JC Political Thread - For All Things Political Part 2

[MasterOfReality]

AAh right, no Bandt I believe had a swing to him, in his seat alone.

Palmer needs to learn how to be a mainstream politician and to develop a wide range of detailed policy, otherwise he will absolutely be a 1 term wonder.

Queensland seems to have a history of voting in oddballs.

I'd work for Palmer though - the bloke gives legendary bonuses!

 

[vr94ss]

Nah, I'm up at Twiggy's show.

Iron ore is doing ok, but not as great as a few years ago.

Good night?

I was looking at this Party Totals - Australia Votes | Federal Election 2013 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) tonight and although Labor and Greens lost appreciable percentages, the Libs and Nats didn't seem to get them as first prefs. It seems both were on to nose to varying degrees, one obviously shunned, as people don't seem to have jumped from Labor to LNP en masse, but to others..

 

[c2105026]

Some observations from handing out how to vote cards - my area has a much older demographic than I had imagined. I tend to only see younger people out and about, the older persons must stay at home all the time. Area is more multicultural than 3 yrs ago (I was on the same booth both elections). Peak time was til 12pm, then it gradually fell off, by 4pm was dead. I hung around until 5:45.

Labour and Greens booth workers often get a bit chummy with a high level of agreement (having a chinwag passes the time, especially in the afternoon after 2pm when it REALLY slows up), Nats people can be friendly (until they start talking policy), but respect is generally high. At my booth, 2 groups formed, more 'mainstream' parties chatted together and the more right-wing micro parties chatted together. The nationals guy that started off I knew from other fields (car club, charity); the ALP guy at the end was a local councillor that I worked with a bit in opposing a couple of recent DAs with a resident group. We had 2 nutters come up to us to explain why the whole thing was a sham and we shouldn't be voting. The latter one hung around for like 2 hrs or so. This guy was in his 20s, knew the complete ins and outs of the political scene - but didn't want to vote. ****, in introducing ourselves he didn't offer his name for fear we would then go use it to vote. I got the impression from body language, social skills he may have been on the aspergers spectrum.

 

[vr94ss]

Some observations from handing out how to vote cards - my area has a much older demographic than I had imagined. I tend to only see younger people out and about, the older persons must stay at home all the time. Area is more multicultural than 3 yrs ago (I was on the same booth both elections). Peak time was til 12pm, then it gradually fell off, by 4pm was dead. I hung around until 5:45.

Labour and Greens booth workers often get a bit chummy with a high level of agreement (having a chinwag passes the time, especially in the afternoon after 2pm when it REALLY slows up), Nats people can be friendly (until they start talking policy), but respect is generally high. At my booth, 2 groups formed, more 'mainstream' parties chatted together and the more right-wing micro parties chatted together. The nationals guy that started off I knew from other fields (car club, charity); the ALP guy at the end was a local councillor that I worked with a bit in opposing a couple of recent DAs with a resident group. We had 2 nutters come up to us to explain why the whole thing was a sham and we shouldn't be voting. The latter one hung around for like 2 hrs or so. This guy was in his 20s, knew the complete ins and outs of the political scene - but didn't want to vote. ****, in introducing ourselves he didn't offer his name for fear we would then go use it to vote. I got the impression from body language, social skills he may have been on the aspergers spectrum.

It's always nice when the free entertainment shows up.

 

[c2105026]

Good night?

I was looking at this Party Totals - Australia Votes | Federal Election 2013 (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) tonight and although Labor and Greens lost appreciable percentages, the Libs and Nats didn't seem to get them as first prefs. It seems both were on to nose to varying degrees, one obviously shunned, as people don't seem to have jumped from Labor to LNP en masse, but to others..

The very presence of PUP would have exacerbated any swings taking place. Hey, in Calare, they out-polled the greens (just...). Placings of candidates would also have helped. In NSW Senate the LDP got more than the greens - which is odd, because greens are a well-known party, LDP basically invisible. They were the first spot on the senate paper, so won the donkey vote. When below the line preferences, it may show a completely different story.

 

[iChris]

We had 2 nutters come up to us to explain why the whole thing was a sham and we shouldn't be voting. The latter one hung around for like 2 hrs or so. This guy was in his 20s, knew the complete ins and outs of the political scene - but didn't want to vote.

I believe he is well within his rights to choose not to vote.

this analogy sums up my views on voting. To me it is much like going to the canteen for lunch back when I was in highschool. you get there and there is 2 choices on the menu. lets say you've got to choose between meat pie and sausage roll for lunch. both pretty much the same thing anyway but you feel like a toastie instead but you haven't got a choice. you can choose meat pie, it might look and taste good to begin with but it gives you a gut ache and you regret it later (labor) or you can have sausage roll. you like sausage rolls but get sick of them after a while as it's always the same bland crap, they never change and it's never satisfying (liberal). or you can bring your own lunch and walk away. you've still got the right to bitch about the choices though as none of them are for you.

I have several friends that don't vote because they believe that none of the current politicians represent their beliefs which is fair enough. I agree. both liberal and labor don't represent me, the younger generation or my state at all and as such I didn't vote liberal or labor but for a local independent. you'll find this is the main reason for younger people not voting. in 4, maybe 8 years time when liberal have done nothing (what they do best) or half of the baby boomers or pensioners have died we will probably see another change in government.

I was watching tony's victory speech yesterday, he was saying that a good government will represent the interests of all australians even those who didn't vote for him. by "all australians" he must mean the religious bigots, his rich businessmen mates, retirees and baby boomers. none of his policies will be of benefit to me and the boats also won't stop, not while we continue to enjoy the standard of living that we have anyway. also the fact that "the boats" where used as a tactic to win votes on liberal's part is scary and the fact that australia fell for it is even scarier.

 

[SpaceYam]

Seriously you are not telling me the other side doesn't do it too? I have been at the receiving end of taunts and name-calling, here and in the real world, simply due to my leftist beliefs. There are a long list of dodgy things conservative politicians have done that conservative voters also seem to ignore. Both sides do it. Its what happens when you have blind allegience to any entity. Lib/Nationals supporters can be just as rusted on. I will emphasise, Nationals especially. As for personal/abusive - I have seen plenty of personal attacks based on political views from those on the right via forum users here and in the outside world, on face book and other forums; today I noticed there was a crap load of gloating from a minority. But if you are one of the gloaters, and are unaware of people's reactions suppose you wouldn't notice it. Its all down to treating others how you would like to be treated, and the principle of giving as good as you get.

Honestly, I barely know any Coalition supporters, and those whom I do know are more like fence-sitters than die-hard people. Basically everyone I know who is a bit uppity about politics is a Labor supporter, I don't really know any Greens voters (I meant to delete that bit). I don't use Facebook, and I don't pay attention to forum politics . I did clearly state that I was making generalised comments.

Opposing opinion is fine as long as it is grounded within facts (presented in their full context - i.e. no cherry-picking), and free from any prejudice (not saying you specifically have done this DP, but as a general comment. Any concept grounded in racism, homophobia or sexism as an example is not worth even debating).

The problem here is that you have automatically made the assumption that I (not being the Greens voter) am automatically basing my opinions on racism, hating gay people, or being sexist. In the vast majority of limited situations in which I have actually spoken to someone who supports the Greens, they speak out of emotion and opinion rather than from a factual basis. I didn't even bring up anything to do with racism, gay hate or sexism. Where did that come from? See, it's that presumption that you know what someone's opinion is before they actually express it that is the reason it is impossible to talk to someone like that .

Just for the record, I voted Labor out. In order to do that, I had to vote Liberal. I'm in the Dobell electorate. It's not like I really had a choice in the matter . What I couldn't believe was seeing the number of votes for Craig Thomson as an Independent on the AEC site. This only serves to solidify my view that people generally have no idea what they're doing at the booths. It was even more disturbing seeing people who had no idea who GetUp were being accosted by the GetUp volunteers who proceeded (of course) to claim to be politically unbiased (ahahahahahahaha yeah right).

For now, let's just see just how things will get on. As I said before, I honestly hope for the sake of the country that Tony Abbott defies all negative expectations and does the country some real good.

 

[vr94ss]

I believe he is well within his rights to choose not to vote.

this analogy sums up my views on voting. To me it is much like going to the canteen for lunch back when I was in highschool. you get there and there is 2 choices on the menu. lets say you've got to choose between meat pie and sausage roll for lunch. both pretty much the same thing anyway but you feel like a toastie instead but you haven't got a choice. you can choose meat pie, it might look and taste good to begin with but it gives you a gut ache and you regret it later (labor) or you can have sausage roll. you like sausage rolls but get sick of them after a while as it's always the same bland crap, they never change and it's never satisfying (liberal). or you can bring your own lunch and walk away. you've still got the right to bitch about the choices though as none of them are for you.

I have several friends that don't vote because they believe that none of the current politicians represent their beliefs which is fair enough. I agree. both liberal and labor don't represent me, the younger generation or my state at all and as such I didn't vote liberal or labor but for a local independent. you'll find this is the main reason for younger people not voting. in 4, maybe 8 years time when liberal have done nothing (what they do best) or half of the baby boomers or pensioners have died we will probably see another change in government.

I was watching tony's victory speech yesterday, he was saying that a good government will represent the interests of all australians even those who didn't vote for him. by "all australians" he must mean the religious bigots, his rich businessmen mates, retirees and baby boomers. none of his policies will be of benefit to me and the boats also won't stop, not while we continue to enjoy the standard of living that we have anyway. also the fact that "the boats" where used as a tactic to win votes on liberal's part is scary and the fact that australia fell for it is even scarier.

While I understand and acknowledge you and your friends view and right not to vote, not that I agree with the sentiment, hanging at the polling station making your point for a number of hours puts you in the "free special entertainment" category.

 

[iChris]

While I understand and acknowledge you and your friends view and right not to vote, not that I agree with the sentiment, hanging at the polling station making your point for a number of hours puts you in the "free special entertainment" category.

preaching his views at the polling station is no different to the campaigners handing out flyers on "how to vote for xyz party and that so and so is evil and let the boat people in they are terrorists" to everyone who walks through the door.

 

[Rhin0o8]

For now, let's just see just how things will get on. As I said before, I honestly hope for the sake of the country that Tony Abbott defies all negative expectations and does the country some real good

I do infact hope this is the case aswell.
The only thing that will stop the liberals making a change is the Greens and their "balance" of power or in this case, their "shared balance" of power.
I can already see the greens doing eveything they can to stop motions out of spite