The Song Fight Bulletin Board

HeuristicsInc wrote:I would like that sort of election scheme here, at least for the most major positions.... Are you required to place all ranks, or can you stop and say "the other people get nothing" ?
-bill

You must fill in every box or the vote is invalid. (For any particular electorate there could be between 2 to maybe a dozen or so candidates - typically there will be 5 or 6 candidates per electorate) Candidates hand out leaflets saying how they would like you to place your preferences as you walk in. It is the preferences of the smaller parties and independents which will often decide who wins a seat in Parliament.

If you have no preference - you can draw little pictures of genitalia in the boxes (showing up to vote is compulsory by law - what you do with you ballot paper after that though is your own business).

For the Senate, where there are about 120 boxes - you can choose to number just one box - and your preferences will then go automatically to who ever that candidates party chooses. or you can do as I do - and number all 120 or so boxes individually in a random and illogical manner just to make sure that the ballot counters are earning their pay.

Caravan Ray wrote:(showing up to vote is compulsory by law - what you do with you ballot paper after that though is your own business)

Shit, this just blew my mind! What a great idea! I had no idea that many countries used compulsory voting. How do you feel it's working out?

anti-m wrote:

Caravan Ray wrote:(showing up to vote is compulsory by law - what you do with you ballot paper after that though is your own business)

Shit, this just blew my mind! What a great idea! I had no idea that many countries used compulsory voting. How do you feel it's working out?

You mean your forced out of bed to draw genitals in the little boxes?

I know I know...I actually wished there was a law like that here.

anti-m wrote:

Caravan Ray wrote:(showing up to vote is compulsory by law - what you do with you ballot paper after that though is your own business)

Shit, this just blew my mind! What a great idea! I had no idea that many countries used compulsory voting. How do you feel it's working out?

It's been around since 1924, so it seems to be working OK.

Frankly, the idea of non-compulsory voting in Australia is ridiculous. Who would vote otherwise? The vast majority of peple really couldn't give a rat's arse, and could find much better ways to spend a Saturday morning than lining up at some crappy primary school to have gangs of senile old fools shoving "How To Vote" cards in their faces. We would just go to the beach or the races or the pub - then complain about the result later!

I'm sure if there wasn't the threat of a fine for not showing up, bugger-all people would show up, and in a few years our government would degenerate to the point where all of our representatives are either out-of-work actors or the retarded children of millionaires, just like in A...errrr...some other country I have heard about.

Caravan Ray wrote:just like in A...errrr...some other country I have heard about

Yes, Algeria is notorious for former B-movies politicos. I like the idea of mandatory voting very much. Perhaps offered as a national holiday (vote early then screw off) it wouldn't seem so mandatory, a term many in the U.S. find objectionable.

I'm sure there are drawbacks. The vote would be watered down with ignorant people, young stupid kids just old enough to vote, and everybody else you would hope didn't actually have to vote.

But then of course, it would be more accurate representation of the people...I mean, if THATS what you really wanted.

The vote would be watered down with ignorant people, young stupid kids just old enough to vote, and everybody else you would hope didn't actually have to vote.

Sounds like me the first time I voted. I just think about how every cycle they say things about low turnout and how the so and so bracket is poorly represented. And plenty of idiots vote anyway, there's probably proof from any of our respective town offices all the way to the top!

Hoblit wrote:young stupid kids just old enough to vote

That's pretty stereotypical. I don't know many kids my age who vote, but the ones who do are the ones who read up on the candidates better than the adults. From what I can tell, only a few adults actually look deeply into the candidate's platform.

If you don't yet consider yourself an adult, I'd say you're too young to vote.

I just think it's hilarious that in the US, you have to be 21 to drink alcohol, yet you can vote and/or appear in porn at 18.

Yup. And the old you can die for your country at 18, but can't buy a beer is a good one too.

obscurity wrote:If you don't yet consider yourself an adult, I'd say you're too young to vote.

Ha ha... I like that... he set his own trap.

Note: I didn't say all young folk (kids) are stupid...or shouldn't vote. Also, I am commenting on mandatory voting specifically.

Obama and Clinton, tied for first with 38 points. I'm sure the relatively low scores are 'cause I didn't have any issues in the "extremely important" category. I don't make much of an old fogey, I just don't get worked up about stuff like I used to...

I would like to be able to get another season's wear out of my Clinton Gore t-shirts from way back when...

Charles (KA)

Hoblit wrote:

obscurity wrote:If you don't yet consider yourself an adult, I'd say you're too young to vote.

Ha ha... I like that... he set his own trap.

Heh ... I guess I did. You guys are pretty perceptive.

Great. The one Republican here. Hah. I will probably end up supporting Huckabee though, just because Chuck Norris is backing him.

Duncan Hunter
Score: 42

Fred Thompson
Score: 37

Mike Huckabee
Score: 37

Sam Brownback
Score: 35

Jim Gilmore
Score: 32

John McCain
Score: 29

Joe Biden
Score: 26

Hillary Clinton
Score: 25

John Edwards
Score: 25

Barack Obama
Score: 25

Tom Tancredo
Score: 23

Mitt Romney
Score: 23

Ron Paul
Score: 21

Chris Dodd
Score: 18

Rudy Giuliani
Score: 17

Bill Richardson
Score: 16

Dennis Kucinich
Score:11

Mike Gravel
Score: 6

g4meboy wrote:Your list

Your list is almost the inverse of mine! But as long as we can have a civil discussion about why we don't like each other's opinions, then I don't care if you are a Republican or a fascist.

Paco Del Stinko wrote:Yup. And the old you can die for your country at 18, but can't buy a beer is a good one too.

Gotta be the bitch here, Paco... if you're in the service, you can buy beer/alcohol on-base and consume it there.

So hey, kids! Wanna drink legally? Join the military!

Aw, you're no bitch, Rabid. I thought it varied from state to state depending on where you're stationed, but you're probably right. Either way, great idea for a recruiting campain!

Wages wrote:Your list is almost the inverse of mine! But as long as we can have a civil discussion about why we don't like each other's opinions, then I don't care if you are a Republican or a fascist.

Good enough for me. If you look at my political history you'd probably be surprised at what you may find. My first year in politics I was diehard Communist / Stalinist.

g4meboy wrote:

Wages wrote:Your list is almost the inverse of mine! But as long as we can have a civil discussion about why we don't like each other's opinions, then I don't care if you are a Republican or a fascist.

Good enough for me. If you look at my political history you'd probably be surprised at what you may find. My first year in politics I was diehard Communist / Stalinist.

I never saw anything wrong with Communism, it's just very difficult to do it on a large scale and be a fair but strong system. I think direct voting on every individual issue by voters is the only true way to have a fair system. Then YOU truly are the government. But it too is difficult to honesty implement. Or is it?

Wages wrote:I think direct voting on every individual issue by voters is the only true way to have a fair system. Then YOU truly are the government. But it too is difficult to honesty implement. Or is it?

I still firmly believe that your 2000 (and probably 2004) presidential election was fixed, so multiply that by about a million. The only way for a fair and honest election to happen is to use a 3rd party, completely impartial and uncorruptable entity overseeing it. Now where can we find one of those? Oh, wait, it doesn't exist. Guess we're all just a bunch of money-cattle for the 'man'.

Märk wrote:Guess we're all just a bunch of money-cattle for the 'man'.

WHY god!? WHY!?