Comments on: Tory referendum plans could create funding black holes http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/09/tory-referendum-plans-could-create-funding-black-holes/ Left Foot Forward is a political blog for progressives. We provide evidence-based analysis on British politics, news and policy developments. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:58:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: The Earl http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/09/tory-referendum-plans-could-create-funding-black-holes/comment-page-1/#comment-82 The Earl Sat, 12 Sep 2009 21:28:09 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=735#comment-82 Oh, stop your whining. Yes, local referendums might be a bad thing. Let us see that for ourselves. But we've had 12 years off utterly atrocious, neurotic centralised control from Nu Lab. Don't you people think it's time for a bit of localism? Oh, of course you don't. You all love power being concentrated in the hands of the executive, which leeches off the taxpayer and sucks oodles of cash from the productive sector of the economy. What a racket. PS. Your comment about David Cameron and beer is yet another One Of Your Great Distortions. In that SAME SPEECH he said it was a small effort, but at least admitted his proposals were part of a longer process. Unlike that blithering ditherer Brown, the Tories can actually use the word 'cut'. Oh, stop your whining. Yes, local referendums might be a bad thing.
Let us see that for ourselves.
But we’ve had 12 years off utterly atrocious, neurotic centralised control from Nu Lab.
Don’t you people think it’s time for a bit of localism?
Oh, of course you don’t.
You all love power being concentrated in the hands of the executive, which leeches off the taxpayer and sucks oodles of cash from the productive sector of the economy.
What a racket.
PS. Your comment about David Cameron and beer is yet another One Of Your Great Distortions. In that SAME SPEECH he said it was a small effort, but at least admitted his proposals were part of a longer process. Unlike that blithering ditherer Brown, the Tories can actually use the word ‘cut’.

]]> By: Max http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/09/tory-referendum-plans-could-create-funding-black-holes/comment-page-1/#comment-44 Max Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:58:27 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=735#comment-44 The Californian budgetary crisis shows what can happen when detailed decision-making is removed from the hands of those responsible: the elected representatives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_13_(1978) As the Economist states, these referendums are the "crack cocaine of democracy", which have left only a quarter of the budget in the hands of the elected officials - and the public routinely vote down tax-raising measures to close the $26 billion black hole! http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13990207&source=hptextfeature Exactly the same happened in the UK when Bristol gave voters the same opportunity in 2001 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1170631.stm NGLN's proposal fits representative democrcy better - councillors vote on matters specifically raised by the public, and can then be held accountable. Cameron's plans would probably lead to fiscal chaos - and that's without considering the social harm of public votes on vicious or discriminatory measures... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008) The Californian budgetary crisis shows what can happen when detailed decision-making is removed from the hands of those responsible: the elected representatives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_13_(1978) As the Economist states, these referendums are the “crack cocaine of democracy”, which have left only a quarter of the budget in the hands of the elected officials – and the public routinely vote down tax-raising measures to close the $26 billion black hole! http://www.economist.com/opinion/displayStory.cfm?story_id=13990207&source=hptextfeature

Exactly the same happened in the UK when Bristol gave voters the same opportunity in 2001 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/1170631.stm

NGLN’s proposal fits representative democrcy better – councillors vote on matters specifically raised by the public, and can then be held accountable. Cameron’s plans would probably lead to fiscal chaos – and that’s without considering the social harm of public votes on vicious or discriminatory measures… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_Proposition_8_(2008)

]]> By: Shamik Das http://www.leftfootforward.org/2009/09/tory-referendum-plans-could-create-funding-black-holes/comment-page-1/#comment-9349 Shamik Das Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:02:59 +0000 http://www.leftfootforward.org/?p=735#comment-9349 <span class="topsy_trackback_comment"><span class="topsy_twitter_username"><span class="topsy_trackback_content">RT @leftfootfwd: David Cameron's referendum plans could create a funding black hole:- http://tinyurl.com/tory-referendum-plans</span></span> RT @leftfootfwd: David Cameron’s referendum plans could create a funding black hole:- http://tinyurl.com/tory-referendum-plans

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