Clegg V Farage

[Ariosto]

* UKIP....aka "You Know I'm Pissed"

LIBDEM... aka "we'll tell you anything for your vote and then do the opposite."

[BLUESNIK'S REVOX]

Oh come...Nick Clegg did not lie...he merely "consciously uncoupled" from the er, truth...

All the rage I am told.

[Barbirollians]

Should this not be in Politics and Current Affairs rather than Platform 3 ?

[Beef Oven!]

there might not be a european government yet. There is however a direction of travel. We have a world vastly different from 40 years ago when the vote happened. The EU is a completely different animal from the one that people voted for in the early 70's. And the European Central bank has powers (that affect both the eurozone and outside it) that need a very high level of accountability.

there is every reason to have more democratic involvement , not less.That might reasonably include a referendum.

A fair summary. :ok:

[french frank]

Should this not be in Politics and Current Affairs rather than Platform 3 ?

Yes, Ariosto, I suppose, had no knowledge that, since 'politics and current affairs' on this forum is frequently a synonym for mindless abuse of the yah-booh variety the new board was created which is less obvious to the general public and less tiresome to other members who dislike mindless abuse.

If people discuss issues thoughtfully and knowledgeably there would be no more problem than in having a Refreshment Room.

[jean]

...there is every reason to have more democratic involvement , not less.That might reasonably include a referendum.

The only problem with referendums is that they reduce complex subjects to misleadingly simple questions.

[Bryn]

The only problem with referendums is that they reduce complex subjects to misleadingly simple questions.

Indeed! Just look at that recent one in which Crimea went back whence Khrushchev detached it from, or the Swiss minarets one.

[Beef Oven!]

The only problem with referendums is that they reduce complex subjects to misleadingly simple questions.

Then the challenge must be to devise a process that does not mislead by simplification, but presents complicated and sometimes confusing issues in an understandable way.

[Beef Oven!]

Indeed! Just look at that recent one in which Crimea went back whence Khrushchev detached it from, or the Swiss minarets one.

That has little to do with referenda, per se - that's more about their misuse by unscrupulous regimes.

[Bryn]

That has little to do with referenda, per se - that's more about their misuse by unscrupulous regimes.

"Referendums", please. The OED offer that "Referendums is logically preferable as a plural form meaning ballots on one issue (as a Latin gerund, referendum has no plural). The Latin plural gerundive referenda, meaning things to be referred, necessarily connotes a plurality of issues."

[Beef Oven!]

"Referendums", please. The OED offer that "Referendums is logically preferable as a plural form meaning ballots on one issue (as a Latin gerund, referendum has no plural). The Latin plural gerundive referenda, meaning things to be referred, necessarily connotes a plurality of issues."

This also has little to do with referenda, per se. - but implicitly accepts my criticism as valid :winkeye:

[Flosshilde]

Yes, Ariosto, I suppose, had no knowledge that, since 'politics and current affairs' on this forum is frequently a synonym for mindless abuse of the yah-booh variety the new board was created which is less obvious to the general public and less tiresome to other members who dislike mindless abuse.

If people discuss issues thoughtfully and knowledgeably there would be no more problem than in having a Refreshment Room.

I thought that threads on political matters were automatically moved to the politics forum? As this has been allowed to remain on Platform 3, why has a thread I started with a link to a R4 programme about equal marriage been moved? Especially as there hasn't been any response to it yet, so the move couldn't have been because of 'mindless abuse'.

(& I haven't seen much 'thoughtfull and knowledgeable' discussion of the Clegg/Farage debate here)

[french frank]

I thought that threads on political matters were automatically moved to the politics forum?

The main reason why anything is in specially created corners is not because of the subject matter (hmmm, I now remember having explained this before) but because of the useless, stupid comments that are elicited which, in my view, reflect badly on the forum (and annoy other people).

As this has been allowed to remain on Platform 3, why has a thread I started with a link to a R4 programme about equal marriage been moved? Especially as there hasn't been any response to it yet, so the move couldn't have been because of 'mindless abuse'.

It was moved (I see from the log) by one of the hosts, probably as a precaution given the number of times the subject has been aired and usually ended with the thread being closed or shunted off somewhere else.

(& I haven't seen much 'thoughtfull and knowledgeable' discussion of the Clegg/Farage debate here)

I agree. It looks bound for the basement. We're even getting on to dictionary definitions now :erm:

[ahinton]

At least it wasn't peppered with liberal doses of "I agree with Nick" as was the even more risible three-in-a-bed-and-the-little-one-said pre-election charade in which Brown was the one always "agreeing with Nick" before his party lost the Election and then couldn't form a coalition with the Nickettes...

[Beef Oven!]

At least it wasn't peppered with liberal doses of "I agree with Nick" as was the even more risible three-in-a-bed-and-the-little-one-said pre-election charade in which Brown was the one always "agreeing with Nick" before his party lost the Election and then couldn't form a coalition with the Nickettes...

Yes that's true. A good observation. But remember, there are more episodes to come, so who knows how the interaction will play itself out.