On 20 Jul 2001, at 1:50, Adam C. Lipscomb wrote:
> > > How do you think government workers are chosen? And how do you
> > > think that this should be changed.
> >
> > You want to give power and authority to someone who WANTS it?
> > geez :P You want someone who will do a good job.
>
> Sometimes it IS the person that wants it. Are you suggesting forcing
> those who don't want to do a job to do it? You obviously haven't seen
> the half-a**ed quality of forced work.
Oh? For the last 4 years, I've spend 2 days a week working of stuff
I really don't like, but I do because it's my DUTY to do so, for the
environmental organisation. Regardless of what I want, they needed
me and my skills in data organisation, so I do that for them.
> I would like to think that the people working in the government are
> doing a job because they *like* it. Just like I hope the doctor
> making life-or-death decisions about my health care is a doctor
> because he felt a strong inner need to be a doctor, and is rewarded
> beyond his paycheck.
Ahh..I see your misconception. I am refering to senior civil service
positions, and to them only.
> You seem to in this thread and in the one devoted to family size be
> advocating dictatorship. If I've got the wrong impression, please
> correct me, but statements such as
<snip>
> give me the heebie-jeebies. Give me liberty tempered by social
> consciousness (as in the US, Canada, and other Western democracies),
> give me leaders we can throw out if they don't listen to us, and give
> me a worldview that credits my fellow human beings with something more
> than "sheep" status, thankyouverymuch. You can keep your despotic
> fantasies.
Umm...the term "elective dictatorship" in the UK elections mean
anything? That current democratic systems usually ignore the
votes of most of the population?
To suggest some things...
Firstly elections for..say 1/4 of the lower chamber every year.
Keeps the politicians on their toes, and means they can't do
unpopular things just after a big election and get away with it. It
gives continuity and strenght to a government....
Secondly, a partial-list system like Germany's allows majority
partys to dominate (Unlike, say, Israel), but also allows minority
partys a say in Government (Unlike, say, America or the UK).
And yes, I do believe reprisentative democracy, as practiced today,
is over-rated. It gives no long-term stability to policy, although the
UK HAD this to some extent with the House of Lords (the current
system is a mess, let's see what comes out). The idea of people
serving long terms (decade plus) in an upper house definately
interests me, and I do NOT believe all those in an upper house
should be selected by popular vote.
And we certainly have to look long and hard at our selection
methods for senior civil servants.
Andy
Dawn Falcon
