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Wanting the referendum to be overturned doesn't mean that one is undemocratic. My reasons for wanting the referendum overturned are the same reasons I don't wa

Wanting the referendum to be overturned doesn't mean that one is undemocratic. My reasons for wanting the referendum overturned are the same reasons I don't want referendums in the first place. Namely I believe that referendums work directly against the way our democracies work. Currently we have a system where parties vi for our vote. If a party then does things that we don't agree with (e.g. promise tons of things and then renege on them) then at the next election they can be voted out. The key point here is that decision makers can be held accountable and decisions can be changed. In a referendum there is no going back or accountability. This provides the incentive to lie as much as possible to get your way. This was very evident in the referendum campaign where the out campaign variously lied about more money than is possible on the NHS, increasing immigration from Commonwealth countries and how much of our laws originated from the EU. So if the decision to leave for 2% of voters was based on these issues then the result of the referendum is based on a lie. Is that democratic?

CM30 10y ago
But how much did the other campaign lie as well? Did anyone here really tell the truth 100%? Heck, if the referendum was held again tomorrow, what if the exit side won by a larger percentage of the votes? How many referendums would it take for the result to be 'democractic'? Enough til the side you want wins? Enough til everyone tells exactly the truth, makes no personal attacks/dubious claims and everything is as 'fair' as it could be? I'd rather just one referendum, and people learn to live with the consequences, regardless of how much they personally like them.
- lhopki01 10y ago
  You're misunderstanding me completely. I don't think that if remain had won it would be more democratic. I don't want referendums at all. I'm not alone in that thought. Germany has actually outlawed referendums. As for learn to live with the consequences that also doesn't work. It's not possible to know a specific vote is the cause of this bad result. People can never be that informed they can only work off the feel that they think the country is doing well or it isn't doing well. Learning to live with the consequences can mean a lot of hardship for some very vulnerable people.

CM30 10y ago

But how much did the other campaign lie as well? Did anyone here really tell the truth 100%? Heck, if the referendum was held again tomorrow, what if the exit side won by a larger percentage of the votes? How many referendums would it take for the result to be 'democractic'? Enough til the side you want wins? Enough til everyone tells exactly the truth, makes no personal attacks/dubious claims and everything is as 'fair' as it could be? I'd rather just one referendum, and people learn to live with the consequences, regardless of how much they personally like them.

lhopki01 10y ago
You're misunderstanding me completely. I don't think that if remain had won it would be more democratic. I don't want referendums at all. I'm not alone in that thought. Germany has actually outlawed referendums. As for learn to live with the consequences that also doesn't work. It's not possible to know a specific vote is the cause of this bad result. People can never be that informed they can only work off the feel that they think the country is doing well or it isn't doing well. Learning to live with the consequences can mean a lot of hardship for some very vulnerable people.