Friday 25 June 2010

One thing that came clear over Rudd's demise...

Democracy is an illusion.

Here's the definition:

n., pl., -cies.
1. Government by the people, exercised either directly or through elected representatives.
2. A political or social unit that has such a government.
3. The common people, considered as the primary source of political power.
4. Majority rule.
5. The principles of social equality and respect for the individual within a community.


How much of that fits the profile of the last week?.

13 comments:

  1. well, maybe 4 and 5 get left out, sept of course if you are talking about JUST the party, then 4 applied to them. The ALP, more so I guess than the Libs / Nats, and greens, its as you will know, factional and union. Its all about there OWN reps in power and fuck everybody else. Gotta love the system.

    I think we add a small clause. The PM elected by the public stays, if they want to change him / her, they go to the poll's

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  2. It has little to do with last week. Last week was all about the internal processes of a political party.

    Naut

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  3. Due to pressure from the outside, resulting in a new national leader and policy changes...

    derrr

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  4. There may have been external catalysts and pressure, but blind Freddy could see they weren't going win an election with Rudd.

    I am more concerned that politics is overly focussed on winning the next election. Kind of happers long term thinking.

    Naut

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  5. Your mum dresses you funny.

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  6. Can't buy into the pissing and moaning - particularly from someone who can't vote in Oz. Democracy, as it's practiced in Australia, was served absolutely. The party with the most seats in parliament is still the party with the most seats in parliament, and that party voted democratically to select a leader. No PM is elected by the public, no matter how the MSM wants to portray it - they'd love for it to be a presidential style direct contest but it just ain't, you vote for the party and you vote for your local candidate - and it's the same in Oz, the UK or even your homeland where Jenny Shipley got into power the exact same way over the top of Jim Bulger, for pretty similar motivations - the Nats not wanting to lose the next election. Doesn't really matter what people were motivated by when they put the 1 next to their ALP representative - could be Rudd v Howard, could be they hate Rudd but always voted ALP (which would be a lot of people I know), could be they were fucking Midnight Oils fans backing Garrett out of weird stoned loyalty. It's still the case that nobody actually voted directly for Rudd apart from the people of his electorate, and anyone having a whinge about it needs to keep that front and centre.

    If that's unsatisfactory - and for a lot of people it is - then we need to push for a directly elected presidential model. But that got shot down as part of the republican debate last time, so I wouldn't hold your breath.

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  7. Not pissing and moaning, just making an observation. Like you mentioned, in the end it's meaningless to me and really, I don't give that much of a fuck. All politicians are sell out back stabbing bullshitting mongrels.

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  8. ...and your missus dresses you funny.

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  9. Pissing and moaning in general, not necessarily from you mate. Lots of people on Arsebook et al with their knickers in a twist - 'I didn't vote for Gillard I voted for Rudd!!!!1!!eleven!' Actually they voted for fkn neither, most probly...

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  10. According to some random news report I read, less than half of all votes cast were for Labor OR Liberal.

    Preferences suck.

    Politicians suck.

    I wish my mother would stop dressing me like this. Moko won't shut up about it.

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  11. It just goes to show that there really isn't such a thing as a perfect political system.

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  12. There is with me in charge, jenny girl.

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