[OT] Bush vs. Gore - Was: [Sussex] Linux is capitalism, Microsoft is communism?

[Steve Dobson]

Geoff

On Wed, Oct 27, 2004 at 01:47:10PM +0100, Geoff Teale wrote:
> The Queen may not be corrupt, politicians may be.. but if you believe in
> democracy then you only want to be ruled by an elected official, not by
> a monarchy.

Why can't we be ruled by Her Majesty but governed by Parliament?  I don't
see a conflict there.  While Americans can't see a difference between
socialism and communism I can, and I think most people in Britain can
too.
 
> As for the house of lords - the second house should be fully elected as
> well- the old house of lords was given power by decree, that is not
> democracy.

But neither is the reformed House of Lords under the rules.  The majority
of the house will be appointed by the Government.  Even if the Government
is democratically elected that does not, in my opinion, mean that everything
they do is democratic.

I do no want a government like the US has, where the President, Congress and
the Senate are often at war with each other.  Like you (I think) I see 
proportional representation as a better way to get a balanced government.

But I also want a safety valve for the House of Commons.  I don't want any
bill they pass to become law without some kind of check.  The debates I've
watched in the Lords are often better balanced and agree far more with my
way of thinking that the debates in the Commons.  While the Lords where not 
elected by me they have often better represented me.  The Lords, as it
was, was that safety valve I wantted.  I fear that the reformed Lords will
not.

Steve