What's the "REAL" difference between a referendum and an election, in practical terms?
With the one you end up with a DECISION, the ANSWER to a SINGLE QUESTION. There is discussion, debate, advertising, mud-slinging, name-calling, various camps composed of various opinions, as civilized or as nasty as you want.
With an election you are theoretically choosing between people of different political persuasions, some intelligent, some stupid, some opinionated left, right or centre. And in the parliamentary system the leader of the party winning the most seats gets to be something called 'prime minister.'
This person is usually fairly unpopular to all, his/her side and the other/s. But he/she gets to lead and do untold damage for up to four years. A referendum is 'bang bang' and then deal with the consequences.
Has the cause of whatever been advanced by the one event versus the other? I doubt it.
Posted by Anonymous to Our Town and Its Business at 6 September 2016 at 21:49
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A referendum and a general election are not the same thing.
A report recently presented locally, in historical terms, spelled out terms of a referendum.
My recollection is as follows: the answer must be Yes or No.
The question must be equally direct and without equivocation.
Not all questions can be posited in simplistic terms.
It follows, a referendum is not a satisfactory device to obtain an answer to every question.
It's less of a definitive answer than an opinion poll.
A referendum vote must be a majority of electors entitled to vote.
Not a majority of those who choose to vote.
A referendum vote does not engender decision.
The elected body has sole authority to pass legislation.
They are accountable.
For good or ill, they make decisions,right or wrong, for the nation .
I doubt your assessment of a Prime Minister or Premier's authority is widely shared.
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1 comment:
Well - it made you think.
I am sick of people using words such as "power" and "authority" with reference to politicians, be they premiers, prime ministers or presidents.
The only acceptable word is "accountable" and yet many buffoons in these positions manage to escape accountability altogether, if in fact they ever knew its existence and meaning.
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