How to do elections

Right? Left? Centre?
Political news and debate.
Put your views and articles up for debate and destruction!
Post Reply
User avatar
Gob
Posts: 33646
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:40 am

How to do elections

Post 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. :-D
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

User avatar
Scooter
Posts: 17271
Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 6:04 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.
"Hang on while I log in to the James Webb telescope to search the known universe for who the fuck asked you." -- James Fell

User avatar
Bicycle Bill
Posts: 9796
Joined: Thu Dec 03, 2015 1:10 pm
Location: Living in a suburb of Berkeley on the Prairie along with my Yellow Rose of Texas

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.
Image
-"BB"-
Yes, I suppose I could agree with you ... but then we'd both be wrong, wouldn't we?

User avatar
Crackpot
Posts: 11660
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:59 am
Location: Michigan

Re: How to do elections

Post by Crackpot »

Gob,

If we did that you'd have to find something else to bitch about.
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.

User avatar
Lord Jim
Posts: 29716
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:44 pm
Location: TCTUTKHBDTMDITSAF

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.... :nana
Last edited by Lord Jim on Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ImageImageImage

Burning Petard
Posts: 4596
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
Location: Near Bear, Delaware

Re: How to do elections

Post by Burning Petard »

Why pick on 'banana republics'? I don't think they grow many bananas in Italy or France.

User avatar
RayThom
Posts: 8604
Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2012 4:38 pm
Location: Longwood Gardens PA 19348

How To Do Elections

Post 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."
Image
“In a world whose absurdity appears to be so impenetrable, we simply must reach a greater degree of understanding among us, a greater sincerity.” 

rubato
Posts: 14245
Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 10:14 pm

Re: How to do elections

Post by rubato »

Gob wrote:"...

75 fucking days, not these endless bloody dog and pony shows you do in the US. :-D

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

User avatar
Gob
Posts: 33646
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:40 am

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.... :nana
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.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

User avatar
Lord Jim
Posts: 29716
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2010 12:44 pm
Location: TCTUTKHBDTMDITSAF

Re: How to do elections

Post 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... :P
ImageImageImage

User avatar
Gob
Posts: 33646
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 8:40 am

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

User avatar
Joe Guy
Posts: 15392
Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:40 pm
Location: Redweird City, California

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.... :D

User avatar
Crackpot
Posts: 11660
Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 2:59 am
Location: Michigan

Re: How to do elections

Post 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.
Okay... There's all kinds of things wrong with what you just said.

Post Reply