Comments on: Making Politicians Behave

By: Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:01:58 +0000

The NZ proposal appears to be adding more government regulatioin by the shedful. Might stop new legislation, but it would also stop most old legislation being repealed, so I would be careful.

By: Cleanthes

Cleanthes — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 12:01:58 +0000

Three tests for any benefits apparently resulting from legislation, in ten words:

1. At what cost?
2. Compared to what?
3. How do you know?

By: IanCroydon

IanCroydon — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:45:23 +0000

Politicians are not the problem, it is the embedded concept of a political party. If exclusive political affiliation were outlawed, then we’d have more independent politicians as interest into voter expectation would be a more natural regulation of politician’s behaviour.

Strange as it seems, NZ adopted PR about 15 years ago, and a particularly vile variant (MMP) that almost makes exclusive political associations (party lists) mandatory and even allows people to enter government without anyone casting a vote in their favour.

Now we have legislation to make politicians behave, quelle surprise !