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Democracy in action?
Jul. 2nd, 2010 07:40 pmToday I read an article on the BBC News website regarding the website Your Freedom created by the coalition Conservative and Liberal Democrat government.
The website's aim is as follows, taken from the about page.
The go on to mention this this dialogue will focus on three areas;
Most of the proposed "ideas" I have read on the site have range from ludicrously off topic, like the ones about rethinking council taxes, to the wonderful; repeal of smoking ban, repeal of digital economy bill, change to copyright law, legalisation of cannabis, etc.
What has astounded me about the BBC article is that right at the bottom there is a section that reads "Critical Comments". There Ian Clerehugh, of Sheffield says something that I find rather idiotic:
Methinks, Ian, that you really need to re-examine what democracy is. Sure what we have can be considered a representative democracy, but for years the public has been crying out in fury at how the Labour government was ignoring them. There were mass protests, heated debates, and some of the worst infringements of our freedoms and liberties in as long as I can remember.
Nick Clegg and David Cameron are asking us what we want to change as opposed to telling us what is going to change. This is acting in the interests of the people.
That is democracy too and it is also progress.
The website's aim is as follows, taken from the about page.
"This website is designed to allow as many people in the UK as possible to put forward their ideas on what laws and regulations we should do away with. Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, along with the rest of the Coalition Government, invite you to collaborate on ideas for freedom and change."
The go on to mention this this dialogue will focus on three areas;
- restoring civil liberties
- repealing unnecessary laws
- cutting business and third sector regulations
Most of the proposed "ideas" I have read on the site have range from ludicrously off topic, like the ones about rethinking council taxes, to the wonderful; repeal of smoking ban, repeal of digital economy bill, change to copyright law, legalisation of cannabis, etc.
What has astounded me about the BBC article is that right at the bottom there is a section that reads "Critical Comments". There Ian Clerehugh, of Sheffield says something that I find rather idiotic:
"Personally I think this is passing the buck. Do we or do we not elect our MPs to make these decisions on our behalf? Come on Nick Clegg, do the job that you are elected to do!"
Methinks, Ian, that you really need to re-examine what democracy is. Sure what we have can be considered a representative democracy, but for years the public has been crying out in fury at how the Labour government was ignoring them. There were mass protests, heated debates, and some of the worst infringements of our freedoms and liberties in as long as I can remember.
Nick Clegg and David Cameron are asking us what we want to change as opposed to telling us what is going to change. This is acting in the interests of the people.
That is democracy too and it is also progress.
