Sooo, Where Do We Go From Here Then?

[zippy]

Education is the key, we are somewhat privaleged on the forums to be informed of many issues before they break to the masses.

 

In 5 years time, I think that this medium will be far more prevalent than it is now - I don't know whether or not this was the maximum tonight but at one point, there were 115 users online on the forum and that's a lot more than usual so it is growing but still a pitiful number when you consider the amount of people on the island that have access to the internet.

 

Personally, I think the first step is to make more people aware of the online community that exists and then take it from there. It's a way of instantly getting through to the masses and I for one fully expect this site to grow rapidly over the next 5 years.

 

 

Pity education hasn't done much for your spelling. Nonetheless you have a point, snag is the island has the government it deserves. We are populated by cretins.

 

 

Smooks

 

Love our island, hate most of the population.

 

there's a boat in the .........

 

 

(unless the weathers bad)

[zippy]

I keep hearing about the last 5 years and all the awful things that have gone on - What are your top 5 awful things ?

[ThieBane]

Agreed, something needs to change but the groundwork needs to be put in long before the next elections.

 

Quite frankly, I'm astounded at the shortsightnedness of the electorate this time around, it really does begger belief!

 

Education is the key, we are somewhat privaleged on the forums to be informed of many issues before they break to the masses.

 

I'm not quite sure how far you'll get on a 'I'm so much cleverer than all of you' ticket. Despite much of the negative campaigning and many candidates only focussing on what the current government did wrong rather than what they would be able to do better, only three members of the original Keys were displaced.

 

I think it's quite arrogant to say that every single vote cast in favour of the existing crowd was due to the ill-informed masses not getting a grip of what the real issues are.

 

Are you saying that you would start a new super-intellectual party where you'd really debate the issues that matter? The issues that actually only you and a few other very clever people could understand. You'd then distil these concepts into simple one or two line sentences, perhaps accompanied by big friendly pictures. These would then be distributed by a super clever invention called the interweb.

 

All of the issues which were raised here were also raised in the papers and on the radio so people all had a chance to consider them and vote accordingly.

 

On a different note - fair play to Frank and Mark for putting their money where their mouth was. They stood on the issues which mattered to them and put their own necks on the line. Good work.

[Skig]

Steve Babb put up an excellent performance and should quite easily take the now vacant seat on Onchan commissioners. 5 years to get his feet under the table, then take on Earnshaw & Quirk in 2011.

Also of interest is who will get Singers seat in Legco? Probably one of the unelected from last night. Andrew Douglas or Hazel Hannan? I hope not!

To hear Manx radio saying Hannan was visibly shocked when the result was read out, made my day.

[ThieBane]

Don't forget that they can also elect someone from outside the House...

[Shadey Burger]

My bet is on John Shimmin as being the next Cheif Minister, he said if he got back in the one person he would make a minister would be Anne Craine..........watch this space

 

Happy with the Onchan elections, glad Stowell never made it, he would of battered someone if they dissagreed with him.... he is so angry, take a chill pill matey !!

[Slim]

I keep hearing about the last 5 years and all the awful things that have gone on - What are your top 5 awful things ?

 

Mass homelessness, plague, famine, complete failure of social services, marshalll rule. Oh and most importantly, a complete and catastrophic lack of transparancy.

[Lonan3]

A new political party will need time, commitment and money with a group of people who can genuinely work together. I believe it is not something which should happen overnight and so as far as I am concerned let the dust settle and those who are interested should get together early in the New Year.

 

It is clear from tonight's results the people will not back radical reform or those who still have much to learn about how Manx society works.

 

A new political 'party' can not spring, fully-clothed, from the womb. The Liberal Vannin experience shows that it simply does not work that way.

In the initial stages there needs to be some kind of 'think-tank' for an exchange of ideas and views and, if those discussions eventually lead to the formation of a party, that may work.

It is also essential that politicians past and present should not be excluded from the process - there are many who could offer sound advice and whose experience of the realities of political life would be invaluable.

As Thieawin (I think) pointed out, the Board of Education elections are just a year or so away - and the local government elections follow not too long after that - both ideal vehicles for a new and radical political alliance to cut it's teeth on and begin spreading it's message to the voting public in my opinion.

[lard]

Well, I'll have to have a new team photo made.

 

I hope the candidates will remember :- I am always there watching ye.

 

[Albert Tatlock]

In terms of new political parties: we will have to wait quite a while till we know what is happening and who is going to be who in government, and then a while more before we actually find out how it is working. Add to that the usual period of 'smugness and complacency', which in my experience follows most elections i.e. those elected feeling confident with their mandate (some even overconfident) and likely to be unwilling to become involved yet - if at all.

 

I like the idea of a meeting where a lot of this can be brainstormed. But before that - I would like to know the direction such an organisation would be going. People won't sign up unless they see that such a party would aim to change island politics to roughly the direction they would like to see it going, never mind work for it. Serious consideration would also have to be given to whether a new party or an expanded LV party etc. would be the best idea anyway, and that perhaps a far better organised lobbyist group (seeking the support of existing politicians) might be a better alternative. Either way, always remember that we have seen attempts at both in the last six months e.g. PAG and LV - and nothing changed.

 

In the meantime though, those thinking of doing something like this can still carry out work behind the scenes, and will need to take into account: a party constitution, start to outline policies (right, left, centre?) strategy, aims and objectives etc. 'If you don't know where you're going any road will get you there' - and all that!

 

Commenting on a forum is a far different reality to forming a party and working your guts out to make it work. All of this will require lateral thinking and a core group of at least 10 dedicated people to start. That's the first real target, otherwise it's a dead duck.

[Skig]

My bet is on John Shimmin as being the next Cheif Minister, he said if he got back in the one person he would make a minister would be Anne Craine..........watch this space

 

Happy with the Onchan elections, glad Stowell never made it, he would of battered someone if they dissagreed with him.... he is so angry, take a chill pill matey !!

 

Fully agree, especially about Stowell (What an arrogant tw*t)

Anne Craine will now be one of the senior members and will be given a ministers job, following in the footsteps of her father and sister (heaven help us)

[Utah 01]

'I'm astounded at the shortsightnedness of the electorate this time around, it really does begger belief!'

 

Education of the electorate, in a wider sense, is one problem but general apathy must surley be THE greatest obstacle to political reform. What was the overall turnout for yesterday's elections?

 

Yesterday, I asked several of my colleagues if they had or were going to vote. Not one of them answered in the affirmative. The usual excuses were trotted out: haven't got time; I never bother voting; it doesn't make any difference etc. Until this malaise can be overcome, and an election result can be shown to make a difference to the people when they wake up the next morning, any new political party will be urinating into these never-ending gales.

[Ushtey]

Steve Babb put up an excellent performance and should quite easily take the now vacant seat on Onchan commissioners. 5 years to get his feet under the table, then take on Earnshaw & Quirk in 2011.

 

Thanks Skig, it's certainly an option I'm considering, but I'm mostly just licking my wounded pride for a day or so before making any decisions on the future.

 

Also of interest is who will get Singers seat in Legco?

 

I've heard two names mentioned over the past few days, Richard Corkill and David Callister

 

Bear in mind that there might be another vacancy in January if Donald Gelling retires.

[Skig]

I've heard two names mentioned over the past few days, Richard Corkill and David Callister

 

Bear in mind that there might be another vacancy in January if Donald Gelling retires.

 

Any of the 24 MHK's who have the nerve to suggest Corkill for MLC (when he was to much of a coward to put himself up for re-election) should be shot!!

As for David Callister, why?? Just because he commentates on the Tynwald proceedings does'nt mean he has any ability to be part of the process. Did you hear him last night when he said that scrapping Legco would go against our constitution, and Prof St John Bates told him, in so many words, that he was talking rubbish. The Prof has a vast experience of the whole process and would be well suited to take on the role and hopefully reform the Upper house from within.

[ThieBane]

Any of the 24 MHK's who have the nerve to suggest Corkill for MLC (when he was to much of a coward to put himself up for re-election) should be shot!!

As for David Callister, why?? Just because he commentates on the Tynwald proceedings does'nt mean he has any ability to be part of the process. Did you hear him last night when he said that scrapping Legco would go against our constitution, and Prof St John Bates told him, in so many words, that he was talking rubbish. The Prof has a vast experience of the whole process and would be well suited to take on the role and hopefully reform the Upper house from within.

 

Hmmmm - Only thing is that :-

 

Prof. SJ Bates left under something of a cloud, it wasn't the most amicable of departures.

 

Tynwald

 

Perhaps some of his ideas were too radical (the idea that we have a unicameral chamber for example) for many of the sitting members.