What do you look for in a politican?

limklad

Seloth wrote: »

By all means education shoudlnt be a person key factor for voting for a person but allot of people do seem to view it as a key view.An old techer of mine used to say the would only vote for a president that studied law as they would have a better understanding of it.

For President then one who have studied Law then Yes, for Normal Politician for President who does not know the Law, then No, But that my opinion. The President suppose to audit the Law to check if the Bill is in conflict of our Irish constitution. If it is then refer it to the Supreme Court or else sign it into Law. That the hard Job, the other side to visit or welcome/Host other leaders from around the World. Welcome and visit Kids/elderly charity organisation which are neutral to National Politics etc.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_Ireland

For TD's then someone who know what the Jobs entails, i.e. know what the Dail does or know where it is at least so they can talk on our behalf. After that it is like most Jobs, on the Job learning. Same goes for Local Councils.

It is up to you which politician best suit your views. I cannot advise you on which politician is best as what is best for me might not be best for you.

Seloth

Caoimhín wrote: »

Ideally?

Someone who doesnt want to be a politician.

Thats like saying someone who wants to be a soccer player shouldnt play for say Liverpool.

A person who wishes to be a politican for reason like having power for the sake of it and so fort should be ruled out,Not those who wish to be politicans as they want to be for the right reasons.For instance myself,I would love to be a politican"When I grow up" but for good reasons,I wish to fix things,to help people,to sort things out and listen too problems.I dont wish to do it for the money or that I will control people((Even though it really is the other way around:pac:)).Its the reasons that a person wants to be something rather than the ract that they want to be it.This is simial to many people going to medicine for the money rather than the fact they want to be Docotors to help people.

Liam Byrne

Honesty, integrity, principles, work ethic and a genuine belief in giving the country a decent service.

[ I'm off to wake up now, coz I know I'm dreaming ]

shqipshume

No stutter and none with first or second name beginning with B

Seloth

shqipshume wrote: »

No stutter and none with first or second name beginning with B

You remind me of my frried who has a phobia of yellow mushrooms :pac:.

rcecil

If they are Sinn Fein candidates. I vote for them. I've yet to see one that isn't motivated to help working class people, minorities and erase the border.

the_syco

That they actually do helpful stuff.

Sleepy

So far I've voted from the bottom of the ballot sheet to the least worst candidate.

In dream land, I want Jed Bartlett.

Delphic

Their eyes. they tell you everything.

Delphic

rcecil wrote: »

If they are Sinn Fein candidates. I vote for them. I've yet to see one that isn't motivated to help working class people, minorities and erase the border.

What border?

Mike Summers

I am writing from the western most province in Canada which is BC (British Columbia)

I am amazingly enough to leader of an upstart party whose sole aim is bring control of politicians to the voters.

We are in the process of taking yet another referendum to consider the acceptance of the BC-STV (single transferable vote). It was offered up to us as a 'NEW' and 'BETTER' way to elect politicians.

I personally do not believe that politicians are capable of doing the right thing because they are human and subject to the temptations of greed and bribery the same as anyone else.

I want to be elected to form government to strip politicians of the ability to abuse citizens by the free hand that comes with parliamentary supremacy.

I am not out to be a career politician because I have MS and don't know how long I could do it anyway. So I have nothing to lose by stripping politicians of the tickets to ride the gravy train.

However, Ireland was held up as a shining example of a successful jurisdiction using STV to elect governments.

From looking at your constitution, I see that you the citizen, really do not have any control of your politicians.

Did I read your constitution correctly?

How does this make the citizens of Ireland feel?

Do Irish citizens want to control the politicians and everything they do, even between elections?

What do you think of the way you are governed?

I hope yopu can help me out on this issue.
Mike

Delphic

Shining example??! you're having a laugh.

Don't waste any more time, Mike. You won't learn anything useful.

Our politicians seek to get elected on one platform of policies. When elected they do another. By the time the next election comes round, they hope half the electorate that voted for them has forgotten what they promised they'd do. They're right they have and we elect them again on another set of policies and promises that they don't deliver on.

As an election manifesto can I suggest that rather than waste your time on developing policies, collect a few people in a room - get them to natter and complain at each other for half an hour. Write it all down on 20 pages. Shuffle the pages, cut them in half and there's your manifesto.

Happy voting.

Mike Summers

We have a policy outline already. We are being asked whether or not we want what you folks are enjoying already.
I don't know too many folks from Ireland. And if what I am hearing is correct, you folks there are less than enchanted with what you have now. I'm not so sure we want it too.
Personally, I despise the option myself. But hey. That could be just me too.

Delphic

Ok - on a less cynical note - but not much.

The system we have is a pretty good one, in that sets out to be as demoncratic as possible in weighing the votes of people across a range of candidates to be as representative of people's voting intentions as possible. So you vote for people in order of preference. You might want to give a particular candidate your no 1, but rather than that being your only chance to vote, the STV goes a bit further. If your #1 person doesn't get sufficient votes to be elected - they must reach a pre-detemrined quote - then your second best preference comes into play. So others may have voted for your #1 choice as their second choice. Now you're compiling a candidates #1s and #2s - if you'll pardon the expression. This is seen as more democratic, and given the paper-based voting system we use here, it makes for more dramatic election counts - some of them running to 18 or 19 counts before the final candidates for a constituency are elected.

Whatever about the system that is used, it does come down to the candiates ultimately. If your candidates are poor, then it doesn't matter what system you use. If unfair majorities occur, or parties who only attract minority votes tend to take govt, the system evens it out a bit more, so at a certain point, they may have to get into coalition in order to rule. This will obviously have an attenuating effect on the majority party, and possibly result in a better outcome for the voters.

The disenchantment is more with the politicians, rather than with the voting system.

Mike Summers

I suspect that this aspect won't change here either. Because BC is only 4.1 million people spread over an area about two or three times that of Ireland, we are going to have regional disparities adding to the already insane cost that will come from adding to the layers of government.

I foresee a tripling of costs to support multiple members of a legislative assembly within one riding.

And for all of this, the politicians are still going to be totally out of control. I am a starry eyed dreamer who seeks absolute voter control of everything a politician sets their hands to. I want politicians to be administrators rather than rulers exercising some kind of dominion of the citizens.

Delphic

Administrators? Best of luck mate. And who is going to lead you out of the valley of darkness? Who will be inspired and have a vision of how BC can function as a country? Who will determine how best to provide a society in which as many BCs as possible will enjoy how they live, work, play? what policies will be chosen to be pushed and others retarded or dismantled?

Administrators? Don't think so.
Voters? Fat Chance. That's why they elect politicians. to make the hard decisions as well as cock up the easy ones.

Mike Summers

Obviously the politicians will have to lead. That is a given. But wouldn't it be nice to know that you COULD undo something stupid that they have done if it was needed?

Delphic

Yep. It would.

Lauder

Richard Bruton

ejmaztec

A politician who doesn't tell you that their grandfather and their father were in politics and that they are following in their foot-steps. They should also canvass on their own and leave their sycophantic goons in the car.

SligoBrewer

Someone who has the same political beliefs as me. Someone who I know will represent me as a person and a voter.

Joe Higgins.

Mike Summers

SligoBrewer wrote: »

Someone who has the same political beliefs as me. Someone who I know will represent me as a person and a voter.

Joe Higgins.

I think we all want this. But in your electoral system, is it possible to have?

Liam Byrne

In light of the current state of affairs, I'm revising my wish list down to one item : competence.

Mind you, that's STILL aiming too high in this country! :P