Recent posts

#1

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by HVC - Today at 03:54:22 PM

Weighted average elections seem weird to me.

#2

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Sheilbh - Today at 03:48:58 PM

Changed the system for metro mayors from instant run-off to FPTP. Instant run off is better, in my view, for a directly elected executive role.

#3

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 03:46:32 PM

I use gerrymandering non literally.
Is there a better term for fiddling elections to up your chances that doesn't touch boundaries?

Without a doubt it is what they've done here. Mayors for a long time were elected under a fairer system... But this damaged their chances.

What did they do?

Because there's a difference between "cheating" and "trying to win".

#4

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Josquius - Today at 03:38:34 PM

I use gerrymandering non literally.
Is there a better term for fiddling elections to up your chances that doesn't touch boundaries?

Without a doubt it is what they've done here. Mayors for a long time were elected under a fairer system... But this damaged their chances.

#5

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 03:19:07 PM

When they come to power Labour really need to fix this transparent tory gerrymandering fptp crap in local elections at least.

I don't agree with it being FTTP but it's not gerrymandering. No boundaries have changed

So I do agree with FPTP, but that's for another time.

Gerrymandering can definitely be a thing, but not necessarily.  FPTP can bring odd results even without deliberately playing with riding boundaries.  In Canada the Conservative Party has a lot of "wasted" votes because we run up massive majorities in a lot of ridings in Alberta and Saskatchewan of 70+% - but this isn't because of gerrymandering.  As a result the Conservatives have to win by a few percentage points in order to make sure we get more votes than the Liberals.

#6

Off the Record / Re: Brexit and the waning days...

Last post by Gups - Today at 03:13:52 PM

When they come to power Labour really need to fix this transparent tory gerrymandering fptp crap in local elections at least.

I don't agree with it being FTTP but it's not gerrymandering. No boundaries have changed

#7

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 02:57:26 PM

Are assumed identities totally out of the possibility?

Who knows?  It's a breaking story.

I do wonder if they're trying to bury the story by having it announced on a Friday afternoon, but maybe such ideas are old fashioned in the world of social media.

#8

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by HVC - Today at 02:50:35 PM

Are assumed identities totally out of the possibility?

#9

Off the Record / Re: [Canada] Canadian Politics...

Last post by Barrister - Today at 02:34:56 PM

Seems to me that several of the arrestees seem to be from the Sikh community, based on their names.

I wonder if they were people who had their own issues with Singh Nijjar within the community, whether they were gangsters doing it for the money, whether they are loyalist to Modi / the Indian state, or some other motive.

All valid possibilities.

Also though - if acting on behalf of India / Modi - you'd think the killers would have gotten the hell out of Canada afterwards.

I don't know even 1% of enough to form an opinion on this case, so I'm just going to observe with interest.

Although it's worth perhaps noting - the closest related case I can think of was the Air India bombing prosecution (although there Canada was prosecuting Sikh separatist terrorists, not the murder of alleged Sikh terrorists) and it collapsed in an entirely embarrassing way back then.

#10

Off the Record / Re: What does a BIDEN Presiden...

Last post by The Brain - Today at 02:33:24 PM

Not very expensive. Good to know.