Sixteen-year-olds can learn to drive, get a job, pay taxes and be on the Organ Donor Register, but they are considered too young to vote. Should they also have a stake in deciding their future?
I have to say, the more I think about it, the more I genuinely think Thor Prohaska—a recurring independent candidate for Dickson (Peter Dutton’s seat) and Kurwongbah (the state seat around the same area)—might have the right idea. He has an extremely detailed explanation for how it would work, but the short of his plan is that your MP would vote on any particular issue precisely how a majority of residents vote on the issue. But local residents could nominate some other local resident to be their proxy either overall, or for specific issues, alleviating the need for every voter to keep up-to-date and educated on every single issue, if there’s someone else they trust who can do that for them—while still being able to pull away that trust at literally any moment, or to simply vote directly for an issue that they are particularly passionate about, or if there’s one issue where they disagree with their chosen proxy.
That’s how you get an America-like situation where the goal isn’t to come up with policies the most people agree with, but to find ways to get the people who already agree with you to turn out to vote, and to dissuade people who disagree with you from voting.
It’s a brilliant way to empower NIMBYs even more than they already are.
Okay so make it mandatory with a “no opinion” option for those who are not concerned on issues.
We don’t actually need to have an individual opinion on every topic, nor would everyone care about everything. Let’s empower people to make their own choices for once.
There are an average of two divisions every single day Parliament sits. And that’s without counting votes that are determined on the voices. Or issues at the state and local council levels. Federally, there are about 200 Bills introduced every single year. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with enabling people to vote on all of them if they want to, but making it mandatory is a ludicrous proposition. Enabling people to choose a proxy is not just a good idea, it’s a necessity to do large-scale direct democracy.
That’s how Thor’s idea works. You choose your proxy. You don’t elect them without the option to change until the next election. You can switch proxies or take over directly at literally any time.
You don’t have to, that’s the entire point of the proxy; it’s for people who can’t/don’t want to vote on every single issue. Clearly you’re not one of these people so there’s no actual issue here, you’re just arguing for argument’s sake.
I have to say, the more I think about it, the more I genuinely think Thor Prohaska—a recurring independent candidate for Dickson (Peter Dutton’s seat) and Kurwongbah (the state seat around the same area)—might have the right idea. He has an extremely detailed explanation for how it would work, but the short of his plan is that your MP would vote on any particular issue precisely how a majority of residents vote on the issue. But local residents could nominate some other local resident to be their proxy either overall, or for specific issues, alleviating the need for every voter to keep up-to-date and educated on every single issue, if there’s someone else they trust who can do that for them—while still being able to pull away that trust at literally any moment, or to simply vote directly for an issue that they are particularly passionate about, or if there’s one issue where they disagree with their chosen proxy.
Or we could cut out the middle man and just vote or not vote ourselves on issues as we see fit?
That’s how you get an America-like situation where the goal isn’t to come up with policies the most people agree with, but to find ways to get the people who already agree with you to turn out to vote, and to dissuade people who disagree with you from voting.
It’s a brilliant way to empower NIMBYs even more than they already are.
Okay so make it mandatory with a “no opinion” option for those who are not concerned on issues.
We don’t actually need to have an individual opinion on every topic, nor would everyone care about everything. Let’s empower people to make their own choices for once.
There are an average of two divisions every single day Parliament sits. And that’s without counting votes that are determined on the voices. Or issues at the state and local council levels. Federally, there are about 200 Bills introduced every single year. There’s not necessarily anything wrong with enabling people to vote on all of them if they want to, but making it mandatory is a ludicrous proposition. Enabling people to choose a proxy is not just a good idea, it’s a necessity to do large-scale direct democracy.
Cool, so don’t make it mandatory. I don’t really care.
What I care about is that people have a direct say in what they want to vote for. Not have to hope a representative actually represents them.
That’s how Thor’s idea works. You choose your proxy. You don’t elect them without the option to change until the next election. You can switch proxies or take over directly at literally any time.
I don’t want to choose a proxy, I want a direct say. The only person I want representing me, is me.
Anything less is simply lipstick on a pig.
???
You don’t have to, that’s the entire point of the proxy; it’s for people who can’t/don’t want to vote on every single issue. Clearly you’re not one of these people so there’s no actual issue here, you’re just arguing for argument’s sake.
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Ok then? Do that. But why should your preference to do it that way dictate how everyone must do it?