A radical new idea for the Electoral System
Grandad February 27th, 2007
Since I started rambling in this blog I have had a surprising number of people writing to me saying they agree with the things I say.
This got me thinking.
Wouldn’t it be much more sensible to vote for people on the Internet? Why not have a country where bloggers are voted to the Dail?
Think of the advantages -
For a start, you don’t know who I am, but I can guarantee you know a hell of a lot more about my philosophies and thought processes than you do about your local TD.
Blogging is Nationwide. No more constituency issues. You would be voting for the Big Picture. At present, you might vote for someone because he has promised to fix your street lights. He then gets elected, becomes a minister and builds a nuclear power station in the field behind you. That isn’t what you wanted.
Because blogging is nationwide, you can vote for anyone in the country. You are not restricted by geography or constituency. You can vote for a candidate in Donegal or Wexford, Louth or Kerry.
Bloggers raise issues on a monthly, weekly or even a daily basis. And you have the power to argue. With the current system, once elected, a TD can go his or her own way and has the power to ignore all your wishes.
Voting would be simple. With modern advances in bio-recognition or electronic signatures, fraud could be eliminated. and you can vote from the comfort of your home or workplace. If you don’t have a computer, you can vote in a neighbours, or your library or Internet cafe.
No more Dail debates. All issues can be debated, not amongst TDs but amongst the public – the people who matter.
In fact, General Elections could be done away with. If a blogger is not doing the job, he or she is knocked out and a new one chosen on a regular basis.
To become a candidate, all you have to do is declare your willingness, and write a blog. Simple.
If they want E-Voting, LET’S GIVE THEM E-VOTING!!!!
So let’s have a debate.
The first debate of the E-Dail.
A moment in history.
The Greeks are credited with being the fathers of Democracy.
In a thousand years, they’ll be talking about “Grandad – the Father of Emocracy”
- Politics
- Comments(15)
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Excellent! Grandad for Taoiseach – got my votes. (yes, the wonderful electoral register in Ireland has me registered under two different names in three seperate places.)
No! I’m not running for Taoiseach. I’m not having every blogger in the land slagging me off every day!!
Grandad
You can have my vote if..if..if…
You sort out my ingrown toenails and remove all the cats of the neighbourhood from my front door step on sunny days!
Ingrown toenails – kick a door hard in bare feet – the nail will turn black and fall off eventually. I know this because I accidentally walked into a door one night while asleep [and sober].
Cats – get a dog.
Maybe I will run for Taoiseach. I can give simple solutions to complex problems, and most people can understand what I am trying to say. That gives me a massive advantage over the present incumbent on two fronts.
Ah, but you see Grandad, again youth is apathetic to the voting system!
If blogs were in power in UCD, the power would rest solely with me and Cian, from Where’s Me Country. The D4s just ignore blogging altogether. I have decided, in protest, not to vote for the Students’ Union election running currently because none of the knobs could be arsed looking at my blog despite all the publicity I’ve given it.
The Father Of Emocracy – now there’s a media-friendly soundbite. You’re already on your way to being a great politician!
If they are aren’t interested in blogging, they’ll be even less interested in making their way to the polling booths. Anyway it is a citizen’s right not to vote. That, in itself is a vote [for apathy?].
Do you and Cian wish to nominate yourselves for the forthcoming E-Dáil elections?
Ah sure Grandad, you’d be a GRAND Taoiseach pardon the pun! As you’ve said, you got several up on the incumbent!!! Can I write you in?
You can pencil me in for next Thursday.
If I can run on a policy of seeming to fight corruption whilst taking as many brown envelopes as possible, sure.
In other words, Dario – nothing will change?
Absolutely. Only I have better hair than Bertie and I’ve been working on my Estate Agent smile – the one that can sell you any lie.
And you are literate.
BTW, I have launched your campaign – you get an oblique reference in a forthcoming TV program. But there again, they may edit that bit out….!
Ah, so that came to fruition, did it? I’m glad for both you and blogging in general that it did. Have you any concrete details about it yet?
Thursday the 8th next – 7pm – RTE1
God help us all….
[...] wrote a while ago about how I had a new idea for the electoral system. That was, as they say, half joking; half in earnest. for the first time in the history of mankind [...]