tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post8795832360942667117..comments2023-09-24T01:25:13.638-07:00Comments on Witterings from Witney: The 'cost' of our political systemWitteringsfromWitneyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16026875251366365154noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-52691511033264224592011-12-23T12:50:28.598-08:002011-12-23T12:50:28.598-08:00TT: Thanks for the 'insight' - much apprec...TT: Thanks for the 'insight' - much appreciated.WitteringsfromWitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16026875251366365154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-26530045355975812662011-12-23T09:21:06.500-08:002011-12-23T09:21:06.500-08:00Westerwelle is a joke, known in Germany as Schwest...Westerwelle is a joke, known in Germany as Schwesterwelle - his choice of advisers and odd business affiliations makes him an ideal matching to William Hague. His role as deposed leader of the FDP, Liberal Minority Partner in Merkel's coalition gives him an affinity with Nick Clegg as does the fact that his FDP Party is currently on 2% in German Polls which is less than the 5% required to enter Parliament at the next election.<br /><br />The Pirate Party is 4-times as popularTomTomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-63690689006343406382011-12-22T09:20:22.119-08:002011-12-22T09:20:22.119-08:00BJ: The object of the exercise is to create a foru...BJ: The object of the exercise is to create a forum (not a blog with comments for a discussion on what is a constitution, on what should it be based, and what constraints should be placed on politicians.<br /><br />Wait for what appears here twixt no and the New Year and the site going live.<br /><br />S & TtR: You both make good points and (see above) you will have the opportunity to continue that discussion there.<br /><br />r_w: See first response above. You will get access to the forum.<br /><br />Re Ukip, I am fast coming to the conclusion that half of the membership only think what NF tells them to think......WitteringsfromWitneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16026875251366365154noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-18082181972717009212011-12-22T02:02:03.663-08:002011-12-22T02:02:03.663-08:00Very good post WfW, but there is one element that ...Very good post WfW, but there is one element that you missed that I think is probably the most dangerous aspect of our system of government. Namely, the state bureaucracy, which is still beavering away at the c1923 Salter/Monnet plan for a supranational system of government.<br /><br />Daniel Hannan (bless) observes that whatever the stance of an opposition party (real or imaginary) once it begins to govern, commences to persue the interests of 'the project' and 'their colleagues', and in this, if in barely anything else, he is right. <br /><br />Following the trend of your threads recently though, and as a member of UKIP, I wandered over to the UKIP members blog (haven't been there since January, a comment on DD again) and posted a couple of threads on the subject of direct democracy.<br /><br />As you know, it IS UKIP policy, and very laudable too. However, I was very disheartened by the response, possibly a reflection on my meagre efforts to state the case, but hopefully not. So far I have (in a poll) garnered 20 votes, 18 positive, 1 negative and 1 ambivalent, to the proposition that UKIP bring this longstanding policy right to the front in speeches, literature and branding bylines. Most of my correspondents don't seem to think that it is of any real interest to the electorate(???). There is one correspondent that went for it with positive support, and in one sentence, stated why… He lives and works in Switzerland!<br /><br />I have great admiration for the efforts, enthusiasm and diligence of people within UKIP, but I am beginning to think that some of them, just don't get it. My rather stately progress towards this emerging view may be down to my willingness to grant them the benefit of the doubt, but my patience is really beginning to wane I think.<br /><br />Anyway, kudos to your efforts on the DD meme and the new website, and if there is any way that we can get together (virtually or otherwise) I am interested in taking part, health permitting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-14126933515962909192011-12-21T14:41:42.821-08:002011-12-21T14:41:42.821-08:00@Tarka,
You are quite right that most of the Amer...@Tarka,<br /><br />You are quite right that most of the American Constitution stems from British political theory. It really saddens me that so many people hold producing a British constitution in a single document is almost unBritish. They appear to me at least as very closed minded. Would you buy a house without a "contract"? Why do we allow our representatives to govern us without a contract?Stuartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-35662247018655194032011-12-21T14:11:30.652-08:002011-12-21T14:11:30.652-08:00@Stuart...
"They are not capable of the belie...@Stuart...<br />"They are not capable of the belief that all our constitutional doctrines can be condensed into a single document such as the US constitution that has stood the test of time for several hundred years and helped produce the freeist nation on earth. But then many are so against the American's that they are against a single document constituion for that reason alone."<br /><br />Mmmm the USA has only existed since 1783 (OK 1776 if you prefer) so that is by no means several hundred years. However, much of the US constitution was based on English Common Law which has a considerable lineage, so you may have a point. Personally, I believe any change to our constitution should be referred back to the people. Clegg can twitter all he likes about the House of Lords being an affront to democracy, but out ancient constitution had a balance between the executive (the monarch) the hereditary landed interest (the lords) and the elected house (the Commons). It was a system of checks and balances - this we have now lost, and I suggest that is an affront to the people of these islands.Tarka the Rotternoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-52236791614790191892011-12-21T13:40:35.714-08:002011-12-21T13:40:35.714-08:00BJ,
Unfortunately there are a lot of people who b...BJ,<br /><br />Unfortunately there are a lot of people who believe having an unwritten, uncodified contract spread over a thousand pages is adequate to limit government. They believe we already have a system that is simply not being adhered to. They are not capable of the belief that all our constitutional doctrines can be condensed into a single document such as the US constitution that has stood the test of time for several hundred years and helped produce the freeist nation on earth. But then many are so against the American's that they are against a single document constituion for that reason alone.Stuartnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8861279106331108648.post-57889019159650544372011-12-21T13:02:42.580-08:002011-12-21T13:02:42.580-08:00Good for you WfW, I await with bated breath.
I ne...Good for you WfW, I await with bated breath.<br /><br />I never know whether it is better to have numerous websites dealing with constitutional issues or one big one with all the talents combined - I'm thinking of The British Constitutional Group (http://www.thebcgroup.org.uk/) when I say this.<br /><br />I suppose it's a matter of "the more the merrier"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com