REASONS NOT TO VOTE
Doug | 30.04.2005 07:39
Reasons not to vote.
There is no democratic mandate to govern.
Over many years successive UK governments have lacked a democratic mandate to govern from a majority of the people. Indeed, the present government only had 40% support from voters and 24% support from the electorate as a whole. The 2001 General Election had the lowest turnout since 1918. UK government has been described as ‘an elected dictatorship’ or a political system suffering from a ‘democratic deficit’, where MPs can’t speak their mind for fear of deselection. Under the Royal Prerogative the Prime Minister can take the country to war without parliamentary approval. It is said that Governments listen to big business and the financial markets more than their own citizens.
First Past the Post
Under our FPTP system minor parties are unfairly discriminated against. It is perfectly possible for a party to get 25% of the votes but only 3% of the seats in Parliament, as did the Liberal/SDP Alliance in the 1983 election. Also, the funding and media exposure of political parties is unequal and unfair.
Vote rigging.
Postal voting has been shown to be prone to fraud. It is also the custom among major parties not to run a candidate in the Speaker's constituency thus disenfranchising its voters. If they can do it in one constituency they can do it in others. Tactical voting and vote trading by voters further skews the result.
Conspiring political parties.
Under certain circumstances, such as perceived threats to national security, the two major parties will unite, effectively transforming us into a One Party State, regardless of the will of the people.
What you can’t vote on.
We can’t choose our leaders, they are chosen for us by political parties. You can’t vote on foreign policy such as defence or on the arms trade. As the world's fourth largest economy UK is its second biggest arms producer.
Lack of accountability.
There are American bases, with nuclear weapons on our soil which are unaccountable both to Parliament and the people. Menwith Hill spy base also carries out unlawful telephone and internet surveillance on UK citizens.
Political globalisation.
There is erosion of nation states due to globalisation. Decisions which profoundly affect UK citizens are made abroad by unelected people and organisations. NATO, WTO, UN, WB, G8, NGOs, Multinationals, etc.
"On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in."'
-Douglas Adams, 'So Long And Thanks For All The Fish'
UK Radical Campaigns
http://www.zing.icom43.net
Don't vote, it only encourages them.
If voting changed anything they'd make it illegal.
There is no democratic mandate to govern.
Over many years successive UK governments have lacked a democratic mandate to govern from a majority of the people. Indeed, the present government only had 40% support from voters and 24% support from the electorate as a whole. The 2001 General Election had the lowest turnout since 1918. UK government has been described as ‘an elected dictatorship’ or a political system suffering from a ‘democratic deficit’, where MPs can’t speak their mind for fear of deselection. Under the Royal Prerogative the Prime Minister can take the country to war without parliamentary approval. It is said that Governments listen to big business and the financial markets more than their own citizens.
First Past the Post
Under our FPTP system minor parties are unfairly discriminated against. It is perfectly possible for a party to get 25% of the votes but only 3% of the seats in Parliament, as did the Liberal/SDP Alliance in the 1983 election. Also, the funding and media exposure of political parties is unequal and unfair.
Vote rigging.
Postal voting has been shown to be prone to fraud. It is also the custom among major parties not to run a candidate in the Speaker's constituency thus disenfranchising its voters. If they can do it in one constituency they can do it in others. Tactical voting and vote trading by voters further skews the result.
Conspiring political parties.
Under certain circumstances, such as perceived threats to national security, the two major parties will unite, effectively transforming us into a One Party State, regardless of the will of the people.
What you can’t vote on.
We can’t choose our leaders, they are chosen for us by political parties. You can’t vote on foreign policy such as defence or on the arms trade. As the world's fourth largest economy UK is its second biggest arms producer.
Lack of accountability.
There are American bases, with nuclear weapons on our soil which are unaccountable both to Parliament and the people. Menwith Hill spy base also carries out unlawful telephone and internet surveillance on UK citizens.
Political globalisation.
There is erosion of nation states due to globalisation. Decisions which profoundly affect UK citizens are made abroad by unelected people and organisations. NATO, WTO, UN, WB, G8, NGOs, Multinationals, etc.
"On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people."
"Odd," said Arthur, "I thought you said it was a democracy."
"I did," said Ford. "It is."
"You mean they actually vote for the lizards?"
"Oh yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course."
"But," said Arthur, going for the big one again, "why?"
"Because if they didn't vote for a lizard," said Ford, "the wrong lizard might get in."'
-Douglas Adams, 'So Long And Thanks For All The Fish'
UK Radical Campaigns
http://www.zing.icom43.net Don't vote, it only encourages them.
If voting changed anything they'd make it illegal.
Doug
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