BG> It also sucks that two completely separate political parties are
BG> allowed to band together in order to challenge the popular vote.

DD> What got me was some "expert" saying that the independant had to
DD> "sign papers" and align herself with one or other of the parties.

DD> Some independant!

RS> Or you could try putting your brain into gear and decide its tripe.

DD> My brain was in gear, that's why it struck me as peculiar.

RS> I dont believe it. Its tripe, otherwise they wouldnt
RS> have been speculating on whether she would support
RS> Borbridge or Goss if she held the balance of power.

DD> I tell you that some "expert" was on the telly saying that
this woman
DD> would have to "align" hereself with one or other leader if she held
DD> the balance of power.  They _were_ speculating on who it would be.

Yes, pity you so comprehensively mangles what they did say tho with your
'some independent' bit. The independent doesnt 'align' themselves with
a particular party in the sense that it reduces their independence, all
they are doing is saying which one has the policys that she independently
has decided is what she will vote for on individual legislation quite a
bit of the time. Thats done because it makes a lot more sense to make the
one which will be more often voting the same way the one in government.
Because otherwise you would have the ludicrous situation where the state
governor appoints the other crowd to government and you see most of their
legislation defeated on the floor of the parliament. Not very practical.

It does not however bind that independent to vote the same way as
that party that she says she will most often vote with. She can make
that choice on individual legislation, so she is still independent.

If you dont like that approach maybe you would care to suggest what
alternative there is. There isnt one basically. One of the two major
groups has to be given government when they have identical numbers of
seats and there is one independent. Because thats the group that has
the ministers heading departments etc.

DD> It doesn't really mean a great deal to me though as I don't
DD> bother to vote.  I find that voting just encourages the buggers.

RS> Fine by us, we dont really want you ignorant foreigners voting anyway |-)

DD> What the fuck is this "us" and "we"?  Since
DD> when did you have a say in Queensland politics?

I was talking about Aust in general you sheep porker.

--- PQWK202