Westministenders: The Truth Isn't A Made Up Concept

[RedToothBrush]

“In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

Not George Orwell but often attributed to him. But a powerful statement with resonance nonetheless

I get very nervous when anything is suggested as "improving" democracy. Voter ID springs to mind.

But the system today which operated today is a farce: 45 minutes to vote and 1/3 disenfranchised. Sometimes things need to change because old system are obsolete.

I am not sure now that people would object to a simple ID card, now that we have to produce ID for everything, which we didn't when Blair wanted to produce his overly elaborate and expensive scheme. Something like a bus pass would serve, where you send off to the Local Authority and the only cost to you is the cost of a set of photos from a booth.

As for Johnson and No Deal, I think most of us agree that is what he wants. Yes, they will be able to pass it off as corona virus related, in the same way that they are trying to make excuses for the highest death rate in Europe. Which of course, needn't have been, if they had been better prepared, but bunging a bob for a bong for Brexit was more important than looking at what was happening in China.

We've also been told time and time again that technology is progress, and technology cuts costs and we must have technology. Then this theatre. That's all it is, theatre. How much legitimacy does this shower still have?

Speaking of Trump, have you seen the White House version of his wee jaunt across to the church for a photo opportunity (without even a courtesy call to the Bishop), the route for which, amongst peaceful protestors, was cleared with tear gas and flash bangs....?

https://twitter.com/whitehouse/status/1267676026391404544?s=21

....this truly is Ministry of Truth stuff

Things that improve democracy
Remote meetings - I was not a fan at all as I was certain it would reduce democracy at all levels.
I was wrong
Electronic / remote meetings are turning out to be a huge success.
They are enfranchising people who could not engage in the political process before
and the vote recording is transparent and accountable.

And on the case of the House of Commons I believe DGR is wrong.

Simple electronic voting from one's seat with the results visible on screen as soon as the vote closes will ADD to British Democracy
and allow our paid representatives to get on and debate rather than hang around in corridors.

DGR is improving necessarily the opposite of impeding, though? I mean, if people note that sth is impeding democracy, surely it doesn't inevitably mean they are rabid fans of quick-fix improvements?

I posted this on another thread, but since we are discussing Trump I found Trudeau's silence when asked to comment almost as noteworthy as his lockdown appearance.
twitter.com/MuhammadLila/status/1267845513786863617

I've come around to thinking that it would be better for the US for Trump to win again in November. I know that sounds crazy, but hear me out.

If Biden wins, will Trump accept it gracefully, say he's had a good four years and walk away? We all know the answer to that.

If Trump loses, he will say the election is rigged and he will call on his supporters to take to the streets with their guns. He would enjoy the thrill of calling for a civil war. All of this on a country already ravaged by Covid and divided by his rhetoric of the past four years and the US really does sink into anarchy and chaos.

On the other hand, another four years of Trump and the world sinks into chaos... his win was really the initial unravelling of global institutions.

If Trump loses he is no longer the Commander in Chief.
He is not even the leader of a political party.
He goes back to Mar a Lago
Melania will divorce him before Biden's inauguration.

Once he is no longer commander in chief no US federal, state, County or Town employee will defend his word.
In fact quite a few will line up to indict him.

If Trump wins then China becomes the world superpower.

The Trump parade is on the BBC now, with a nice video. It seems several religious leaders have come out against him too.

I find myself actually hoping that the US will split up shortly - sorry, Americans. It's further along the exact same path we are, as demonstrated by that appalling travesty of a vote today. Its split might just save us. If not, what next? What there was of democracy has been taken over and subverted, right in front of us. They are so blatant now.

I agree remote working for most has been remarkably successful, I was a long time sceptic of homeworking but have changed my attitude to it.

Remote representation I feel very differently about. In ordinary times representatives should be able to be open electors and democracy publicly accessible. If people are voting at home, members aren’t accessible in the same way

I find myself actually hoping that the US will split up shortly
Not quite sure what you mean?
The two coasts and parts of the Canadian border states (pop 300m) ~ the middle (pop 30m) ??

Louise
In ordinary times representatives should be able to be open electors and democracy publicly accessible. If people are voting at home, members aren’t accessible in the same way
I have to admit that the online meetings are meeting democratic need FAR FAR better than I thought they would.

Agendas are published in advance as are decision papers.
All members and the officers can be seen on screen by those at home.
The public can speak at the appropriate times.
The public can listen and watch the whole discussion
all from the comfort / safety of their own homes
and without a big carbon footprint
Oxfordshire County Council example here
mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/documents/g6279/Agenda%20frontsheet%20Monday%2004-May-2020%2010.30%20County%20Council.pdf?T=0

Voting farce, take 3 here we go on Parl channel now

Just watched a bit.
Pathetic.
Great Yarmouth Town Council are more effective.

What is the right to bare arms all about?

The right to bear arms. The right to bare arms is a Vitamin D thing.

"The subjects which are Protestants may have arms for their defence suitable to their conditions and as allowed by law."

English Bill of Rights 1689

Classic statement of English legal principles: You can have a gun unless there's a law that says you can't.

It was the revolting colonists who came up with the potty notion of laws that said what you could do, rather than laws that said what you could not do and what the state could.

Enough to make you vomit voting in Parliament! Farcical.

Enough to make you vomit voting in Parliament! Farcical.

The trouble is, there appears to be little we can do to stop them. At one time public opprobrium would have pulled a PM and Leader of the House back. Now their attitude seems to be So What, we can do what we like.

A shame the geegees are back or the bookies could sart offering odds on which MPs come in first.

Fiver each way on Geoffey Clifton-Brown

After my question this morning about blood donation, I got a text at lunch saying it had been cancelled and to ignore all further texts about this session! I can only assume local incidence is rising and they have noticed?

"We're very sorry, but due to the COVID-19 situation we have had to cancel your appointment to give blood. Please ignore any other texts for this session."

Then one about 2hrs later asking me to wear a mask which I can only assume was a preset timed one.

How can it be right if those MPs who cannot attend because they are either shielded or have medical problems or pregnant are denied even the right to vote electronically? Surely this is not democracy!

But Alison Pearson is not happy that Boris has banned bonking (as if!) but she is trying to blame the scientists, not her idiotic government that she has slavishly voted for.

Off topic but interesting. Wales now will permit voting for 16/17 year olds. So England is out of step with Scotland and Wales.

www.electoral-reform.org.uk/16-and-17-year-olds-secure-the-right-to-vote-in-wales-today/

The Telegraph @Telegraph
EXCLUSIVE: Boris Johnson is to take "direct control" of the Government's handling of the coronavirus crisis

HE IS THE PRIME MINISTER > HE SHOULD BE IN DIRECT CONTROL ALREADY!

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2020/06/02/exclusive-boris-johnson-takes-back-control-coronavirus-crisis/?utm_content=telegraph&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1591131855

Exclusive: Boris Johnson takes back control of coronavirus crisis with Downing Street shake-up

Two centrally-run committees, covering strategy and operational delivery, will shape Government's approach to pandemic

This is a PR stunt because people have noticed he's been completely feckless and weak with the Cummings Saga.