UK election thread

[Humodour]

To bad we can do a world wide version of the EU. A singular currency and economic model for the whole planet. Remove the pretense of borders and allow anyone to move and work freely would definitely be a step in the right direction.

 

A singular currency? Are you ****ing ****ting me? That's one of the worse ideas you could come up with. I'm surprised the Eurozone has held together as long as it has. There's a difference between a political union and an economic union. Heck there's a difference between an economic union (see Australia and New Zealand) and a single currency!

 

Seriously, I'm all for free trade and economic unions and open borders and political unions and what-not, but single currencies just seem a smegging bad idea.

 

Edit: The most decisive factor against a singular currency is the inability for individual central banks to set interest rates. Examine Australia and New Zealand currently. Australia has had 6 interest rate rises to 4.5% since the financial crisis began. New Zealand has had none and is still stuck at 2.5% I believe. That's a whole 2% difference, almost double. And it's to account for the different paces of inflation and economic growth, and that's entirely fair. But you couldn't do that with a single currency.

Edited May 6, 2010 by Krezack

[Walsingham]

Having listened to Kills for a while I can see why he'd like the notion of a single currency. Reduce divisions, reduce scope for shenanigans. The problem, as I understand it - and I could very easily be wrong - is shown up by Greece. The currency then rests on its weakest adherents, and pursues the economic benefits of the strongest. Expand the membership and you increase the degrees of freedom for the problem.

 

Anyway, I voted Tory in the end, and out of a frantic sense of self-loathing voted green in the tandem local election. I still can't work out why, beyond a childish sense of having done wrong with Tory, and that Green was somehow holy. I ought to have my fething vote taken off me.

[Moose]

What's it like having no reflection

Edited May 6, 2010 by Moose

[Walsingham]

What's it like having no reflection

 

An improvement. Now I can't see what I look like.

[Monte Carlo]

Wals, what constituency are you in? Would your vote make a difference?

[Walsingham]

Wals, what constituency are you in? Would your vote make a difference?

 

Yes it will. There's only about 1,000 votes margin.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm jealous, at least you get to see if you make a difference. Let us know how it pans out.

[Walsingham]

If there's a low turnout, as I suspect there may be this time, then you may be surprised how much your vote counts.

[Humodour]

Anyway, I voted Tory in the end, and out of a frantic sense of self-loathing voted green in the tandem local election. I still can't work out why, beyond a childish sense of having done wrong with Tory, and that Green was somehow holy. I ought to have my fething vote taken off me.

 

I'm kind of like you.

 

When the election in Australia pops up later this year, I'll be voting for the Greens and then preferencing the Coalition. Essentially this means that my vote will go to the Greens, and if they can't take a seat, it will then flow to the conservatives. This makes me feel all dirty inside, but there's no way I'm voting for Rudd again. Even if I agree with him on the majority of policies, his disdain for civil liberties is not something I can tolerate.

 

He's also shown a bit of a careless disregard for private industry and the free market, which rather irks me - and I'm clearly no economic libertarian.

 

The problem is that the Coalition is only marginally better when it comes to civil liberties. But at least their internet censorship was opt-in. And regardless of who wins (I can tell you now it will be Rudd unfortunately) I can feel content knowing the Greens will hold the balance of power, so at least things like Internet censorship won't get through.

 

Uh, anyway, this is neither here nor there. I've had a few beers and it felt spiritually important that I share this with you.

[Pope]

[Humodour]

That's hilarious, but it would be more hilarious if I knew what some of the party symbols represented which party.

[Moose]

I voted, there was a good turnout. My vote wouldn't have been decisive as I live in blue territory (go figure, lots of large home owners around here).

 

But I think whoever you vote for matters. It gets recorded. Whoever wants to win next time will be examining those figures closely - it is nothing more than a popularity contest after all.

[Moose]

That's hilarious, but it would be more hilarious if I knew what some of the party symbols represented which party.

 

The scribbley childs drawing of a tree is for the conservatives.

 

The red rose is labour.

[Humodour]

That's hilarious, but it would be more hilarious if I knew what some of the party symbols represented which party.

 

The scribbley childs drawing of a tree is for the conservatives.

 

The red rose is labour.

 

What kind of moron thought up those symbols? Ha, I thought it was the reverse!

[butterfly]

That's hilarious, but it would be more hilarious if I knew what some of the party symbols represented which party.

 

The scribbley childs drawing of a tree is for the conservatives.

 

The red rose is labour.

 

What kind of moron thought up those symbols? Ha, I thought it was the reverse!

 

The red rose is a traditional socialist symbol.

[Enoch]

Wals, what constituency are you in? Would your vote make a difference?

 

Yes it will. There's only about 1,000 votes margin.

I hate to be a downer, but the only way your vote really makes a difference is if the final margin is either 0 or 1.

 

I vote regularly, but it's really more about ceremonial civic participation than it is about the ridiculously small odds (even in close races) that my vote wil determine the winner.

[Monte Carlo]

In case anybody is interested I am going to live blog election nite 2010 ON THIS VERY THREAD.

 

I have 12 x large cans of beer

4 x bottles of decent claret

1 litre of rum

 

A large supply of Chinese food and dim sum

 

Updates will be sporadic, although the bizarre news that the UKIP leader crashed a light aircraft towing an advertising banner this morning is an interesting development and worthy of comment. I hope Nigel and his pilot both get well soon, and sincerely hope Nigel unseats John Bercow later in Buckingham (altho' sadly he'll be in hospital).

 

Cheers

MC

[Humodour]

Wals, what constituency are you in? Would your vote make a difference?

 

Yes it will. There's only about 1,000 votes margin.

I hate to be a downer, but the only way your vote really makes a difference is if the final margin is either 0 or 1.

 

I vote regularly, but it's really more about ceremonial civic participation than it is about the ridiculously small odds (even in close races) that my vote wil determine the winner.

 

Suppose everybody thought this way and did not vote?

[Enoch]

Suppose everybody thought this way and did not vote?

Then things would be different. But the fact remains that everybody doesn't think that way. And if there were such a dramatic shift in public feeling, it wouldn't go unnoticed, and I'd have sufficient warning to adjust my thinking appropriately.

[Monte Carlo]

22:00 GMT official exit poll puts Conservatives winning in a hung parliament - short of only 19 seats.

 

Let's see how accurate that is.

 

in other news I'm 4 cans of beer down already.

[Moose]

Bah Sunderland voted BNP over UKIP. Mind you labour won - and labour have really shafted Sunderland over the last few years. The north is so retarded

Edited May 6, 2010 by Moose

[Nightshape]

Bah Sunderland voted BNP over UKIP. Mind you labour won - and labour have really shafted Sunderland over the last few years. The north is so retarded

 

"They don't agree with me, they must be retards", some good logic... *claps*

Edited May 7, 2010 by Nightshape

[Walsingham]

Note: I am still pissed this morning.

 

I can't believe the high vote for the BNP. They consistently polled at least equal to and as much as the Greens. I think people should keep that in mind when they demand prop rep.

 

Unfortunately I CAN believe Gordon will try to cling on to power in minority government. What colossal and unmitigated **** that man is. i don't so much object to Labour still being runners, but Brown and Mandelson et all Need to f*** off, sharpish.

[Moose]

"They don't agree with me, they must be retards", some good logic... *claps*

 

I'm just gonna take from that, that you know absolutely nothing about Sunderland, or what's been happening there over the last 13 years. Or do you just like the BNP?

[Moose]

Brown and Mandelson et all Need to f*** off, sharpish.

 

Won't you miss Mandelson? His god awful creapyness makes for good comedy.