[LINK] Democracy and bit rates ...

[Kerry Webb]

On 14/08/13 10:02 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> At 07:17 AM 14/08/2013, Frank O'Connor wrote:
>
>> In Australia the figures are probably about 15 million voters and
>> the politician count is up because we have a Parliamentary rather
>> than a Republican system of government ... but conversely we have
>> less Separation of Powers so the risks are higher for what, in the
>> US, would amount to our Congressional elections.
>
> There are more factors involved, procedural and cultural.
>
> 1. As a population, we don't have any option to influence at the
> 'candidate selection' level in Australia. Parties rule -- either
> local branches or power brokers in head office. We get what we're given.
>

A little bit of hyperbole there:  Join a political party and you'll 
(probably) be able to influence candidate selection for that party.  Hey 
- if you're keen join all the parties and influence the selection of all 
candidates.


>
> 4. But frankly, most people in America just ignore the
> government.  It may appear to be this on-going circus, but really, no
> one really cares very much, which is why they don't vote very much,
> although that has been trending higher recently. One thing that
> struck me when I arrived here many years ago was this difference of
> political engagement in Australia.
>

If you go by the posts from my Facebook friends, a lot of them care 
quite a lot.

Kerry


-- 
Kerry Webb
Canberra, Australia


Asked what he'd change if he had to design the Internet all over
again, Sir Tim Berners-Lee replied "Oh yes: sigs.  I'd ban them.
They're a bloody menace."