I wonder if we can make this an election issue?

[TheSnakeman]

You wrote:
"I rest my case (who was it that said something about the size of the brain being inversely proportional to the size of the hat?"

I've heard similar sayings to this, but not that one,

like "the probability of a buttered slice of bread falling face up is inversely proportional to the value of the carpet you drop it on".

All the best

Snakeman Raymond Hoser

[Frank&Earnest]

Under the current system of course, a "crackpot" can get in to parliament with a very small percentage of the national vote.

Have you watched the 3 "independents"?

I rest my case (who was it that said something about the size of the brain being inversely proportional to the size of the hat?)

Edit:

I couldn't find the 2010 figures, but in the 2007 election Bob Katter was elected to parliament with 32500 votes. If you work that out as a percentage of the total number of votes, you will find that is well below 1% (couldn't find the total for 2007, but it would be > 7 million me thinks)

Yep. That is what I meant by "The power now enjoyed by the independents is a reflection of the desire by a growing part of the electorate to obtain proportionality notwithstanding the current fetters".

Incidentally, I find BK almost endearing in his singleminded advocacy of cows and, after hearing the other independents speak, I would not have any problems voting for them. We'll see if their actions match their words.

[artme]

I am a proponent of proportional representation and agree that our current system is outdated.

It has been interesting ro note over the peiod of the current election in particular how both major parties want to run with the hares and hunt with the hounds when spruiking the legitamacy of their claim to govern.

One problem with our system is hat it makes the politics predictable and stale. I think both our major parties lack imagination and guts because they are captive to various power groups. This should disappear with a truly representative parliament.

Of course to chang the system would require a referendum and you can just imagine the support that would be forthcoming from the major parties, can't you???

[tea lady]

Start off talking about a woman applying sun screen, and it degenerates into a politics discussion.? Weird.

[Frank&Earnest]

Start off talking about a woman applying sun screen, and it degenerates into a politics discussion.? Weird.

Not at all. Images of a man in speedos must have flashed in everybody's mind.

That's a thought. Fred, do you think that was to suggest that the smaller the speedos the bigger .....

[Big Shed]

That's a thought. Fred, do you think that was to suggest that the smaller the speedos the bigger .....

You wouldn't wear a hat with speedos, would you????

[TheSnakeman]

When doing snake shows, we line boxes with newspapers and I recently got a bundle of newspapers all with Julia Gillard on the front cover.
They sit in the boxes and I often make the comment that,
"They are always clean, because the snakes reckon Julia Gillard isn't worth crapping on".
This gets a laugh, as does the reverse comment "Oh it crapped on Gillard and I didn't think she was worth crapping on".
The same would go for Abbott, but at the moment we don't have him lining the boxes.
All the best
The Snake man Raymond Hoser

[damian]

People are natually inclined to think everyone shares their views.

Australians want more than anything stability. We are a wealthy comfortable nation and we want it to stay that way.

The federal parliment was set up for balance. The senate offers the proportional representation you mention and also accounts for the state by state disparity in population.

If you really want to undermine the dualopoly you don't need proportional representation. Optional preferential or first past the post systems accomplish this.

Australia is not israel. I glanced at that artical. Rudd and Turnbull's leaderships were utter demonstrable failures. Rudd only won the election because no one knew anything about him.

As it stands our governments are elected by a few hundred thousand swing voters in marginal seats. All other votes, including mine, mean nothing. It is possible mine contributed to the senate slightly.

You need to be realistic. Our democracy is for all the people and while it leaves me unsatisfied, and perhaps you too, it accomplishes an outcome that we all can live with. Unless your alternative accomplishes that it'll never be accepted.

Me, I LOVE a hung parliment. The more time politicians spend fighting amongst themselves the less they have to think up new ways to shaft me.

[damian]

Start off talking about a woman applying sun screen, and it degenerates into a politics discussion.? Weird.

I know it's funny isn't it. Maybe we should see just how big a leap we can take from the subject to politics ?

At least these rants are confined to the "nothing to do with woodwork" area

"troubled" her sons. Oh gosh, I'm rolling around....

[TheSnakeman]

Damian, I hate to say this, but what you wrote above (your first of last two posts) is compellingly correct.
On the opinion stakes, I say some is perspective and you'd have to define me as "more radical" than yourself as in anything that undermines the two party duopoly, I regard as "good", as I regard them as inherantly evil, even if individuals within that system are OK and/or working for good in one area or other.
All the best
Snakeman Raymond Hoser
Snakebusters

[Sebastiaan56]

Me, I LOVE a hung parliment. The more time politicians spend fighting amongst themselves the less they have to think up new ways to shaft me.

Damn it Damian, I agree with you! Stop it man!

Start off talking about a woman applying sun screen, and it degenerates into a politics discussion.? Weird

Well it was the title of the thread on purpose TL. I knew I could count on woodies to show their creativity

[damian]

Yup, turn a log into a chair and sunscreen into politics.

Ok, now people are agreeing with me I'll have to change my mind...