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Topic History of: Never trust the public - as Ireland has just shown
Max. showing the last 5 posts - (Last post first)
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Denise |
Most votes are based on empty media sensationalism these days. Tony Blair was elected on slogans and spin, and despite having no real substance was able to get re-elected on slogans and spin. The media were mostly behind him, promoting him and rubbishing the opposition. The media referring to Hague as "Silly Billy" and mocking his baldness, was all empty play and did nothing to highlight the real issues for the public to consider.
So if a referendum was held, it would be no surprise if the votes were based on similar nonsense. However, the right of the people to have some say, regardless of qualifictation, is what helps to prevent us from sliding into a dictatorship where the government can do whatever they like without having to worry about consequences.
Let the people have their say. This government has a track record of dishonesty and unreliability, and they are openly and unashamedly eroding our freedoms. I wouldn't trust them to make any major decisions on my behalf. |
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Solihull Exile |
"I was guilty of simplistic exaggeration there, but we would have some form of capital and corporal punishment back if the great British public had their way, and that is not something I wish to see in my country."
So you may not want to see it,and I probally agree with you....but democracy is there for a reason..and the public can only handle democracy if they can see the direct results of their actions.A few well documented excesses will be enough to swing the mood back to a sensible middle ground.
It is precisely because our elected representitives think they know what's best for us that we are in this mess in the first place.
And JK,you have a short memory.When the euro first came in manufacturers were pleading for us to join,as it was low.Now they're glad we didn't.It's killing their exports,while encouraging far too many imports....why is China keeping its currency artificially low?
So your room in Morocco costs more,be a damn site better for us all if more of us realised we'd be doing ourselves a favour by spending more of our hols at home....and looking at how dead Margate is perhaps we should all realise how much a strong pound has killed off whole swathes of Britain. |
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Anthony |
Dominic Dee wrote:
On the side issue of whether democracy would lead to public hangings and house burnings (re. Anthony's post), it was only a tiny minority of people who turned out to cause murder and mayhem after the NotW 'name and shame' campaign. Each time there is a 'massive protest' or outcry following a newspaper revelation it is only a very few who get involved. The majority of people do not respond this way.
I was guilty of simplistic exaggeration there, but we would have some form of capital and corporal punishment back if the great British public had their way, and that is not something I wish to see in my country.
Whatever the rights and wrongs of our association with mainland Europe, the fact remains that a referendum would probably lead to our withdrawal, and that vote would be based on empty media sensationalism, and not on any sort of considered opinion. |
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JK2006 |
Having just returned from Europe and Morocco and experienced on holiday the collapse of the value of the pound compared to the Euro and even the Dirham (my |
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Dominic Dee |
It is true that the British people have not had a proper referendum on joining the European Union. The vote in 1975 was on whether the UK should remain within the European Economic Market. This was an entirely different set up.
The current government were partly elected on a promise to hold a referendum on the European Constitution. They claim that the current treaty is a different thing, although most European leaders acknowledge that it has merely been given a different title. The only reason I can see for them not holding the referendum is that they think the people might vote against the treaty.
Whether we believe that this is a decision for MPs or a decision to be made by a public vote, we surely must agree that Politicians should be held to their promises.
On the side issue of whether democracy would lead to public hangings and house burnings (re. Anthony's post), it was only a tiny minority of people who turned out to cause murder and mayhem after the NotW 'name and shame' campaign. Each time there is a 'massive protest' or outcry following a newspaper revelation it is only a very few who get involved. The majority of people do not respond this way. |
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