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The last thing this situation needs is a bit of petition-based slacktivism to calm people's nerves. Petitions do absolutely nothing. Off the top of my head, I

by zalzane 13y ago

The last thing this situation needs is a bit of petition-based slacktivism to calm people's nerves. Petitions do absolutely nothing. Off the top of my head, I can't recall a single petition in recent history that has done anything other than given its signers a false sense of contribution towards a cause. I'd go as far as to say that pushing petitions probably damages a cause more than aids it. If you want to change something, you get some people together and start a rally, or get people inundate your representative's inbox with mail from angry voters who don't want to see a measure pass.

Aqueous 13y ago
I don't think rallies really change anything either, unless they are large enough to really disrupt other media coverage and shift public opinion. Which is rare. Polls change things. Politicians pretend to care about phone calls to their office and letters, but they're really paying attention to public opinion, as represented by public opinion polls. They will never do anything unless the math adds up, unless doing so keeps them safe (or safer) in their job. They will never do anything unless you force them to do so by shifting public opinion. People get the government they deserve. Cameron is only doing this because he thinks this is what the majority of British people want, or at least wouldn't mind. Make the argument to the people, not the politicians.
- tomelders 13y ago
  It would appear polls don't change things either. Cameron and the Tories have been consistently polling badly. As for getting the government we deserve, this is a coalition, the public voted and no one won, we didn't ask for this government. Cameron has no mandate from the electorate, he is doing this because he is a bad person. I'll tell you what really works. Riots. In my memory, the only time I can remember the UK Government bending to the will of the people was after the poll tax riots. To help illustrate the futility of trying to engage with the UK government via peaceful means: At least 750,000 people marched on London to oppose the Iraq war and the government ignored every single one of them. And the protestors were right, dead right and not one single politician involved has ever acknowledged the failure to act on the overwhelming will of the people. I personally have come to believe that There is no chance for democracy and no chance for diplomacy in this country. Our laws are drafted by the CEOs and stakeholders of private organisations who we do not vote for, and yet they have seemingly unfettered access to our MPs. When that scheming little turd of a man Lord Mandleson was against the Digital Economy Act, all it took was an invite to David Geffen's private villa and the man had a complete turn around on the issue. Come on for Christ sake, they can't even be bothered to hide their corruption anymore. Mere weeks ago a gaggle of MPs were caught taking money (or so they thought) to ask questions in the House of Commons. That is unquestionable illegal behaviour and to my knowledge not a single MP has been charged or even removed from the house. I'm pulling my hair out wondering what the hell we're going to do about it. I write to MPs all the time with questions or to have hem clarify their thinking on certain issues and I hear nothing back. They do not care. However, when I wrote to the President of the EU, I had a response within a week. An unsatisfactory response but certainly not a boiler plate. I think we've left it so long and done so little to keep our democracy healthy that we have a high price to pay if we want to fix it. But then there's an even higher price to pay if we don't, so fuck it, viva la revolucion!
  - toble 13y ago
    We are in that phase where the current government has pretty much accepted that they are going to lose power. Like past governments before them, they are pushing through all the nasty stuff while they have the chance. I agree with you about the Digital Economy Act. That was an eye opener for me. I no longer have an interest in politics. For minions like us, it's just wasted effort. Better to focus our time on things that we control and can change.
  - eru 13y ago
    > As for getting the government we deserve, this is a coalition, the public voted and no one won, we didn't ask for this government. That's an interesting take on coalition government. In continental Europe they are generally seen in a more favourable light. (Though, in proportional representation one party governments are much less likely.)
- henderson101 13y ago
  From what I've been led to believe, this is all a crusade by Claire Perry, and when polled, only circa 33% of respondents were in favour. Yet, Cameron is still going ahead? It's his weapon of mass destruction, his bid to gain publicity and look like he is trying to do something worthwhile for the voters. The reality of his fantasy safe internet is yet to be written. My money is on epic fail.
xd 13y ago
I've signed many petitions by 38degrees which have resulted in direct change: http://www.38degrees.org.uk http://www.38degrees.org.uk
rlpb 13y ago
> Petitions do absolutely nothing. I certainly don't expect the petition, in itself, to effect political change. But signing the petition does have benefits. It allows those against the policy to gain an understand of how many other people support their views. With a significant number of signatures, it stops politicians from being able to claim that only crackpots disagree with them on a particular issue. Please sign the petition if you agree with it. If nothing else, it extends the legitimacy of lobbying groups with similar views, such as the Open Rights Group. Even if the petition doesn't have a direct effect right now, it does help us in the long run.

by zalzane 13y ago

Aqueous 13y ago

I don't think rallies really change anything either, unless they are large enough to really disrupt other media coverage and shift public opinion. Which is rare. Polls change things. Politicians pretend to care about phone calls to their office and letters, but they're really paying attention to public opinion, as represented by public opinion polls. They will never do anything unless the math adds up, unless doing so keeps them safe (or safer) in their job. They will never do anything unless you force them to do so by shifting public opinion. People get the government they deserve. Cameron is only doing this because he thinks this is what the majority of British people want, or at least wouldn't mind. Make the argument to the people, not the politicians.

tomelders 13y ago
It would appear polls don't change things either. Cameron and the Tories have been consistently polling badly. As for getting the government we deserve, this is a coalition, the public voted and no one won, we didn't ask for this government. Cameron has no mandate from the electorate, he is doing this because he is a bad person. I'll tell you what really works. Riots. In my memory, the only time I can remember the UK Government bending to the will of the people was after the poll tax riots. To help illustrate the futility of trying to engage with the UK government via peaceful means: At least 750,000 people marched on London to oppose the Iraq war and the government ignored every single one of them. And the protestors were right, dead right and not one single politician involved has ever acknowledged the failure to act on the overwhelming will of the people. I personally have come to believe that There is no chance for democracy and no chance for diplomacy in this country. Our laws are drafted by the CEOs and stakeholders of private organisations who we do not vote for, and yet they have seemingly unfettered access to our MPs. When that scheming little turd of a man Lord Mandleson was against the Digital Economy Act, all it took was an invite to David Geffen's private villa and the man had a complete turn around on the issue. Come on for Christ sake, they can't even be bothered to hide their corruption anymore. Mere weeks ago a gaggle of MPs were caught taking money (or so they thought) to ask questions in the House of Commons. That is unquestionable illegal behaviour and to my knowledge not a single MP has been charged or even removed from the house. I'm pulling my hair out wondering what the hell we're going to do about it. I write to MPs all the time with questions or to have hem clarify their thinking on certain issues and I hear nothing back. They do not care. However, when I wrote to the President of the EU, I had a response within a week. An unsatisfactory response but certainly not a boiler plate. I think we've left it so long and done so little to keep our democracy healthy that we have a high price to pay if we want to fix it. But then there's an even higher price to pay if we don't, so fuck it, viva la revolucion!
- toble 13y ago
  We are in that phase where the current government has pretty much accepted that they are going to lose power. Like past governments before them, they are pushing through all the nasty stuff while they have the chance. I agree with you about the Digital Economy Act. That was an eye opener for me. I no longer have an interest in politics. For minions like us, it's just wasted effort. Better to focus our time on things that we control and can change.
- eru 13y ago
  > As for getting the government we deserve, this is a coalition, the public voted and no one won, we didn't ask for this government. That's an interesting take on coalition government. In continental Europe they are generally seen in a more favourable light. (Though, in proportional representation one party governments are much less likely.)
henderson101 13y ago
From what I've been led to believe, this is all a crusade by Claire Perry, and when polled, only circa 33% of respondents were in favour. Yet, Cameron is still going ahead? It's his weapon of mass destruction, his bid to gain publicity and look like he is trying to do something worthwhile for the voters. The reality of his fantasy safe internet is yet to be written. My money is on epic fail.

xd 13y ago

I've signed many petitions by 38degrees which have resulted in direct change: http://www.38degrees.org.uk http://www.38degrees.org.uk

rlpb 13y ago

> Petitions do absolutely nothing. I certainly don't expect the petition, in itself, to effect political change. But signing the petition does have benefits. It allows those against the policy to gain an understand of how many other people support their views. With a significant number of signatures, it stops politicians from being able to claim that only crackpots disagree with them on a particular issue. Please sign the petition if you agree with it. If nothing else, it extends the legitimacy of lobbying groups with similar views, such as the Open Rights Group. Even if the petition doesn't have a direct effect right now, it does help us in the long run.