Political Accountability

star gazer

One of the big issues of our time. Our democracy is dependent on it.
Letters to the editor


I hope this isn't stepping on the toes of the politics board.;)

Akrasia

there is no political accountability.

People would still vote for liam lawlor if he stood for election.

So called representative democracy is a farce. once somebody is elected based in the usual leaky election promises, the politician immediatly stops representing the electorate. look at the labour party in Britain just breaking an election mandate and introducing University top up fees.

people should elect delegates to carry out mandated decisions, these delegates should have no power to break that mandate and they should be immediatly recallable should they start to do a solo run.

star gazer

originally posted by Akrasia
People would still vote for liam lawlor if he stood for election.

He tested the water and found he would not have gotten elected, but Michael Lowry is an example so i take your point.


In fairness, when the electorate saw labour here go into government with Fianna Fail they did patiently wait the five years and voted them out by half. FF have burned some bridges with the electorate with all the promises and the same may happen to them.

people should elect delegates to carry out mandated decisions, these delegates should have no power to break that mandate and they should be immediatly recallable should they start to do a solo run.

some decisions aren't going to be immediately popular so there is no telling how much short-termism would dominate such a system.

chill

Originally posted by Akrasia
there is no political accountability.

Quite the opposite. Politicians are more accountable that any other profession.

People would still vote for liam lawlor if he stood for election.

That's the right of the voters, and non voters.

So called representative democracy is a farce. once somebody is elected based in the usual leaky election promises, the politician immediatly stops representing the electorate. look at the labour party in Britain just breaking an election mandate and introducing University top up fees.

Firstly democracy is only a farce for people who refuse to take part in it and then whinge about the outcome.

Secondly it is my understanding, and please correct me if I am wrong, that the Labour Gov has promised that university topup fees are not being introduced in the period of this parliament- as promised in the Labour manifesto. Please tell us what promise is being broken.

people should elect delegates to carry out mandated decisions, these delegates should have no power to break that mandate and they should be immediatly recallable should they start to do a solo run.

An interesting suggestion but one that I don't support. To suggest that a political party could list every single issue and decision that it expectes to take during the lifetime of a parliament as well as every decision it will take on the millions of unexpected issues that arise is nonsensical.

We need to elect leaders, not technocrats.

Akrasia

I dont think we need to elect leaders, I think we need to start taking responsibility for our own lives, making decisions for ourselves, acting for ourselves. The act of electing somebody is funbdamentally disempowering and no matter how good a leader he/she might be, the corruption is overwhelming.

Even if labour put a delayed timeframe on that decision, it will still become law and it will still be introduced. A time delay would be a legalistic escape route, the spirit of the promises are being broken. Justice and laws seldom hold hands

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Akrasia

yeah, they can vote for the tories... its not like they're worse than the labour party or anything..

star gazer

originally posted by Akrasia
I dont think we need to elect leaders, I think we need to start taking responsibility for our own lives, making decisions for ourselves, acting for ourselves. The act of electing somebody is funbdamentally disempowering and no matter how good a leader he/she might be, the corruption is overwhelming.

In a sense we don't elect leaders, we elect a representative (in theory) body who then elect a leader. It's hard to see the country functioning without a democratically elected leader, who has to take responsibility for what government does. Where i agree there are problems is that the present system isn't giving us a chance to see democratic accountability because no one takes responsibility for what goes wrong, wither a committee is formed and/or blamed, or an investigation has to be waited for, or the point is so obscured and sidelined as to become inapparent to most people. When the system of political accountability is so obscured, then the electorate are bound to feel turned off by the present system.

chill

Originally posted by Akrasia
I dont think we need to elect leaders, I think we need to start taking responsibility for our own lives, making decisions for ourselves, acting for ourselves. The act of electing somebody is funbdamentally disempowering and no matter how good a leader he/she might be, the corruption is overwhelming.

Very bright idea. I can see it now.... 225 votes this week ( on the internet ?) ... on how much of the Dublin budget to spend on Hospitals, Schools and Policing. 400 votes next week on suggest changes to EU trading regulations on hundreds of legal issues. 300 votes the next week on issues such as which county is to get money to build new roads, whether to prosecute specific companies for polution, whether to send anyone to the next international conference on the Sea and which issues to support or oppose.

Yes I can see it now.... 100% voting every time...