Tuesday 24 January 2012

That 'Referism' thingy again

Philip Johnston has a comment piece in today's Daily Telegraph entitled: "Here's my tax - now where's it all going.", an article in which he mentions that Ben Gummar, Tory MP for Ipswich, is introducing a backbench motion requiring the Treasury to publish a detailed, personal cash breakdown of where our taxes are being spent. This idea does not solve the problem that the state is still able to extract money from the people without beforehand showing just cause.


In May last year Richard North, EU Referendum, posted about 'Referism', in which he wrote:
"This is achieved by the annual referendum – a mandatory, unchanging part of the constitution. It requires the administration to go to the people each year to ask them for money, and it empowers people to say "no". That is real power. Anything else is play-acting."
That is what should happen, the state presenting the people with an 'estimate/quotation' which can be accepted, rejected, or certain parts queried with a request that they be looked at again. That this should also happen with local authority demands for funding cannot be denied. As an aside, it is heartening to see an MP and the media 'picking-up' on an idea initially floated in the blogosphere - but again, I digress.


We learn today from this article in the Daily Telegraph that UK public debt has passed the £1 trillion mark for the first time, as the Government borrowed nearly £14bn last month despite its continued austerity drive. Was permission sought of those who will have to service that £14bn loan? No. Was it explained why that £14bn loan was necessary and for what it would be used? No.


Referism is part of the idea for a system of direct democracy being discussed at talkconstitution.net and in approximately 1/14 days time articles will appear on that site with a proposal for a constitution, limitation of government and how government should operate at every level, namely from national through counties down to parish level. One thing for sure - the politicians won't like it which means that it probably is a good idea!

5 comments:

microdave said...

"This idea does not solve the problem that the state is still able to extract money from the people without beforehand showing just cause."

That may be so. However being able to see exactly where your "stolen" wages go will do more the raise the sheeple from their slumbers, than anything else, at the moment.

If it leads to mass calls for an alternative system (such as referism), it will have served a purpose.

Anonymous said...

Mornin' WfW…

I haven't posted yet on your new forum, but I have been watching and reading and I look forward to what is to come…

However (and mindful that party politics is not permitted on that site), I reckon the problem is far bigger than any of us can solve. My support for UKIP is based on the fact that it is there and considering the radical message, is phenominally popular, and growing. And yes, I even agree with Richard, that their intellectual base is somewhat lacking, though I do not agree with his attitude to Farage, which seems far more personal than constructive… I actually think that he is ahead of us (and most of UKIP).

What is the real problem?

As Microdave suggests… It is… The sheeple. The thing is, I don't think they are slumbering. I think they have been bred the way they are, or imported and are grateful that what they have is better than what went before.

We all have a view in (rightminded) blogland about what a constitution should look like… Basically, a written constitution based on traditional British liberties with the protections of direct democracy and referism rolled in. But unless the sheeple play their part, precisely nothing will ensue.

The problem is that these things seem pretty ephemeral to the average bloke that wakes from his slumber for a few moments, and reads Richard or your good self… It's not an iPod is it? They have lost their liberties (which most never really exercised anyway), they have lost democracy, even that imperfect reprepresentative form, but they are functioning (just about), it is so good that 2% of the Polish population have come here during the last ten years, and Croatia has just decided to join in.

The sheeple, are just like those Carib people, they have been dazzled by the glittering prizes and even though they never seem to materialise, and even though they are all falling to one form of influenza or another and gradually being turned from sheeple into slaves that are just grateful to be breathing, don't seem to be able to motivate.

I realise that this is not very helpful, and it's very depressing, but I think it is the truth, which is why the establishment don't give a monkey's cuss about what happens in blogland.

The big question is….

How do we wake these sheeple?

Ephemera ain't going to cut any ice, that's for certain.

The establishment is not going to ferment revolution either… They are able to play the slowlee slowlee catchee monkee game. For instance, the EU/global superstate has been developing since the 1920's and only Adolf's rather quicker method was able to interrupt the unfolding of that package.

The closest that I have seen so far, is a piece that Richard did at the end of last year.

http://eureferendum.blogspot.com/2011/12/invisible-revolution.html

In this piece he pointed out that our dependence on electricity was the big thing… If the establishment really bugger it up, as they look like they might be doing, and the lights go off, the sheeple will be very very angry, and they will be on the streets, and they will be spitting venom.

But to get really depressing again, not much ever seems to come out of anger either.

What we really need, is something to sell them, and I have got no idea what that might be, but it has got to be tangible.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

md: Agree that something is better than othing, however asking before taking should be the norm - but it won't as to do that would weaken politician's power over us.

r_w: Good comment and to a certain extent I agree with most of what you say, especially about the sheeple.

Yes I recall that post from RN and he no doubt is right that an event like that would get the people out demonstrating. If not power cuts then the rising cost of electricity may eventually do the trick - but there are other possible events that could also do that.

I still believe that if it is possible to get DD more widely known, its workings etc, the idea would catch on with enough people to make a difference come election time - understanding that candidates could be found willing to stand on a dd ticket.

microdave said...

Given that the "sheeple" don't follow blogs such as this, do as I have done and fire off letters to your local papers. Even if you only get one published, it will likely be seen by many thousands. BUT don't just give your opinions - include a reference in the form of a shortened URL (use TinyURL or similar). I have done this with my letters about the global warming scam, and renewable energy rip-off's. Even some of the regular commenter's seem to have stopped praising these schemes. It just may have opened their eyes to alternative views.


"Every little helps"

WitteringsfromWitney said...

md: Good advise - unfortunately, localally it would seem I am 'PNG'!