Posts by Graeme Edgeler

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  • Hard News: History is now,

    but I'm picking Prop 8 will fail - just.

    It was the one a re-wrote twice before hitting post...

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: History is now,

    Vote: Obama 314-224
    Senate: Dems fall short of 60
    Proposition 8: passes.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: History is now,

    Okay everyone - time to put your name to some predictions:

    *electoral college vote
    *Senate (will the the Dems get a filibuster-proof 60?)
    *House
    *California proposition 8
    *Some state race I'm not particularly interested in

    etc.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: History is now,

    __What happens if he wins both the VP job AND the Senate seat? Does he do both?__

    No. The Governor of Delaware -- currently Democrat Ruth Ann Minner, who leaves office in January because she's not allowed to stand for a third term under the state's term-limit law -- would appoint his successor.

    ... until the next election in two years' time. The replacement won't get to serve the full six-year term.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: History is now,

    Obama's definitely going to win. He's cheating!

    According to Tim Wilson on Breakfast this morning 45 states are leaning for Obama, and 18 for McCain.

    You heard it here first (unless you were watching Breakfast in which case second) Obama is creating *fake states* in order to steal their electoral college votes!!!

    [oh for some news...]

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: History is now,

    It would have been hilarious if you were second.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Hard News: God's squads,

    Fact: In 1990 Bill Birch ran over student protester Felix Geiringer at Otago University.

    Resulted in a conviction too.

    For Felix.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Enhancing democracy,

    Actually it's "proportionate to your number of non-cabinet MPs", so the governing parties would have fewer chances.

    Fewer chances to advance members bills, debated on every second Wednesday (but the same as at present, of course - they cannot have members bills now, either). Much much greater chance (i.e. any at all) to advance government bills. Government parties don't really need to use members bills - they've got all the other time Parliament sits to promote legislation.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Enhancing democracy,

    The chances of your bills coming out would be proportionate to the number of MPs you had.

    Distinctly possible. Seems pretty fair to me.

    If there were 10 bills in the ballot, you have a 1 in ten chance. If someone drops in 40 more bills, you suddenly have a 1 in 50 chance.

    I believe a majority of eligible MPs (i.e. non-Ministers) have a bill in most ballots. Certainly not all the Labour and National members all the time, but I think they do okay. Mostly, this is going to just change the bills you're competing against.

    parties would simply provide one copy of each bill from each of their MPs

    Not one copy of each bill, it's still limited to one bill per MP.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

  • Legal Beagle: Enhancing democracy,

    But dammit, I want more as well.

    I've long had the thought that changes in procedure like this could be advanced as part of a confidence and supply deal.

    At this election for example, the Maori Party on the cross-benches with either party governing, or the Greens if National wins, could offer an abstention on C&S in exchange for some specific policies and more members' time.

    Wellington, New Zealand • Since Nov 2006 • 3215 posts Report

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