Sunday 18 September 2011

Two minds better than one

It would seem that Richard North, EU Referendum, and I are working on the same thing, namely a post-EU democracy for this country:
"Based on recent experiences and long-term thinking, I have some ideas of how to make this happen. I will start addressing our own "plan" tomorrow, as I attempt to pull together the threads. They, the political classes, are weaker than they look. The time is right for change. Even a small number of determined people is sufficient to bring them down."
The fourth part of my series "Constitution" is well under way and regular readers have probably already surmised that my ideas include a good dose of "Swissism" coupled with a dose of "Referism". In view of Richard North's intention I shall delay my offering with a view to nicking any bits I may have overlooked.

I'm sure he won't mind..........

8 comments:

Sue said...

It needs to start and end at a local level. Independent, elected candidates to represent local towns, villages etc... Which means that person HAS TO BE A LOCAL and has to either have had a proper job or still has one and must NOT HAVE COMMITTED A SERIOUS CRIME.

This candidate has to have the best interest of his/her community in it's representation and must be "removable" at any time if the situation becomes untenable.

There are a couple of mountain villages in Spain that have done that. I can't find the clippings now but when I do, I will email to you.

TomTom said...

It would be nice to get our muppets to introduce Voting Reform at LOCAL level and annual elections.....the current problem is that Councillors do NOT control Officers in Metropolitan Boroughs and this is very much like the EU commission and MEPs.......Sham Democracy and No Accountability


Unfortunately, the electoral route has been hollowed out as Bureaucracy works on the principle of Democratic Centralism.....or to put it in graphic terms......we are in The Matrix and we are at war with the Machines.....and Agent Smiths are running amok

john in cheshire said...

TomTom, I support your contention that Councillors do not control Metropolitan Boroughs. Discussions with my local Councillor regarding refuse collection led me to conclude that he and his fellow Councillors have absolutely no power over the these matters.

selsey.steve said...

WfW, I agree with what both you and R. North are driving towards. The "little" people need to have their voices heard and their desires acted upon.
Our government representatives must take into account the views of their constituents and not permit their own views to intervene. Party political views should be discounted without being even considered.
Only the views of the people matter.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

Sue: Already ahead of you....... Patience, wait for the next part.

TT: Agree with all that you say, bar annual elections as with a proper recall system that would be unnecessary/

ss: thank you and same reply as to Sue above.

TomTom said...

Well WfW we always had annual local elections until 1972......why we have 30% Councillors elected each year and no election in Year 4 beats me......but they only spend £1 billion so I suppose it isn't even worth a UBS Trader's time....

WitteringsfromWitney said...

TT: True, but then with recall elections might well be shortened to less than a year.......?

As to this 4 year cycle thingy, beats me but then your comment about UBS traders applies to me too.....

Anonymous said...

As I've written earlier- it is all about money. Control the money, control everything. In Switzerland the people have the money, and they also control it.

Thus

1. The Swiss constitution lays down a maximum rate of taxation. This cannot be breached unless the people vote for it.

2. There is no PAYE in Switzerland. The government therefore cannot extract the money out of your wages, even before it arrives to you.

You pay the tax that you and your canton have set, at the end of the financial year.

3. Most politicians in Switzerland are part time. What this means is that politicians, for the most part, have their own real jobs and wages. They give their time and expertise freely, and can really be called “public servants”.

4. All Swiss citizens are armed to defend what they have.

The EU hates the idea that such a state exists so near the EU.