Since the election, in the blogosphere and elsewhere there’s been a lot of talk about proportional representation. Perhaps that’s because the current first-past-the-post system is blatently and transparently undemocratic. For instance Labour got around 1.6 times as many votes as the Lib Dems did, but ends up with more than 5 times as many seats. Similarly Labour got just 1.09 times as many seats as the Conservatives, but ends up with 1.81 times as many seats.
Jarndyce at The Sharpener does a good job of knocking down some of the bogus arguments against PR, and I’m sure John would wish me to encourage everyone to go and sign these two petitions.
Posted by Larry
John B–
I’m an intern at a U.S. production company — we’re shooting a documentary about European reactions to the U.S. invasion of/conduct in Iraq. I’m trying to find people to interview on-camera– preferably prominent writers/cultural critics who have strong opinions and generally disapprove of what the U.S. has done. Can you refer me? We have a film crew which could go anywhere in the world for the right interviews. thanks, Aaron Burns (e-mail: burns110@chapman.edu)
John B, I emailed this guy and said that you’dd get back to him next week. Feel free not to do so of course…
I will of course do a suitably nihilistic interview if requested.
Why oh why didn’t the US finish the job in 1991?!?! If you’re going to have a war over strategic energy reserves sodding well say as much. I for one regard it as a much more moral justification than some shit about humanitarian concerns and non-existent WMD.
Funnily enough humanitarian concerns only become important if there’s a more fundamental reason for having a barney. War is an extension of politics by other means……