The No-party

[August]

Maybe this would work with a European style Parliament but I don't think that "None of the Above" would work with our system of government.

What happens if "NA" were to win an election? Obviously another election would have to be held, maybe with new candidates. But primaries and election campaigns can take a year or more. Who occupies the office in the meantime? The incumbent? Some unelected trustee? And what happens if NA wins again?

It could go on literally for years.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by August

Maybe this would work with a European style Parliament but I don't think that "None of the Above" would work with our system of government.

What happens if "NA" were to win an election? Obviously another election would have to be held, maybe with new candidates. But primaries and election campaigns can take a year or more. Who occupies the office in the meantime? The incumbent? Some unelected trustee? And what happens if NA wins again?

It could go on literally for years.

To say "No!" to a destructive regime and a destructive policy and to criminally corrupted parties, is not destructive in itself, but aims at enforcing change and revitalization of this old idea of that the people should be the sovereign.

The past decades led us all to a chaotic party of Lemmings dancing on top of a seething vulcan. I think it is clever to say "No!" to a continuation of that, instead of just having another poll over which old record to repeat next - while the DJ already has selected the next old tune anyway and is just cheating the masses. And none of the records played ever is new.

We gotta break out of this stasis that we allowed ourselves to get lured into. Most people in Europoe are against the EU - strangely, not a smallest reflection of this in national parliaments, or at the EU. A deadlock of two blocks in the US - I promise you the trenches have been dug so deep now that the next elections will do nothign for America, no matter who wins.

The only legitimation elections give is: the legitimation of the corruption that has taken over the system. What party wins, is cosmetical only. To make people think they must stick with a corrputed system - that is what it is about.

"No!" Enough is enough. Since decades and decades it went from bad to worse. First the corrupted and the lobbyists took over, then came the incompetent career-egos, then formed up the present culture of public deception, the oligarchic marriage of business and politics in the same hands, then raised the utmost dilettantism that haunts our world today on all levels: arts, media, banks, economy, politics, education, even sciences, and it all seems to climax in the brain-crippeling media entertainment meant to please the crowds and keep them silent.

Panem et circensis. That is not a civilisation satisfying for a homo sapiens. But it seems to perfectly fit a homo demens.

[the_tyrant]

The government is a service providing entity
you pay them through taxes, they provide service

but unlike most service businesses, you government holds a monopoly.

And they actively crush the competition (ever tried starting your own government to "compete" with them?)

We always say that if you like or dislike a business or product, you should vote with your dollars. You should do that with your government too.

Legally avoiding taxes is not the idea. Legally avoiding taxes is just like using coupons at your local restaurant. It does not prove your point.

Just not paying taxes is also not a good idea. Unlike even the most evil monopolies, governments will punish you if you don't pay, even if you don't even use their service. Even microsoft won't charge me if I don't use their services. (on a side note, microsoft is actually quite good. They have never overcharged me)

If you have the skills, and you don't like your government, take over.
Get elected, launch a coup, organize an uprising.

For the less talented of us, if you don't like your government. Move.
Move somewhere where they actually provide the services at the price (tax rate) you like. Give up your old citizenship, get a new one somewhere. Of course, your current government must be bad enough to make you willing to go through the process.


throughout the years, countries and governments have succeeded where even the cult of apple has failed. Fanboyism is shunned almost everywhere. People would mock you if you would only use one company's products in any industry. But in politics, they call it loyalty, and patriotism.

I am loyal to my government as much as I am loyal to my favorite brands. I would use their service for as long as their quality is good and price is right. But the moment their quality goes down, or their price becomes horrible, I will not hesitate to go somewhere else.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by August

Maybe this would work with a European style Parliament but I don't think that "None of the Above" would work with our system of government.

True, but if someone feels that all the choices he's offered are bad ones and refuses to vote on that basis, then he does still have every right to complain. I on the other hand write in who I want, so people can tell me "You're only wasting your vote!"

The real problem is that no matter who I vote for, it's the wrong choice and someone will gladly tell me why.

[Jimbuna]

Would be good to see a candidate at the bottom of the voting list "None of the above but me"

[STEED]

I never vote for the rich conservatives, spend and bust labour or those stinking whore liberals.