StrypeyJul 20, 2023

"If you're only prepared to make popular decisions as a leader though, then what is the point of leadership? It's not really leadership is it. It's just focus-grouping. It's just polling. Instead of laying out a platform, debating its merits, and pursuing a really distinct vision, you might as well just have a smartphone app or a website, on which everyone votes for every little policy."

#JakeTame, 2023

Quoted in Midweek #MediaWatch on #RNZ:

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/mediawatch/audio/2018898749/midweek-mediawatch-too-much-information-too-soon

#NZPolitics #leadership

Midweek Mediawatch - too much information too soon?

Midweek Mediawatch - Colin Peacock talks to Mark Leishman about intense coverage of a mother accused of killing her children - and the media finally covering the crimes of Sir James Wallace. Also: Tova O’Brien returning to the media as some senior news editors depart; the media response to the PM ruling out wealth taxes - and the tabloid scoop giving the BBC a big headache.

RNZ
Show threadStrypeyJul 20, 2023

> a smartphone app or a website, on which everyone votes for every little policy

Sounds good to me. We could eliminate an expensive layer of besuited spokesmodels and PR spindoctors, who provide no real value to anyone but themselves. Instead, public servants could carry out whatever policies get a supermajority in a weekly of monthly batch of digital referenda.

#LiquidFeedback anyone?

Show threadSteven Ensslen Jul 20, 2023

@strypey
The preconditions for people voting via the internet include:

1) eliminating the digital divide

2) making the internet secure, so that people's aged devices can be proved to be casting the intended votes

3) providing physical security to every person while they vote so that they are not intimidated by those with power in their environment.

We closer to having a perfect voting system now than we are to being able to have a functional internet voting system.

Show threadStrypeyJul 21, 2023

@ensslen
> We closer to having a perfect voting system now than we are to being able to have a functional internet voting system

Do you agree that secure digital voting is a worthy goal though? Given that the postal system is on its last legs, on a long enough timescale, it seems unavoidable for local government elections to go digital.

Show threadSteven Ensslen 

@strypey
OMG I categorically reject the notion that voting over the internet has even the potential to be good for democracy or our communities.

Elections over the internet result in a government controlled by hackers. That either results in control of government by organised crime or by our spies. I'm not sure which is worse.

I mean, we're so far away from being able to meet the basic preconditions. We need a sci-fi future to even build secure devices or give them to people.

Jul 22, 2023 at 1:07amWeb
Show threadStrypeyJul 22, 2023

@ensslen
> I categorically reject the notion that voting over the internet has even the potential to be good for democracy

So what's your solution for running local government elections, once the legacy postal system finally falls over? Pay courier companies to deliver voting papers? Or to run polling booths at Council service centres that everyone has to vote at? Who's going to pay for that?

I understand your concerns, but you might be making the perfect the enemy of the good.

Show threadSteven Ensslen Jul 23, 2023

@strypey

The best solution is to run polling booths.

Suggesting internet voting because postal voting may someday cease to be an option is inventing a problem in order to propose a "solution" which we know to be unworkable.

Show threadStrypeyJul 23, 2023

@ensslen
> postal voting may someday cease to be an option is inventing a problem

It's a real and imminent problem. if you can't see that, I respectfully suggest you haven't been paying attention to the fortunes of NZ Post over the last few years.

A few of the more obvious red flags;

* dropping mail delivery to 3 days a week

* massive increases in stamp prices

* utility bills and public service mail shifting to digital delivery

Show threadStrypeyJul 23, 2023

@ensslen
> The best solution is to run polling booths

OK, so who pays for that? General elections cost a lot more to run than local body elections for a reason. Meanwhile, councils are desperately trying to cut spending and avoid ramping up rates.

Your solutions?

Also, let's not pretend that the existing local body election system is working particularly well. It's widely acknowledged that turnout is low and results seldom represent the will of local populations.