Business as usual?

[purpletigron]

So, the three-ring circus is over, and the real business of politics starts again on the morrow. All our new elected representatives - MPs and councillors - should be poised to learn the wishes of their constituents (irrespective of their voting habits), and to enact them. But 40% of the population didn't vote (whilst only 37% voted Labour), for reasons which apparently included:

Irrelevant, opaque policies; Neglect of local issues; Poor communication with constituents; Failure to deliver on election promises; Dishonesty of politicians

but not

'Boring' election campaign; 'Foregone' outcome; First-past-the-post voting system; Apathy

What are your top three practical strategies for ensuring that constituents are faithfully represented?

Comments

[purplecthulhu.livejournal.com]

I'd abolish political parties... They make MPs more dependent on the party system than on their voters, so they pay more attention to the party's wishes than their constituents.

This is of course impossible.

[sammywol.livejournal.com]

What are your top three practical strategies for ensuring that constituents are faithfully represented?
Hah! that is really putting it to us. Here are my (doubtless unfeasible) ideas just for the record.

1. Proportional Representation. It is far from perfect but does mean that the opinions of more people are reflected in the outcome.
2. Combination of carrot and stick incentives to encourage people to get involved with community and civic politics. Involvement tends to mean engagement. Polls (at least one did) that people who have recently done jury duty believe more strongly in the legal system.
3. A Dominican style body charged with hunting down and *crushing* corruption in public office, especially at the lower, local levels as that is where it all starts. If you can't have faithful representation at least we should be able to expect honest representation. Of course, who guards the guardians?

Oh and change things around every so often. It keeps things from getting too monolithic.

I am pretty sure it is never possible to faithfully represent *all* constituents. Even under a PR system, if you happen to be in the minority in your area you don't feel represented.

[purpletigron.livejournal.com]

I should have made it clear ... I'm specifically thinking of constituency level, and daily business not the voting system. Of course we should have the best available PR system :-)

2. Definitely. I'm trying to work on something locally.
3. Love it!

I think that MPs should engage with every constituent approaches them, even if contituent 2 flatly opposes everything which constituent 1 and the MP believe in...

[mylescorcoran]

Our chief weapon is fear. Fear and impeachment papers.... Our two chief weapons are fear and impeachment papers. And a fanatical devotion to democracry.... I'll come in again.

[Pause]

[Sound of man getting his coat]

[sammywol.livejournal.com]

Here's your coat pet. *Snerk!*