tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952108899218764633.post6401744337624971568..comments2024-02-28T22:03:19.609+00:00Comments on A Scottish Liberal: British politics – is the future plural?Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02027368242570244912noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952108899218764633.post-33866424426058469292012-11-07T13:16:35.096+00:002012-11-07T13:16:35.096+00:00Progessive pluralism... as a European I would love...Progessive pluralism... as a European I would love to see a bit of this in US politics and I welcomed Obama's victory speech in which he promised to work together with Romney and the Republicans - and Romney appeared to reciprocate these feelings! Perhaps yet we shall see an American 'coalition' government...<br /><br />But I digress. In my opinion more pluralism equals more democracy. Of course there are always the arguements about how too many parties in power with too many different stances will just deadlock parliament but the Germans are pulling it off nicely. Plus, the alternative is a single-party government which, whilst I'm not alluding to it being anything like China, represents a depleted range of popular opinions. Tribalism in politics (and elsewhere, i.e. football) gets us nowhere. It merely frustrates.Georghttp://www.fachuebersetzungen.denoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952108899218764633.post-21077677502130874752012-10-15T16:29:53.577+01:002012-10-15T16:29:53.577+01:00Anonymous - I take it you didn't read my previ...Anonymous - I take it you didn't read my previous post in regards my challenge to Simon Hughes on our pluralist credentials? <br /><br />Precisely the fact that we refused to enter talks in 2007 means that the current coalition is more difficult to justify. If we were genuinely pluralistic in 2007, the only option would have been to talk to the SNP, even if agreement may not later have been reached. The fact that we didn't over the SNP's desire for a referendum means it's far harder to defend a coalition in which many of our principles and objectives are being actively undermined or attacked by the Conservatives. Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02027368242570244912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3952108899218764633.post-53236034134033944172012-10-15T15:40:30.701+01:002012-10-15T15:40:30.701+01:00I think sometimes Austin Mitchell has a point. Sur...I think sometimes Austin Mitchell has a point. Surely such incidents (among others) as the refusal to even enter coalition talks in 2007, the stupidest cartoon in Scottish political history and having to be dragged kicking and screaming into agreeing an independence referendum show that we, the Liberal Democrats, are the enemies of pluralism? <br /><br />Should we not take the log from our own eyes before pointing out the splinter in others?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com