham is currently demonstrating precisely why we need Labour back to save the NHS

 

[Buzzer]

What Mustafa seems to be advocating for is radical as opposed to representative democracy. This debate can be traced back to the 18th century arguments between Edmund Burke and Thomas Paine and pre-dates Marx's 'Communist Manifesto' by 50 years.

He also advocates Cult of Personality politics in North Korea, strong military-backed fascist dictatorship in the Middle East and some days he thinks the obliteration of statehood in the West a very good thing indeed and small-scale anarcho co-operatives is the way forward and on other days a belief in very, very big Government with global wealth taxes and today he seems to prefer "direct democracy" (ha!) where a nation votes on all things and everything in perpetual referenda. It all depends on which Youtube videos he's been watching the day before, I guess.

Why do some many people lazily label people on the left of politics as communists?

Pot, kettle. Look at the labels people chuck at those on the right just here in this thread. I'm guessing people call Mustafa a commie because at one time or other on here, he's advocated a hard-line communist approach.

 

[spring hall convert]

I'm struggling to see anything but a Green victory in Brighton.

Caroline Lucas will win with an increased majority, the Labour party are barking up completely the wrong tree if they think they are going to get Brighton Pavillion. They'd be far better off focusing their efforts on Kemp Town.

 

[Stato]

He also advocates Cult of Personality politics in North Korea, strong military-backed fascist dictatorship in the Middle East and some days he thinks the obliteration of statehood in the West a very good thing indeed and small-scale anarcho co-operatives is the way forward and on other days a belief in very, very big Government with global wealth taxes and today he seems to prefer "direct democracy" (ha!) where a nation votes on all things and everything in perpetual referenda. It all depends on which Youtube videos he's been watching the day before, I guess.

Pot, kettle. Look at the labels people chuck at those on the right just here in this thread. I'm guessing people call Mustafa a commie because at one time or other on here, he's advocated a hard-line communist approach.

I haven't read the whole thread (so perhaps shouldn't have been so quick to apply the term lazy to others), but few of the things you quote are anything to do with communism either. I don't want to start a discussion of another user, so don't want to comment on anything other than the post which was being critiqued.

I can see that the left's labelling of right wingers as fascists or Daily Mail readers is equally unhelpful. I haven't done that.

This was merely a plea for the term communist not to be used as a catch all insult for anyone who advocates for a more egalitarean approach to the division of wealth and opportunity. The practice does not reflect the wide ranging views of economic leftists and disparages an economic theory which has already been villified enough through being appropriated and misinterpretated by a century of totalitarians.