Comments on: Voter responsibility

By: Cleanthes

Cleanthes — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 17:08:12 +0000

“Instead we write them off as people not interested in peace,”

No we don’t. At least I don’t. I write off the *Government* of the PA as not being interested in peace.

By: Clarice

Clarice — Sat, 29 Apr 2006 00:56:37 +0000

Yes. I can see why voting should be anonymous, but I think that removes responsibility from the individual. There should be consequences in the form of personal punishments for voting stupidly, or in a reactive or ill-informed manner. People shouldn’t be able to say “*I* didn’t vote for them” without being able to prove it. And if they can’t prove it, then they should be able to justify why they voted as they did, or face punishment.

By: Robert

Robert — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 14:54:55 +0000

Also, I don’t think hating Americans really counts as racist - which race exactly is being hated in such a situation?

Prejudice then. Assuming that all people are going to be similar, when they’re not.

By: Clarice

Clarice — Fri, 28 Apr 2006 13:47:03 +0000

Very good Rob.

But the whole point of democracy is that it IS a “tyranny” of the majority. I’m not sure that “tyranny” is quite the right word though, since that implies an arbitrary use of authority, whereas a democratically-organised set-up is by definition not arbitrary. I think, as Kathy says, the question is whether the majority of the electorate are well-educated, well-informed and well-motivated to vote for an ethical government - and the answer to that in any given instance is a product of previous government policies.

Also, I don’t think hating Americans really counts as racist - which race exactly is being hated in such a situation?

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 26 Apr 2006 13:53:49 +0000

In the words of Tony “Education, Education, Education” (but by whom???)
Catch 22

By: Tim Newman

Tim Newman — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 13:38:37 +0000

I feel you are a bit harsh to say that I deserve whatever may happen if a BNP government is elected even if I vote for another party.

You personally will not deserve whatever may happen. But “we”, as in the electorate, collectively will.

We are into the realms of collective responsibily.

Exactly. And if an electorate are not collectively responsible for whom they vote into office, then with whom does the responsibility of electing a suitable government lie?

By: Kathy

Kathy — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 11:59:29 +0000

Tim, I do not know to whom Robert is referring either, but I feel you are a bit harsh to say that I deserve whatever may happen if a BNP government is elected even if I vote for another party. I may have done all in my power to make sure that the BNP do not get enough votes, so I may have to suffer the consequences but do I deserve them??
We are into the realms of collective responsibily.

By: Tim Newman

Tim Newman — Tue, 25 Apr 2006 05:44:46 +0000

Likewise, pointing at a random Palestinian and saying “sorry mate, you brought it on yourself” seems spectacularly unfair, as is calling anyone from Barking a racist.

I’m not sure who you are referring to with this sentence, but I hope it isn’t me. My position is that the Palestinians (meaning the electorate) elected Hamas into government, and like it or not, they are stuck with them until the end of their term of office. I understand that not all Palestinians voted for Hamas, but collectively they voted in such a manner that Hamas has been elected.

My point is that no Palestinian, having collectively voted in such a way that Hamas is now their government, has the right to demand international aid to assist Hamas in implementing its policies. The fact that not all Palestinians voted for Hamas matters not one jot in this instance.

If Palestinians collectively want international aid, they are going to have to learn to collectively vote in such a way that Hamas does not get into power - in much the same way that the UK votes collectively to ensure the BNP does not get into power, i.e. by isolating the BNP politically and voting for more moderate parties. If the British public show apathy or recklessness to the point that we collectively manage to elect a BNP government, then we will deserve everything we get.