Posted: Jan 15, 2019 11:45 am
Thommo wrote:I have to say I think the statement that democracy means people getting to change their mind is a total red herring and not a feature of any commonly proposed definition of the term. You don't get to change your mind about your vote in an election. If the term of office is 5 years and you get fed up 1, 2 or 3 years in there's exactly nothing you can do about it in any democracy that I'm aware of and it's certainly not a democratic norm.
Democracy is about governing according to the choices/representatives of the people.
If changing minds were not a feature of it, there would not have to be periodic elections and set terms.
New elections are all about adapting to meet the new will of the people because circumstances and representatives have changed.
The referendum was advisory, there was no set term for it, yet the result was heeded and acted upon even though it was a marginal win for one side.
There are good arguments to be made that the circumstances have changed, expectations turned out to be completely false, key players departed, new agreements are not representative of what was voted for, polls show a swing in opinion, etc.etc.
Basically every good reason for an election term to run out has been met.
The fact that the deadline is rapidly approaching towards jumping off a cliff into the unknown with little expectation from anyone of a positive gain, makes it seem a bit like signing up for a blindfold S&M session without a safe word.
Have a new referendum, at least now you have peeked through the blindfold and have some idea of how, with what, and by who you are going to be screwed, let someone ask you if you want to continue before you are ball-gagged.