Refer(never)endum
Wallace-Macpherson
Referendum is sometimes more, sometimes less democratic. If a question
is put to the people in a plebiscite (here defined as an imposed
referendum) then this is a weak form of democracy which may not even
deserve the name.
Those who select the topic, write the proposal or question, decide how
to inform the public about the pros and cons and, finally, determine
exactly when the plebiscite will be held, have considerable control of
the result. The whole process is usually aimed to produce a result
favourable to the government, president or ruler who offers the
plebiscite.
Fundamentally different are those types of direct democracy and
referendum which involve the citizens' initiative and
referendum-proposal. The initiative brings froward a desire or proposal,
originating from any person or group in the country, into the public
arena and can place the item on parliament's agenda for debate. If
parliament turns down the proposal, then a large number of citizens can
demand that the proposal be put to the people in a binding referendum.
If a majority is reached, the proposal becomes law. Existing law may
also be changed or cancelled, laws proposed by parliament may be vetoed.
In Italy, The Netherlands (very recently), Switzerland and many states
of Germany and the USA, the people have taken the right to change, in
some cases to make law, so by-passing or over-ruling their parliaments
and governments when they see fit.
In Britain it's time for us to take back a bit of responsibility for our
own affairs. How? Introduce citizens' initiative and referendum. See
http://www.iniref.org. Support the campaign!
Michael Wallace-Macpherson
mm...@SPAMiniref.org
Diversity Isn't A Codeword For Anti-White
said that due to some old law, if 2/3rd's of a parish council meeting or 10
people (whichever is smaller) ask for a referendum about a certain issue IT
MUST be acted upon ie. the referendum in the parish has to take place.
Some folk up north did it about their local NHS hospital and the council had to
go ahead with it.
At the time Mark Thomas asked some parliament secretary and she said the govt
were trying to get rid of it because it could become a pain if more people
found out, I dunno if the communist cow has managed to do this or not yet.
"Wallace-Macpherson" <mmS...@NOTiniref.org> wrote in message
news:3CD96813...@NOTiniref.org...
Wallace-Macpherson
The old law about parish referendum dates from 1972. It has also been used in
disputes about the fire (extinguishing) service and gene-manipulated food. If
anyone has heard of more cases in which this parish referendum law has been
applied then please let me know. I have a guide to the law, "how to start a parish
referendum", will send on request.
Of course, it would be a good idea to introduce citizen-powered referendum in
towns, districts cities and countries.
More about how to do this can be found at Citizens' Initiative and Referendum I&R,
http://www.iniref.org
Michael Wallace-Macpherson
mm...@SPAMiniref.org
-------------------------------
Diversity Isn't A Codeword For Anti-White wrote:
> Interestingly enough, I remember seeing a Mark Thomas Product show once and he
> said that due to some old law, if 2/3rd's of a parish council meeting or 10
> people (whichever is smaller) ask for a referendum about a certain issue IT
> MUST be acted upon ie. the referendum in the parish has to take place.
> Some folk up north did it about their local NHS hospital and the council had to
> go ahead with it.
> At the time Mark Thomas asked some parliament secretary and she said the govt
> were trying to get rid of it because it could become a pain if more people
> found out, I dunno if the communist cow has managed to do this or not yet.
>
> "Wallace-Macpherson" <mmS...@NOTiniref.org> wrote in message
> news:3CD96813...@NOTiniref.org...
> > Referendum and democracy
> >
> > Referendum is sometimes more, sometimes less democratic. If a question
> > is put to the people in a plebiscite (here defined as an imposed
> > referendum) then this is a weak form of democracy which may not even
> > deserve the name.
> (snip)
> Michael Wallace-Macpherson
> mm...@SPAMiniref.org
>
>