Just quick post this time, but an incident I found worth sharing, mainly for it sheer hilarity. Or at least, it's the kind of thing that you'd find hilarious if it wasn't at the same time highlighting the sheer ineptitude or our political classes!
In this story from last week, a veto banning fracking in North Carolina was overturned after a democrat representative accidentally voted to overturn the veto, when she intended to vote to keep it. The overturning of the veto passed by one vote, so this poor woman's confusion was the deciding factor. You can kind of see how such a mistake could be made - it sound's like a bit of a double negative: do you want to vote to remove the ban on fracking? However, it's not surely that difficult really?
It begs the question - how are we expecting these people, who are apparently incapable of working out which button is for yes and which button is for no, to decide on an issue as complex as fracking?
However, I also think it's completely shitty (so therefore entirely in character) for the Republicans in the NC state legislature to prevent her from being allowed to change her vote. I'm all in favour of governments allowing fracking to go ahead (with appropriate regulation), and not being swayed by a vocal but poorly informed minority. However, I wouldn't want it to go ahead on a technicality. That only stores up trouble and anger further down the line.
As an aside: as far as I'm aware the fracking issue kind of divides along party lines in the US - the Republicans are all for it: drill baby drill! while the Democrats opinion is mixed - some pro and some against. Obama himself is in favour though.
My main concern is that my opinions on fracking seem to place me in agreement with the Republicans. Not a position I'm accustomed to, and it's something that worries me - I mean, what's next? Am I about to start thinking that Sarah Palin would make a capable and effective leader? Capable enough to push the right voting button?
No comments:
Post a Comment