My wife and son have just watched and involved me in watching an episode of "Family Fortunes". It's a quiz show where the contestants are challenged to provide a list of likely answers to a simple question apparently quantified by surveys of the general population.
The first alarming thought which occurs to me is that all these people presumably have the right to vote in governmental elections.
Does the panel agree that it might be a positive move to have a basic I.Q. test requirement in order to have the right to be on the electoral register? I don't mean a test of political opinion of course, but just a a basic check that those who vote are capable of understanding and have at least a basic grasp of what they are voting for?
My version of this would be to have three simple, pertinent, and probably multiple choice questions on ballot papers which have to be correctly answered before the paper can be counted as valid.
|
|
Come on now! - some of them cant even put an X in one little box! - should be grateful they managed to find the polling station!
|
|
Come on now Hump, even the stupid have a right to take part in the democratic process. Think of all those poor unemployed Labour MPs if they were excluded...
|
>> Come on now! - some of them cant even put an X in one little
>> box! - should be grateful they managed to find the polling station!
>>
Oh so true. Having been a polling clerk and counting clerk at several elections I know that to be true.
Having found the polling station, the regulars knew which of the three tables to go to, however this time there were four tables and they ignored the road lists.
We had three ballot papers. different colours, different sizes each had their own box back HERE where you got your form, to be posted in. No not at the other tables - Here ! That was a quite a challenge!!
Add to that we had parish elections. 10 votes and 13 candidates. The number of times we had to spell out " You have 1 to 10 votes to cast. You have your form and if you do not want to vote for anyone cos you do not know anyone, we cannot take the form back so just pop it in the correct box !"
This is in the "stockbroker belt". I think I earned my crust that day.
|
Ouch.
Try our local system - the ballot paper has the name of the candidate, his party, and a picture of the party symbol, for the illiterate.
This year we've had lots of service delivery protests - the ruling party promises the moon on a stick to the voters... and surprise surprise, a few years later they still haven't got electricity, free houses or proper sanitation, so go on the rampage, burning tyres and blockading roads.
yet come election time, the same coubncillors still get re-elected.
|
|
Why stop there? why not have a test to valuate the suitability to breed.
|
As always be careful what you wish for, at the moment you have the choice of which of the three depts of the one party state to vote for.
They could fashion the test to exclude those considering voting outside the approved guidelines, it would be cheaper and easier for them than the media they currently sleep with....the latent dangers of which have backfired slightly on them this year.
Money is at the root of most peoples voting preference.
|
>>Money is at the root of most peoples voting preference.
And sadly the parties all their game accordingly.
Perhaps the best that can be said about democracy is WSC's observation - it's the worst form of government, except for all the others.
I like Humph's idea, but it's difficult to foresee the consequences. They might not be good.
Last edited by: Manatee on Sat 20 Aug 11 at 21:36
|
Just to be absolutely clear and to emphasise, I'm not for one moment proposing that it would be in any way healthy or desirable to test or monitor political allegiances prior to voting. That is the sole job of the ballot itself.
I just worry that there will be those voting who have no concept of the at least alleged headline policies and manifestos of the various parties. Testing that knowledge in itself could lead to accusations of manipulation but surely it would br a comfort to all concernned to be reasonably confident that anyone whose vote is to be counted is capable of a minimum level of basic comprehension.
|
Manifesto's should be banned, they mislead the general population, at least those who haven't yet realise all political parties lie through their teeth and will tell you anything you want to hear to get themselves elected or more accurately get themselves on the gravy train.
EU referendum anybody....not trying to divert the thread but a shining example of a politician lying to get elected.
edit, tuition fees the great lie from their co conspirators.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sat 20 Aug 11 at 21:46
|
I'm a cynic. Anyone who believes a politician's promises and acts accordingly is at best stupid and at worst seriously challenged in their view of life.
So to have an IQ test for voting is the wrong test. We need a test of cynicism. And anyone who is naive cannot vote..
See the Libdem vote as the naively optimistic run away when the realities of being in power strike home.... Hint: it has halved.
Last edited by: madf on Sat 20 Aug 11 at 22:10
|
Honestly! If you are talking about ignorance of politics and the right to vote, you lot should have the vote taken away from you.
Haven't any of you worked out yet that it matters not who you vote for? Indeed whether you vote or not.
Dear Lord! I am surprised any of you have jobs.
|
Problem with setting a test is that it is an easy way to remove democracy from an election as was experienced in the deep south in the USA early last century. Voters had to prove that they could read before voting. Of course blacks did not have education.
The same could happen here. As an extrema example voters could be asked to translate the following before voting: fallaces sunt rerum species*. Of course before the internet, this ability would be limited in the main to those who had received an independent education.
One man (or woman) one vote should stand and in the spirit of the original poster, I will add unfortunately, because at the moment it does seem that this is being abused by newspaper magnets who hold sway over a lot of voters.
*Things are not always as they seem (actual translation is
The appearances of things are deceptive). Apologies, my latin is dreadful! ;-)
Last edited by: zippy on Sun 21 Aug 11 at 10:22
|
>> being abused by newspaper magnets who hold sway over a lot of voters.
Very attractive are they - these "magnets"? :=)
|
Come now, I'm not suggesting anyone should be capable of translating Latin to have the right to vote but some of these people I saw on that TV proramme last night would have had trouble with the following...
Which of these are current political parties in the UK?
1/ Consevative
2/ Labour
3/ Cheese Sandwiches
:-)
|
I'll vote for the cheese sandwiches.
At least you get a brief moment of satisfaction of them before it all goes down the crapper.
|
Its those who voted Conservative or Labour who landed us in the manure not those who voted cheese sandwiches. ;-0
|
Humph,
Cheese? What about the meat eaters?
In principle, but those in power corrupt rules to suit and the questions could over time become more difficult, designed to exclude voters.
|
I once covered an election in Algeria. Went to a central Algiers polling station to observe, I said, 'the masses voting'. They looked at me as if I was mad and wouldn't let me in. But no one else seemed to be going in either.
That evening in a bar one of the hacks from the party daily - really the only daily unless you could afford Le Monde - rushed in and yelled jokily: 'They've lost the results!' That got a big laugh.
When announced, they were something like: 98.387% had voted, and 94.68725% of those had voted for, er, the President. Who was standing unopposed.
Democracy: don't'cha just love it?
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Sun 21 Aug 11 at 12:39
|
>> the party daily - really the only daily unless you could afford Le Monde
Actually I am slandering Algeria here, implicitly, in a typical smug Europress way. One gets sucked into that willy-nilly, and it has to be said the Algerian regime, in my day, rather asked for it.
Still, if anyone is interested, there were one or two other French language papers including the Chaab, the army paper, which sometimes took a more independent line than the Moudjahid, the party rag. Of course it could, because the army was really in charge.
And there were of course Arabic-language papers, a closed book to me.
Algerians aren't sheep at all, they are well sprauncy, with ancient pirate and desert-raider roots, and their women are beautiful and spirited. It's the various systems forced on them at gunpoint, starting way back but most recently by 100 years of the French, that cause the trouble and make them seem so sour and unwelcoming.
|
I've been a loyal Cheese Sandwich man and boy. We've never deviated from our core policies. There was a time when there were those who felt a coalition with the Branstons would strengthen us but they proved to be fickle and defected to the Ham Butties as soon as they saw them gaining popularity. We've long embraced Europe and while sticking principally to our heritage Cheddar roots we've welcomed alliances with Edam, Brie and of course for many years Caerphilly. We had some local difficulty particularly in the 70s with the Red Leicesters but they seem to have quietened now, confining themselves to the toasted sector in the main. Recently we had the scandal of allegations of corruption pertaining to the leader of the Parmesans but the evidence would appear to have snice crumbled.
The modernists in the party have successfully formed an alliance with the Lea & Perrins who are happy to work with us in a supporting role. We in the Cheshire ward have been accused of lack of substance and waning popularity but I'm confident of a long term loyalty particularly given our increasingly ageing population who's traditional values echo our own.
Vote Cheese Sandwich - We'll never let this country starve.
:-)
Last edited by: Humph D'Bout on Sun 21 Aug 11 at 12:45
|
|
You only got where you are by your savage exploitation of the bread classes.
|
|
Never trusted the cheese eaters defence policy since their alliance with the surrender monkeys.
|
>> Vote Cheese Sandwich - We'll never let this country starve.
My policies are much more diverse, I am standing on the Ploughmans ticket. Sod the tea party.
|
Hello Mr Zero. And how are you today is it?
My name is Spike, sir. I am representing chicken tikka masala multicultural organization campaigning for true representation of West Midlands population and others further afield sir.
We are offering very favourable terms for new recruits just for one week only sir. If you will just give me your full home address and bank details I will....
(Click! Brrrrrrrrr...)
|
>> There was a time when there were those who felt a coalition with the
>> Branstons would strengthen us but they proved to be fickle . . .
Shouldn't that be ". . .Branstons would strengthen us but they proved to be pickle . . ."
Or am I gherkhin up the wrong tree?
|
|
Would it be racist to suggest that the influence of Reggae Reggae sauce is debasing the true Branston culture?
|
|
Only the true cheese party has culture.
|
|
Anybody who has ever knocked on doors for a political party will have wondered what on earth some of the population actually DO with their votes.
|
>> Only the true cheese party has culture.
>>
Something the yoghurts would deny.
|
>> >> Only the true cheese party has culture.
>> >>
>>
>> Something the yoghurts would deny.
yes but they are a bit wet.
|
|
The true cheeses are of course to be admired for their steadfastness but ultimately they've got no bread. I have heard recently though that they are on a bit of a roll.
|
|
Only after buttering up the electorate.
|
|
Current leader's crackers of course.
|
|
Rubbish, knows his onions.
|
Well, I suppose there is evidence of a certain raw enthusiasm, but he needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.
|
|
Some of the cheeses are true blue, but some are low rent and smelly...
|
'yes but they are a bit wet."
Most of the yoghurts I know are bit thick and set in their wheys
|
|
Soured reputation though, some real fruits in amongst that lot.
|
|
Greek-style yoghurts are revolting.
|
|
Yes, but they do have a terrific culture.
|
|
You're all spinning the wrong Yarg here. The sandwich was named after a peer of the realm - an Earl none less - who didn't have the vote anyway.
Last edited by: Avant on Mon 22 Aug 11 at 23:53
|
>> With or without pickle?
>>
What has this to do with Eric?
|
>> You're all spinning the wrong Yarg here
Is that a cheese?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarg
Is it spun?
|
|
Anyway, we have all done jolly well in our tests. But are we sane enough to vote?
|
>>Is that a cheese? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yarg<<
Nice cheese that, I'll have to get some this weekend ~ thanks for the reminder!
|
|
I know a woman who used to pick the nettles for that - she reckoned it was an arthritis cure!
|
|
Good for the hair too (juice of)
|
|
Nettles are good for bees - extracted juice in sugar syrup feed
|
|
A bunch of nettles hung in the kitchen keeps flies away :)
|
Test before ballot? - devonite
