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How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:36 am
by Gob
Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he intends to call an election for 2 July.
On Monday Australia's upper house, the Senate, rejected a piece of government legislation for a second time.
This provided Mr Turnbull with a trigger for a so-called double dissolution election.
Mr Turnbull said at a press conference on Tuesday that he intended to ask the governor general to dissolve parliament after the budget on 3 May.
A double dissolution election is a mechanism in the Australian constitution that allows the government to call for an election if a piece of legislation is blocked twice in the upper house.
Mr Turnbull said calling the double dissolution was about "giving the people their say".
"It means it's an occasion when the House and the Senate can't agree, persistently and so then everyone goes to the polls," he said.
75 fucking days, not these endless bloody dog and pony shows you do in the US.
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:57 am
by Scooter
Our last federal election had almost no precedent at 11 weeks. The Conservatives believed it would give them an advantage in fundraising, but it blew up in their faces, and I doubt any government would ask the G.-G. to drop a writ that early again. Future campaigns will almost certainly return to the more typical 5-6 weeks.
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:31 am
by Bicycle Bill
Gob, the problem is American government officials have become experts at the first rule of politics —
You don't really have to do something; all you need to do is to give the appearance that you are doing something.
This is why American government is overburdened with committees, caucuses, investigative panels, fact-finding missions, town-hall meetings, focus groups, and public hearings — with so little to show for it.
Not to mention the quadrennial "dog-and-pony shows", as you so aptly put it.
-"BB"-
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:47 am
by Crackpot
Gob,
If we did that you'd have to find something else to bitch about.
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:59 pm
by Lord Jim
In the past six years, Australia has had four different Prime Ministers from two different parties, and this will be their third election to pick a national government in those same six years...
I really don't think we have anything to learn regarding how to organize our political system from a country with
that kind of Banana Republic record....
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 1:35 pm
by Burning Petard
Why pick on 'banana republics'? I don't think they grow many bananas in Italy or France.
How To Do Elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 3:39 pm
by RayThom
Well, my PoliSci prof, Sam Finkelstein, taught the first rule of politics is:
"Do whatever it takes... as long as it's not illegal."
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:13 pm
by rubato
Gob wrote:"...
75 fucking days, not these endless bloody dog and pony shows you do in the US.
In the US running for office is an industry. That's why Ted Stevens who ran for re-election barely opposed raised and spent more than a million decades ago ( distributed widely to his cronys in Alaska ). He didn't need any money to be re-elected he needed it to pay patronage. You would want all those people to have to work for a living?
yrs,
rubato
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 9:38 pm
by Gob
Lord Jim wrote:In the past six years, Australia has had four different Prime Ministers from two different parties, and this will be their third election to pick a national government in those same six years...
I really don't think we have anything to learn regarding how to organize our political system from a country with
that kind of Banana Republic record....
Really? The system that gave you George the moron for two terms, doesn't need looking at?
The system that looks like giving you the President Trump, doesn't need looking at?
Oh, BTW 75 weeks will be the longest election run up here on record.
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 9:55 pm
by Lord Jim
I didn't say there wasn't room for improvement in our system...
I just said we had nothing to learn from
you... 
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:27 pm
by Gob
Crackpot wrote:Gob,
If we did that you'd have to find something else to bitch about.
I'd find something, don't worry.
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:29 pm
by Joe Guy
Gob wrote:
Oh, BTW 75 weeks will be the longest election run up here on record.
I see. You're beginning to Americanize....
Re: How to do elections
Posted: Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:53 pm
by Crackpot
Gob wrote:Crackpot wrote:Gob,
If we did that you'd have to find something else to bitch about.
I'd find something, don't worry.
Yes but you pick up too many more subjects that you rant endlessly on yet have little to no actual knowledge and you'll start treading on another posters toes.