Comments on: Will the Majority Vote for the Environment? Probably Not http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/12/15/will-the-majority-vote-for-the-environment-probably-not/ Patriotism that loves our country, our land, and our planet Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:35:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: AJB http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/12/15/will-the-majority-vote-for-the-environment-probably-not/comment-page-1/#comment-18874 AJB Sun, 28 Dec 2008 01:51:01 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/?p=1859#comment-18874 How are you going to make "all parties commit to implementing the Committee’s recommendations in full" ? If enough of the Electorate are against the idea, then sooner or later a party will break rank - and take the resultant votes. What you are suggesting is for voters to be disenfranchised in voting on Environment issues. That's fundamentally incompatible with Democracy and (if we have anything like a democracy) it is bound to fail in the end. N.B. Don't shoot the messenger. How are you going to make "all parties commit to implementing the Committee’s recommendations in full" ?

If enough of the Electorate are against the idea, then sooner or later a party will break rank – and take the resultant votes.

What you are suggesting is for voters to be disenfranchised in voting on Environment issues. That's fundamentally incompatible with Democracy and (if we have anything like a democracy) it is bound to fail in the end.

N.B. Don't shoot the messenger.

]]> By: Global Patriot http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/12/15/will-the-majority-vote-for-the-environment-probably-not/comment-page-1/#comment-18119 Global Patriot Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:19:18 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/?p=1859#comment-18119 The practice of financially penalizing people in order to encourage/force changes in their lifestyle is a difficult one to sell, and often has nebulous value in creating change. While price increases do this on a free market basis, doing this in an artificial fashion via government mandate is rarely as effective. That said, there are occasions where people simply won't change behavior until it hurts financially. But giving people an alternative that provides them with value, while helping to solve the problem, will go much further to solving these issues with a long term vision. The practice of financially penalizing people in order to encourage/force changes in their lifestyle is a difficult one to sell, and often has nebulous value in creating change. While price increases do this on a free market basis, doing this in an artificial fashion via government mandate is rarely as effective. That said, there are occasions where people simply won't change behavior until it hurts financially.

But giving people an alternative that provides them with value, while helping to solve the problem, will go much further to solving these issues with a long term vision.

]]> By: CGB http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/12/15/will-the-majority-vote-for-the-environment-probably-not/comment-page-1/#comment-18110 CGB Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:04:12 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/?p=1859#comment-18110 The problem with the proposals for manchester was that they were linked with the congestion charge. If that was not present then I'm sure a lot more people would of voted for the improvements and the reason why we can't pursuade more of those motorists on to the public transport. It would be better if businesses were closer to where people actually lived rather than all bunched together in a big city center. It would be better if people could walk to work. It didn't come down to selfishness on the part of the motorists. They would of voted yes to improved public transport. The problem with the proposals for manchester was that they were linked with the congestion charge. If that was not present then I'm sure a lot more people would of voted for the improvements and the reason why we can't pursuade more of those motorists on to the public transport. It would be better if businesses were closer to where people actually lived rather than all bunched together in a big city center. It would be better if people could walk to work.

It didn't come down to selfishness on the part of the motorists. They would of voted yes to improved public transport.

]]> By: Timothy B. Hurst http://redgreenandblue.org/2008/12/15/will-the-majority-vote-for-the-environment-probably-not/comment-page-1/#comment-18053 Timothy B. Hurst Mon, 15 Dec 2008 22:16:32 +0000 http://redgreenandblue.org/?p=1859#comment-18053 Great post, Richard. I had no idea people from Manchester were called Mancunians! Great post, Richard. I had no idea people from Manchester were called Mancunians!

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