General Election 2015

[F.U.B.A.R.]

I'll be firmly ensconced in my 'wanking chariot' on election day, and wanking furiously I might add.. Though I won't be complaining that nothing changes 'cos it never does anyway (except perhaps for the sheets.. )

 

[felix]

Er, steady on old chap. I did start the post with "and to lower the tone a little".

I know, I know. I wasn't having a go at you; I found the story to be quite amusing, despite my mini-rant.

 

[Eveleivibe]

OK who's getting excited about May 7th? I am...

Evey

 

[F.U.B.A.R.]

OK who's getting excited about May 7th? I am...

Evey

Why, what's happening? Whatever it is I'll be too busy wanking to give a fuck anyway

 

[Vurtual]

That he's a fucking tool goes without saying.

What fucking annoys me about the whole premise of this kinda thing is this: I don't give a flying fuck whether our Prime Minister (or First Minister) likes football, or supports this team or that, or whether they keep up to date with Game of Thrones, or like Blur or Oasis, or know the price of a pint of milk. This kind of shit is blown up by the media into something important, as a measure of whether politicians are "down with the people" or not. I wouldn't expect the CEO of my employer (or even my grandad, if I had one) to know or give a shit about any of those things, so how come we're supposed to expect the person that's RUNNING THE COUNTRY to do so? It's just facile mainstream media froth, designed to stop us thinking about the things that really matter.



Fuck right off. Spoiling a ballot paper is as useful as lying in your wanking chariot and complaining that nothing ever changes.

The focus on personality just reflects what politics is these days: marketing. Watch that adam curtis documentary which goes on about when new labour adopted the focus group method to determine their policies in the 90s ('The Trap' i think; phillip gould? came over from the clinton campaign) (tories alread did it that way, naturally). Since then actual policies are chosen in the same way as determining brand names for washing powder (once the city of london has run their eyes over it and approved of course ('any policy you like as long as it's neoliberal')). I bet even the snp plaid and greens have focus groups these days.

Spoiling your ballot is as valid a choice as any in a democracy; it's even more valid in a fake democracy/oligarchy. And if you're in a constituency where your vote doesn't matter to anything anyway, it's probably the moral choice (unless you think there's someone to vote for, rather than against). You certainly can't say it's apathy - less apathetic than postal voting (physically at least) (i wonder if anyone ever spoils postal ballots?)

 

[DrGreenthumb]

Er, steady on old chap. I did start the post with "and to lower the tone a little".

I think Mosh's answer is a bit more relevant.



As for spoiling your ballot paper not changing anything....yes it would if enough people did it. Spoilt ballot papers have to be recorded. Their number is always read out at the count. There is a reason for this. Governments need political legitimacy. This is why the media rant on about turnout all the time. With a low turn out, the poll lacks legitimacy. If the head of the count had to read out

"Spoilt papers, 44,567" at each count, the legitimacy and the system would crumble. It's why I wanted, and got thanks Shambles, an option for NOTA on this BL poll.

You could say its a form of extra-parliamentary activity. And extra-parliamentary activity, such as demonstrations, action by unions etc, is the ONLY thing that changes things.

The number of spoiled papers is read out once, at some ungodly hour & then never referred to again. Your spoiled paper counts as turnout, which adds legitimacy to the vote & is ranted about in the media all the time. So it's even less useful as a protest than wanking furiously all day instead of voting.

Usually I'd sit at home wanking on election day (avoiding political broadcasts, MPs & candidates make me lose my erection), but I'm voting Green this time, they seem to have a few positive social policies & the environmental stuff isn't ever likely to happen.

There is a 'None of the above' party standing in a few seats this time, 'Above & Beyond'. If that option was on the ballot paper everywhere it'd be fairer, but spoiling your paper is pointless.

 

[StoneHappyMonday]

The number of spoiled papers is read out once, at some ungodly hour & then never referred to again. Your spoiled paper counts as turnout, which adds legitimacy to the vote & is ranted about in the media all the time. So it's even less useful as a protest than wanking furiously all day instead of voting.

Usually I'd sit at home wanking on election day (avoiding political broadcasts, MPs & candidates make me lose my erection), but I'm voting Green this time, they seem to have a few positive social policies & the environmental stuff isn't ever likely to happen.

So your Green vote, presuming you don't live in Brighton, will be read out once at some ungodly hour and then never referred to again. Nice protest you're making about (in your words) 'environmental stuff (that) isn't ever likely to happen'. Voting Green as such is pointless.

The reason spoiling your paper is pointless is because the system is set up so that those votes are recorded in a lump with mistakes and unclear papers. This classification is used deliberately to help stifle democratic protest. Its another reason to burn it down, not to slag off the people who deliberately spoil their vote.

Good luck with that Green vote.

 

[Smiley91]

100% spot on.

I just hope the rest of the UK see this as the opportunity to break up the two party system and also to expose the dirty tricks they are capable of.

The referendum last year was eye opening. The Bullshit, lies and smears that came from the Westminster parties was unbelievable and the whole of Scotland has now seen it for what it was.

Its exciting times indeed if the SNP get a bigger say in things.

For all Tory + Lib Dem voters read this:-

Torys and Lib Dems voted against proposed amendments to the official secrets act which would allowed for easier investigations into the Paedophile ring at Westminster..

http://chrisspivey.org/shhh-its-an-official-secret/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQvrfIohsaw


Fucking massive corrupt cover up.

Cunts.....every one of them who voted against this.

Dirty pedo cunts. Makes me want to kill folk. Why the fuck does this get allowed tae happen?

I don't particularly love the snp or want to be, how they proposed to us as, 'independent' ....However what I do greatly appreciate is that the voice of many (Imo, not only in Scotland) is finally being heard, that the current system is a joke and that something needs to change for fairness throughout our country. I hate the fact the media play off scots and the english against each other like its all about 'us vs them'....when in reality its about everyone having a fair chance no matter where abouts your situated in the uk.

 

[felix]

I genuinely don't understand the mindset of people who spoil their vote. People who actually leave their house, make their way to the polling station, draw a cock on a piece of paper (or whatever), and then go home.

The only motivation I can think of is that it gives people a tiny frisson of excitement when the quantity of spoiled papers is read out. "245 spoiled ballot papers - LOL one of those was mine!" 8(

It's like a 4 year old drawing on a wall with a crayon. I don't get it.

 

[Vurtual]

Smiley91: ^i agree (though not with the killing paedos bit) - i think there's lots of support for the snp/nicola sturgeon among the rest of the uk - part of the reason they are spending so much time to discredit them (that scary democracy rearing its head).

An example of the media onslaught over the weekend from wingsoverscotland: http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-wild-weekend/ (apparently the snp getting a few mps is 'the worst crisis since abdication' (so worse than WW2 according to the telegraph)

Keep going establishment - the more experience of this sort of media tirade the rest of the uk gets, the more likely they'll react like the scottish and fuck them off. (people are more 'sophisticated' about the media these days - like in reality telly (so sophisticated) the public can sniff when the program wants a certain result and pounce on the opposite (like that ugly newsreader in that dancing show).

It was recently revealed that rupert murdoch visited the sun offices in feburary and told them they weren't going on the offensive enough against milliband (followed by a ramping up of anti-milliband stories) - our marvellous free press ('you're free to own a newspaper and use it to promote your elite-friendly policies'). I think the days when media barons can totally control the population's voting intentions are numbered (starting from the example in scotland).

Felix: It can be an expression of not beleiving the system is actually a democracy, and showing your contempt for that. It's a valid choice to make in a ballot (all choices are valid - that's supposed to be the point). I'd presonally rather vote for someone obscure like king arthur (scargill), which is just as 'invalid' in numerical terms.

 

[Smiley91]

I genuinely don't understand the mindset of people who spoil their vote. People who actually leave their house, make their way to the polling station, draw a cock on a piece of paper (or whatever), and then go home.

The only motivation I can think of is that it gives people a tiny frisson of excitement when the quantity of spoiled papers is read out. "245 spoiled ballot papers - LOL one of those was mine!" 8(

It's like a 4 year old drawing on a wall with a crayon. I don't get it.

Aye same here but it would be good if something could be organised as a protest that would actually be heard e.g. make the news. Don't know what though. That pedo ring thing is disturbing if only there was something we could do....or do people choose to ignore this because they dont see anything that can be done? Or in the case of the lib dems and torys...probably full of the scum trying to protect each other. I wouldnt say killing folk is the best solution but this shit makes me angry enough that i probably could.

 

[DrGreenthumb]

So your Green vote, presuming you don't live in Brighton, will be read out once at some ungodly hour and then never referred to again. Nice protest you're making about (in your words) 'environmental stuff (that) isn't ever likely to happen'. Voting Green as such is pointless.

The reason spoiling your paper is pointless is because the system is set up so that those votes are recorded in a lump with mistakes and unclear papers. This classification is used deliberately to help stifle democratic protest. Its another reason to burn it down, not to slag off the people who deliberately spoil their vote.

Good luck with that Green vote.

Not slagging anybody off, just reminding you that you could be doing something useful instead, like having a good wank.

The number of votes for candidates, share of the vote & turnout is given more attention than the number of spoiled ballots.

Greens aren't likely to win my seat, but they'll come second & if I turn out it'll help reduce the Labour majority and give the Greens another vote to build on next time. Looks like the Greens could win a few seats this time & their votes might be needed for a coalition, I think they have a few good social policies & they're more likely to be given as a concession than banning fracking or something like that. Even if they manage to not win any more seats this time an increased share of the vote sends a message to the other parties more than drawing a cock & balls on your ballot paper does.

If you want to help to break up the two party system then you've got to vote for a smaller party.

 

[Vurtual]

Smiley91: All we can do about it is vote/work against the establishment - it's not really about paedophilia for them, it's about protecting the system/scam (they'd rather let paedos go than lose 'all this!'). Unfortunately voting doesn't have enough power as currently configured to do this. Last time the elite/secret state thought they were under threat from democracy (from harold wilson of all people), they nearly did a coup with a 'private' army (with louis mountbatten pencilled in to be the 'fuhrer'); or at least convincingly threatened one (or in some accounts actually succeeded when they brought in their candidate thatchler). When it comes to it we'll probably have to pry our power from their cold dead hands (or at least have the implied threat of lamp posts and pitch forks) - don't get me wrong, i'm not into violence; but 'they' are.

EDIT: Greenthumb: is spoilng your ballot more or less useful than voting for greens in a labour constituency, and therefore making a tory government more likely? My instinct is vote for what i want, but i'm guessing you don't want a tory government. It's undemocratic situations like this that make me appreciate the motivation for ballot spoiling.

 

[DrGreenthumb]

Don't worry, the tories come a distant 3rd here, there will still be a huge labour majority in my seat, I can't see the Lib Dems gaining any votes here after the last 5 years & even if by some miracle the Greens won here they wont go into coalition with the tories or anything like that. There are a few constituencies where voting Green could possibly let the tories in, mine isn't one.

If I was in some marginal Labour/Tory or Labour/Lib Dem seat then I'd vote Labour.

 

[felix]

Felix: It can be an expression of not believing the system is actually a democracy, and showing your contempt for that. It's a valid choice to make in a ballot (all choices are valid - that's supposed to be the point). I'd personally rather vote for someone obscure like king arthur (scargill), which is just as 'invalid' in numerical terms.

Well, I hope it's obvious that I would defend the right of people to spoil their ballot paper; my point is that it lacks any utility.

By the way - from your link above:

What the FUCK!!! :D

I had forgotten just how outrageously shit the tabloids are. It's been a while since I sat in an offshore smoke-shack. :D

 

[Vurtual]

Well they know their demographic i suppose, but that only makes me like her more (though i think i'm probably scum in the eyes of that paper). 'She was a very strong-minded girl' is put there as if it's an insult! She 'devilishly hacked the hair off her sister's beloved doll!' - my god! Won't someone please save us from this evil?!

Also, quoting her sister: 'I was into dolls and everything girly. Nicola was into sitting reading. She was a very strong midned wee girl'...'I would just do as i was told, I didn't like getting into a row. But Nicola would challenge'. So look out britain: a woman who wasn't a 'girly' girl, liked reading, is very strong minded and challenges authority - next they'll be allowing them to drive cars!

 

[DrGreenthumb]

Actually I'm still undecided, Labour have a new candidate here who doesn't look too bad, should be an improvement on the corrupt Labour MP I have now (expenses scandal) & TUSC are standing too, but my vote will probably be Green. Best I can hope for with a Green vote here is they don't lose their deposit, that would be a good result.

Here is one of the reasons I'm reluctant to vote Labour

NSFW:

 

[Smiley91]

Hahahahahahaha!

'Earned tag Gnasher in sex rumour'

 

[felix]

Well they know their demographic i suppose, but that only makes me like her more (though i think i'm probably scum in the eyes of that paper). 'She was a very strong-minded girl' is put there as if it's an insult! She 'devilishly hacked the hair off her sister's beloved doll!' - my god! Won't someone please save us from this evil?!

I did much worse things to my wee brother when I was growing up. One time, me and my friends set fire to my brother cletus's Action Man tank (and the Action Man driving it) and pulled it up a hill with a bike on a rope, with the Action Man screaming in agony, while everyone laughed like fuck.

Having such a shady and potentially embarrassing incident in my past has clearly disqualified me from any political ambitions. If news of this ever got out, I'd have ended up in the political wasteland.

Ridiculous nonsense. I dunno how these tabloid journalists sleep at night.

 

[DrGreenthumb]

I did much worse things to my wee brother when I was growing up. One time, me and my friends set fire to my brother cletus's Action Man tank (and the Action Man driving it) and pulled it up a hill with a bike on a rope, with the Action Man screaming in agony, while everyone laughed like fuck.

Having such a shady and potentially embarrassing incident in my past has clearly disqualified me from any political ambitions. If news of this ever got out, I'd have ended up in the political wasteland.

Ridiculous nonsense. I dunno how these tabloid journalists sleep at night.

Seems like a legit story, but I hope that Scots do vote the Krankies in & she has another 'Gnasher' incident, with an MP. It would be fan-dabi-dozy.