Seán H ([info]ohnefuehlen) wrote,
@ 2009-06-09 19:33:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend  Next Entry
You can only blame your problems on the world for so long, before it all becomes the same old song
I've heard from a few different people, now, that they didn't vote in the European elections because it was too confusing, they didn't know who all the parties were or what they stood for or what MEPs did.

Guys? This information is widely available from a variety of sources. It's just a google away. I know that if you're not used to thinking politically, or you don't already have a broad familiarity with UK and EU political systems, or you're not used to tracking down specific information on the Internet, that this can be difficult and irritating.

But EU elections are every five years. A bit of factfinding and then a walk down to the library once every five years isn't much to ask in the way of political participation.

Democracy grants massive power to huge numbers of people, but along with that power comes, say it with me, responsibility. All the moaning about the varied evil of politicians doesn't do a bit of good if we don't actually make any effort to put teeth to our feelings.

(this is not aimed at anybody in particular, & I'm not interested in attacking whatever perfectly good reasons you may have had for not voting. But I still think you should have voted! If turnout had been anything remotely decent, I am quite convinced that the BNP would not be heading to Europe now)



(11 comments) - (Post a new comment)


[info]polocrunch
2009-06-09 06:55 pm UTC (link)
I registered to vote but my borough council failed to add me to the electoral roll. I tried two polling stations and the borough helpline but I was DENIED my vote. Hot diggety.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]ohnefuehlen
2009-06-09 07:13 pm UTC (link)
daaaaamn. Well, you're officially off the hook! You should complain to your MP, though, that's seriously worrying. Any idea why it happened? Just human error?

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]rachel2205
2009-06-10 02:23 am UTC (link)
Protest, yo. This is a Failure of Democracy!

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]flickums
2009-06-10 11:30 am UTC (link)
I did vote, though I admit I'm the boat of people who don't think politically (at least not recently, I used to follow politics very closely...still not sure why I stopped).

We didn't get much information about the parties included in the election. The only one I can remember seeing was Labour, who instead of the "here's why you should vote for us" stance, they went for the "here's why you shouldn't vote for those other jerks!" tactic.

So voted Lib Dems on the off chance I'll end up back at University. Though the 'vote for anyone as long as it isn't the BNP' approach seems like a bit of a bad reason to vote. While I don't want to see the BNP getting that kind of power, I'm pretty sure there should be more noble reasons for voting.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]ohnefuehlen
2009-06-10 11:43 am UTC (link)
Yeah, the whole "vote for anyone but the BNP" tactic, while I agree with the sentiment, basically means that people who want to vote "none of the above" will vote BNP. I would rather that political parties 1) actually engaged with the BNP's stated policies, given that they can be easily taken apart by anyone literate, and 2) presented a respectable alternative...

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)


[info]flickums
2009-06-10 11:53 am UTC (link)
I've always been of the belief that the whole reasoning behind voting should be "I like the way these people think and I would like them running the country" rather than "I don't like the way these people think and I wouldn't like them running the country...but hey, they're better than those other guys!"

A respectable alternative or even a well-rounded arguement would be nice, just not the whole "everyone apart from us are jerks!" approach that a lot of the parties seemed to be adopting.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]vampiricpeacock
2009-06-10 01:19 pm UTC (link)
I wish I would have been able to vote. I'm not allowed. :(

I have to rely almost completely on what I read online when I fill out my absentee ballots for voting in the US. It's a different story with the Presidential elections since that gets a lot of coverage over here, of course. With state and county elections I always have to spend a little bit of time reading up on the candidates. It's really not difficult to get myself caught up.

When I lived in Oregon, we always got an official voter's pamphlet in the mail a few weeks before the elections. The candidates were each allowed a space to say why you should vote for them, and what they stood for. People and organisations were allowed space to argue for and against various ballot measures. Here we just got inundated by flyers saying "Don't vote for the other guys!" I have to say that I prefer the official pamphlet approach.

(Reply to this)


[info]starlastardust
2009-06-10 04:12 pm UTC (link)
the russian postal system put me off voting. and lo and behold, the constiuency i grew up in AND the one i study in vote in the BNP. i swear, i leave britain for a few months and it all goes to the dogs...

(Reply to this)


[info]moopste
2009-06-10 09:20 pm UTC (link)
I don't usually think politically but I voted.

I also wished for a ranked voting method. It probably has its disadvantages but would allow me to put the BNP and similar at the bottom. I was rather conscious of the fact that a party the majority of people were against could still win. Since we vote positively the people against that party would likely split their vote due to the variety of options. Ranked methods seem to allow both positive and negative voting which sounds as if it would work well to resolve those situations more satisfactorily for the majority.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]ohnefuehlen
2009-06-10 09:47 pm UTC (link)
Yeah, the AV system allows for that, and allegedly Brown is finally thinking about looking into electoral reform. It's a bit bloody late, because I doubt they'll be in power long enough, but still.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]era_of_darkness
2009-06-11 01:47 pm UTC (link)
Argh the I-didn't-vote-because-I'm-not-well-informed excuse! The sad thing is, it happens here. With like two candidates. OK, there are more, obviously, but would it kill you to learn about the two main guys? do you watch the news at ALL, or just gossip girl?!

(Reply to this)


(11 comments) - (Post a new comment)

Create an Account
Forgot your login or password?
Login w/ OpenID
English • Español • Deutsch • Русский…