tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post4207895575452329485..comments2023-11-05T23:07:01.842+11:00Comments on Grog's Gamut: Election 2013: Day 22 (or, I guess the mandate is written between the lines)Greg Jerichohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04956402439870441083noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post-66986767444688796372013-08-27T15:30:51.193+10:002013-08-27T15:30:51.193+10:00On the marine parks, Abbott invokes the need for t...On the marine parks, Abbott invokes the need for the "right" science. Message to Tony: it's either scientific or it isn't. Yet he'll immediately suspend the marine park based upon no science at all. Afterwards, the Coalition will review the parks, presumably on the basis of what Tony considers true science - should be interesting. VoterBentleighnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post-82948701837116068512013-08-27T15:00:01.892+10:002013-08-27T15:00:01.892+10:00A mandate is the support given by the electorate t...A mandate is the support given by the electorate to each and every candidate who is successfully elected to the Parliament, to present their policies to the Parliament so that they may be voted upon by all the Parliament. The politicians have no idea of the specific reasons individual voters put them first on the ballot paper; according to the Opposition, it could be due to their sex appeal. It's unlikely that any voter even agrees one hundred per cent with the policies of the candidate to whom they gave their first preference. When a party gains a majority, they have the support of the major part of the electorate to form a government and take their policies and formulate legislation which is then taken to the parliament to be voted upon. Being elected does not give the government an automatic right to introduce policies without the consent of the parliament. What any of the elected representatives, from whichever parties they come, have a right to do, is present legislation to the parliament and using their numbers, get it through the two Houses. Naturally, a party with a majority support will have the numbers for much of their policy. Those who do not have the numbers have no hope of getting legislation passed, whilst those that can gain the numbers do. Their policy platform is mainly a means to get elected. In practice, political representatives can do whatever they like once they get into power, provided that they have the numbers to pass the legislation in both Houses of Parliament. The only problem is that if the electorate do not like the legislation or if they promise certain things and don't deliver, then they can be held to account at the next election. When politicians talk of mandates as justification for their actions, I know that they have a low opinion of the voters' intelligence.VoterBentleighnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post-19462737587888215302013-08-27T12:20:31.253+10:002013-08-27T12:20:31.253+10:00http://www.keepaustraliafishing.com.au/ gives you ...http://www.keepaustraliafishing.com.au/ gives you an idea of where the fishing issues come from. But the arguments are supposition on possibilities as to potential affects of policy.<br /><br />Am I getting old when I think about a campaign between Keating and Turnbull. Or Hawke and Turnbull. That might actually make me care.<br /><br />Of course, Keating and Abbott would be a slaughter. <br /><br />Moir's cartoon (number 7 here http://www.smh.com.au/photogallery/federal-politics/cartoons/alan-moir-20090907-fdxk.html ) hits the target.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post-91606511803479752192013-08-26T23:13:33.516+10:002013-08-26T23:13:33.516+10:00It was a strange interview with Rudd. Where is the...It was a strange interview with Rudd. Where is the energy that he had when challenging to become leader. Maybe the polls are getting to himAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8434369190746987531.post-10074574399099490162013-08-26T23:04:20.128+10:002013-08-26T23:04:20.128+10:00Looks like KRudd is in 2010 mode - saying unintell...Looks like KRudd is in 2010 mode - saying unintelligible things that sweat on some obscure point of detail that only he gives a shit about.<br /><br />That said, although I think mandate is crock, consider this:<br /><br />Is it worse to have a mandate you completely fail to fulfill (Rudd on the greatest moral challenge of climate change circa 2007-2010)? <br />Or, is it worse to achieve something comparable to your original mandate but modified to reflect political reality (Gillard, pricing carbon)?<br /><br />Personally I think the former is worse for a politician. <br /><br />Art of the possible, not the pure. Pennynoreply@blogger.com