[fvc-wat-disc] It's not over

[Richard Fairman]

Hello Everyone
 
Thanks for your thoughts and encouragement, Ari.  Here are mine.
I am disappointed and disheartened at the result because I believe that reason and good judgement must prevail.  Neither did last evening.
 
I do think however that we must have made some inroads in educating the electorate about the injustices and travesties within our current FPTP electoral system.  For an ethically deficient electoral system such as FPTP to be as successful as it was in last night's referendum, it must need to rest upon a broad base of ignorance.  Such is the case of, what many 19'th century philosophers refer to as, "the vulgar herd."
 
Ignorance and those corrupted and intoxicated by the disproportionate distribution of power within FPTP, along with their scare-mongering propaganda machine, are the foes to be overcome.  Reason must, in the end, prevail.
In my opinion, some strategic mistakes in the electoral campaign for electoral reform were:  toning down the rhetoric to "Make Democracy Better" rather than "Where's The Democracy?", proposing a compromise mixed system wherein comparisons of elected and unelected member scenario's are endless instead of pure PR wherein all members are elected equally the same way.
 
I plan to forge on with the mission of course.  It has been a pleasure to meet and know you all and I do hope we stay in touch somehow  Sharing your thoughts, ideas and convictions has strengthened my resolve.  Thanks.
 
Peace be upon you all.
 
Rick Fairman
 
  > From: adaigen at sympatico.ca> To: fvc-wat-disc at listserv.thinkers.org> Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 02:54:04 +0000> Subject: [fvc-wat-disc] It's not over> > Hi all,> > It's late, and I'm long overdue for a glass of wine and a video...but I > wanted to say two things. First of all, good for us for spreading the word > about the problems with the current system, and the need for change! Given > all the obstacles thrown in our way, nearly 40% of the vote (I don't know > the final number yet) is phenomenal--people are NOT happy with the system, > and the results of this election do nothing if not bolster the case for > reform. (With *less* of the vote, and 60% against them, the Liberals won a > *bigger* landslide majority. I don't know yet whether John Tory kept his > seat, but if he loses and then gets parachuted into another riding I would > be highly amused, given all our opponents were saying about how > "accountable" politicians are under FPTP, and how party leaders would have > too much power under MMP.)> > That leads to the second thing--we've got more work to do. I can't think > clearly tonight, but starting tomorrow I/we've got some letters to write, > signatures to collect, etc. There's clearly a problem with the system, and > we can't let the government use this rigged campaign to pretend otherwise. > Let's keep the pressure on, and get them to study the issue in broad > daylight, with a *real* education campaign, *real* publicity, and (ideally, > eventually) a voting date separate from a general election.> > Good night all,> > Ari> > > _______________________________________________> fvc-wat-disc mailing list> fvc-wat-disc at listserv.thinkers.org> http://listserv.thinkers.org/mailman/listinfo/fvc-wat-disc
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