TomAiello 26 #26 June 10, 2009 QuoteIn many parliamentary systems, if you get a minimal threshold (by percentage) of votes in a election, you get a corresponding number of seats. The BNP didn't win any races, they just got enough votes (or rather, the Labour party got fewer votes - low turnout) to qualify. Fairer in some sense, but it does result in electing nazis, software pirateers, and other less desireables. I had thought that Euro-MP's were elected FPTP. Is that not the case? Or does it vary from country to country? edit: nevermind, I see from the linked article that these seats appear to be apportioned six to a district on a proportional basis, which just seems like a bizarre hybrid system to me.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,596 #27 June 10, 2009 QuoteWe're talking about FPTP elections in geographically divided districts, in reasonably remote areas. Yours for your parliament, ours for our congress. How are they not the same? Apart from the difference in voting systems, one is for a national assembly, the other one isn't. This was mentioned before, try and keep up please. Seriously, you can't underestimate just how differently people think about elections for MEPs Vs a general election.Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #28 June 10, 2009 No PA's I didnt call you a racisist I just said you sounded like one. But as others have pointed out, elitist would of been a better term "and large swathes of voters from Middle Britain abstained" Of course they fucking abstained, Most voters from middle England have little, or no command at all of the english language, and probably didn't even know there was an election. and that just about shows the state of your f***ing socialist controlled England. Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billvon 3,120 #29 June 10, 2009 "elitist would of been a better term" "Most voters from middle England have little, or no command at all of the english language" "I didnt call you a racisist" This may well be the perfect Speaker's Corner post. A poster who calls another poster an elitist, claims he is much more literate than a huge chunk of people - and then misspells "racist." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 0 #30 June 10, 2009 Quote"and large swathes of voters from Middle Britain abstained" Of course they fucking abstained, Most voters from middle England have little, or no command at all of the english language, and probably didn't even know there was an election. and that just about shows the state of your f***ing socialist controlled England. Now who sounds like a racist? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #31 June 10, 2009 Quote"elitist would of been a better term" "Most voters from middle England have little, or no command at all of the english language" "I didnt call you a racisist" This may well be the perfect Speaker's Corner post. A poster who calls another poster an elitist, claims he is much more literate than a huge chunk of people - and then misspells "racist." Well your spell checker didn't pick it up, an I've never claimed I'm literate, or sit on the fence like some whom I could mention Oh an Billvon, Speakers has no apostrophe Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #32 June 10, 2009 QuoteOh an Billvon, Speakers has no apostrophe It does, actually. See here.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jakee 1,596 #33 June 10, 2009 Quote Oh an Billvon, Speakers has no apostrophe Yes, it does (although admitedly he has it in the wrong place). And if we're being that pedantic, here's one that you can't blame the spell check for; it is "would have been" not "would of been".Do you want to have an ideagasm? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zep 0 #34 June 10, 2009 And if we're being that pedantic, here's one that you can't blame the spell check for; it is "would have been" not "would of been".[ Blame it on Wilson and his cut backs on education to pay for the opening of the floodgates. Gone fishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
miked10270 0 #35 June 11, 2009 Bringing the thread back on track for a moment...I'va always been suspicious of ANY party with "National" or "Nationalist" in its name; there's a VERY thin dividing line between having pride in one's origins and outright xenophobia. While the Scottish National Party (and I belive Plaid Cmryu) primarily promote national identity (& independence), they still attract a significant xenophobic (commonly anti-English) element. In the case of the British National Party, they are primarily xenophobic while trying to appear to promote national identity. On a historical note, the BNP used to call themselves The National Front and were openly racist and fascist. Before that they were an illegal organisation and before that called themselves The British Union of Fascists (under Oswald Ernald Mosely). AS such, they are (correctly?) identified by most voters as Neo-Nazi's. I suppose that if they were to be accurate, they'd call themselves the National Socialist English Workers Party. Because of Britain's historical rejection of Fascism in the 1930's, and the resultant war, modern fascists are viewed with some hatred by most of the British Electorate.... Although it is quite funny when they persist in using images from Britains war AGAINST fascism in an effort to promote themselves.However, on THIS occasion, the Fascists were more successful in getting their voters to the polls than the mainstream poliotical parties who suffered from voter disillusionment and apathy. Because of this, the recent EU elections may actually be a good thing for British politics; As the electorate are faced with a warning of the consequences of apathy. Mike. Taking the piss out of the FrenchAmericans since before it was fashionable. Prenait la pisse hors du FrançaisCanadiens méridionaux puisqu'avant lui à la mode. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #36 June 11, 2009 Without knowing more about the "party", to me it looks like they managed to exploit an issue that I believe it going to boil over in Europe - immigration and loss of sovereignty as the EU attempts to take hold and merge Europe in to one entity. Immigration is a hot topic in the US also, and those that have sought to take a soft stance on the issue have been thwarted here (including Sen. McCain and President Bush) decidedly. Now, if the BNP is a full blown national socialist party which would like to see government take overs other parts of Europe saw 60-70 years ago, then yes, be worried. Otherwise, if I were born and raised in England, France, Germany, etc., the last thing I'd want to see in my lifetime is a willful erosion of my country's sovereignty and adoption of constitutions without any vote, etc. When is the next vote in Ireland on the EU constitution? I hope the vote swings the same way as the last one.So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JackC 0 #37 June 11, 2009 QuoteBecause of this, the recent EU elections may actually be a good thing for British politics; As the electorate are faced with a warning of the consequences of apathy. While that is certainly true, the EU elections are a slightly different animal to a general election. The EU elections are a sort of a regional proportional representation system whereas a general election is a true first past the post system. Couple that with the popular view that EU elections are less important than general elections, and as such are sometimes used as an oportunity to cast a protest vote (or abstention), and you have a system where all sorts of otherwise unelectable parties get representation in the EU parliament. Is that a good thing or a bad thing, I don't know but I doubt a general election would yeild similar results. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TomAiello 26 #38 June 11, 2009 QuoteWhen is the next vote in Ireland on the EU constitution? I hope the vote swings the same way as the last one. It doesn't matter. The voters have no real choice. "Do you want to? No? Ok. Well, how about now? No? Ok. Well, how about now?" All it takes is one yes answer, and the question is never asked again. 57 times no, and once yes, and it's done.-- Tom Aiello Tom@SnakeRiverBASE.com SnakeRiverBASE.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyrad 0 #39 June 12, 2009 QuoteQuoteExcept it's a national assembly, which is not like the European Parliament. Sure it is. We're just a couple hundred years ahead of you guys. Our states began ceding sovereignty to the federal government 200 years ago. You guys are only 15 or so years into your changeover. We still have state legislatures, same as you've got a UK parliament. We also have a federal government, same as you have the European Union. You are right, only the naive, blind or stupid would not see it.When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy. Lucius Annaeus Seneca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
