Comments on: What would the Greens do with the balance of power? http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/ Life, Culture and Politics from BrisVegas Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:53:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: gandhi http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73263 gandhi Fri, 26 Oct 2007 01:26:37 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73263 Thanks for the kudos, folks. I don't think it is "resoluteness" - just sheer bloody-minded anger. As for poor Timmy, who still spikes my occasional well-intended comments to his blogs, well... that's probably even further off-topic than this back-slapping nonsense! But while we are at it, I would sincerely like to thank Andrew Bartlett for taking the time to post his informative thoughts here: now that is real participatory democracy in action! Thanks for the kudos, folks. I don’t think it is “resoluteness” – just sheer bloody-minded anger.

As for poor Timmy, who still spikes my occasional well-intended comments to his blogs, well… that’s probably even further off-topic than this back-slapping nonsense!

But while we are at it, I would sincerely like to thank Andrew Bartlett for taking the time to post his informative thoughts here: now that is real participatory democracy in action!

]]> By: FDB http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73262 FDB Fri, 26 Oct 2007 00:15:01 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73262 As do I. The tenacity of a staffy with a mouthful of postman. Umm.. evil postman who deserves it for some reason. I'd like to see you let poor ol' Timmy D off the hook, though. As do I. The tenacity of a staffy with a mouthful of postman. Umm.. evil postman who deserves it for some reason.

I’d like to see you let poor ol’ Timmy D off the hook, though.

]]> By: wbb http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73261 wbb Thu, 25 Oct 2007 12:54:07 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73261 Well, all I know, gandhi, is that you've been irrepressible in your opposition to the invasion of Iraq. It's the biggest political issue in this country by a mile since Vietnam (along with climate change) but it just don't get the attention it should be. We've helped kill a million people - and yet it drops off the radar. Stunning, really. I admire your resoluteness. Well, all I know, gandhi, is that you’ve been irrepressible in your opposition to the invasion of Iraq. It’s the biggest political issue in this country by a mile since Vietnam (along with climate change) but it just don’t get the attention it should be. We’ve helped kill a million people – and yet it drops off the radar. Stunning, really.

I admire your resoluteness.

]]> By: gandhi http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73260 gandhi Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:40:52 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73260 Thanks guys, I'm afraid I just googled for the image. I know it's a presumptuous moniker but I've found it useful when trying to get my pacifist ideas through to people who have little concept of such things. Final thought on a Greens balance of power: <blockquote>Whoa-oh, the power and the passion, Sometimes you've got to take the hardest line...</blockquote> Heh. Thanks guys, I’m afraid I just googled for the image. I know it’s a presumptuous moniker but I’ve found it useful when trying to get my pacifist ideas through to people who have little concept of such things.

Final thought on a Greens balance of power:

Whoa-oh, the power and the passion,
Sometimes you’ve got to take the hardest line…

Heh.

]]> By: FDB http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73259 FDB Thu, 25 Oct 2007 06:16:19 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73259 Sure, great drawing, but in any case that's a pretty snappy 3 year old! Apologies re: spelling too, Gand<b>h</b>i. Sure, great drawing, but in any case that’s a pretty snappy 3 year old!

Apologies re: spelling too, Gandhi.

]]> By: tim http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73258 tim Thu, 25 Oct 2007 05:58:09 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73258 By the way, did you do the beautiful line drawing in your gravatar? It's very special. My three and half year old daughter recognised it as a picture of "that good man from India on those books you have". ;-) By the way, did you do the beautiful line drawing in your gravatar? It’s very special.

My three and half year old daughter recognised it as a picture of “that good man from India on those books you have”.
;-)

]]> By: gandhi http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73257 gandhi Thu, 25 Oct 2007 03:42:35 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73257 Sorry folks, I did my back in last night and I'm on painkillers, hence the unusually shallow thought processes. I'll shut up now. Sorry folks, I did my back in last night and I’m on painkillers, hence the unusually shallow thought processes. I’ll shut up now.

]]> By: FDB http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73256 FDB Thu, 25 Oct 2007 02:44:13 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73256 Ghandi, just think for bit why it's called "balance of power" rather than "supreme sovereign power" and I think you'll get the picture. Ghandi, just think for bit why it’s called “balance of power” rather than “supreme sovereign power” and I think you’ll get the picture.

]]> By: Liam http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73255 Liam Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:48:55 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73255 <blockquote>Whatâ??s to stop you nominating a complete Iraq withdrawal as that â??something elseâ?? and then holding up Senate legislation (even un-related stuff) until you get your wish?</blockquote> Think about it for a second, gandhi. A balance-of-power Party can only hold up legislation for which there is not bipartisan agreement. If the Government and Opposition agree, there's no power in the balance to take advantage of. Should Labor be elected in November with a majority-free Senate, the Greens would only be blocking those Bills which did *not* have Opposition support. They're most likely to be the ones also important to the Greens agenda---repealing WorkChoices, for instance.

Whatâ??s to stop you nominating a complete Iraq withdrawal as that â??something elseâ?? and then holding up Senate legislation (even un-related stuff) until you get your wish?

Think about it for a second, gandhi.
A balance-of-power Party can only hold up legislation for which there is not bipartisan agreement. If the Government and Opposition agree, there’s no power in the balance to take advantage of.
Should Labor be elected in November with a majority-free Senate, the Greens would only be blocking those Bills which did *not* have Opposition support. They’re most likely to be the ones also important to the Greens agenda—repealing WorkChoices, for instance.

]]> By: gandhi http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73254 gandhi Thu, 25 Oct 2007 01:41:15 +0000 http://larvatusprodeo.net/2007/10/22/what-would-the-greens-do-with-the-balance-of-power/#comment-73254 Tim, you say: <blockquote>"The Greens could never dream of ‘insisting’ on anything that both the major parties oppose so vehemently. It would just be ignored."</blockquote> But then you concede: <blockquote>The power of holding the balance is in extracting concessions on issues which are up for grabs, or negotiating additions <em>in exchange for something else</em>.</blockquote> What's to stop you nominating a complete Iraq withdrawal as that "something else" and then holding up Senate legislation (even un-related stuff) until you get your wish? Am I really the only person in Australia who would support such action? A million Iraqi people are dead since we invaded, lest we forget. Tim, you say:
“The Greens could never dream of ‘insisting’ on anything that both the major parties oppose so vehemently. It would just be ignored.”

But then you concede:

The power of holding the balance is in extracting concessions on issues which are up for grabs, or negotiating additions in exchange for something else.

What’s to stop you nominating a complete Iraq withdrawal as that “something else” and then holding up Senate legislation (even un-related stuff) until you get your wish?

Am I really the only person in Australia who would support such action? A million Iraqi people are dead since we invaded, lest we forget.

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