The people have spoken - The Bastards

[FeebMaster]

I don't recall seeing this posted here. I especially enjoyed the audio clips.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/misc/law_result_20040101.shtml

We asked you to suggest a law that you would like to see put onto the statue books. We received 10,000 nominations and five were shortlisted. You then voted to select your preferred choice...

<snip>

* 1st place:
Law 5: The proposal to authorise homeowners to use any means to defend their home from intruders:
37% of the vote.

<snip>

Stephen Pound MP agreed to put forward whichever idea eventually won the final vote. It's been interesting. Huge numbers of ideas were sent in - some 10,000, in fact. Almost all were serious, heart-felt propositions. Some were tongue-in-cheek. One correspondent suggested banning the broadcast of antagonistic discussions before nine o'clock.

<snip>

NB: In a tongue in cheek fashion, Stephen Pound was quoting Mark Twain's 19th.Century remark that "The People have Spoken - the Bastards" and NOT referring to either his constituents, Today listeners or anyone else.

[alwynsw]

1. It seems that 37% have their heads on straight

Hey! It's a good as any other poll.

[FeebMaster]

2. I liked some of the responses.

Self defense = vigilantism.

Why didn't I vote?

The "Kill Bill."

"We are going to have to re-evaluate the listenership of Radio 4."

Comedy gold.

[SheilaT]

3. The statue books?

A collection of photos of various statues?

I'm sorry, I can't help myself. I realize that error isn't one that spell check would have caught, but still . . . .

[JOE T]

4. Sounds good to me

Let see...Bad guy enters home, threatens the wellfare of your family, then get 30 rds to the chest. Thank goodness for scotchguard.
Joe

[JOE T]

5. No christmas decorations??/

Thats pretty bad the brits want to outlaw Christmas ads and decorations.

Joe

[iverglas]

6. let's get just a little real

1st place:
Law 5: The proposal to authorise homeowners to use any means to defend their home from intruders:
37% of the vote.

And what did this law win out over?

A proposal that homeowners must open the door to burglars? A proposal that the right to life be interpreted to mean that no one may use force to protect his/her own life if doing so might kill the person trying to kill him/herself? The law as it stands: that potentially fatal force may be used only in self-defence, and not in "defence" of property?

Oops, 'fraid not. Here's an example of what it won out over:

3rd place:
Law 1: A Bill to ban smoking in all workplaces, to include bars and restaurants:
20% of the vote.

Here's another:

5th place:
Law 4: Ban all Christmas advertising and the erection of municipal street decorations before 1st December:
5% of the vote.

And the rest:

2nd place:
Law 3: A Bill to allow the use of all organs for transplant after death unless the individual has "opted out" and recorded that opt out on an organ transplant register:
30% of the vote.

4th place:
Law 2: Double-headed Bill which would have limited the number of terms a Prime Minister can serve to two and would have made voting in General Elections compulsory for all of voting age, subject to the provision of a "No Vote" box on the ballot paper:
9% of the vote.


Hmm. A choice between being forced to vote and being allowed to shoot burglars.

Can't even say for sure which one I'd prefer myself.

I can bet what some smokers might pick, as between being forced not to endanger other people's lives and health and being permitted to shoot them, though.

Now, as for that no-xmas advertising one ... surely the survey was completely unscientific, because a proper survey would surely have found that one to be most popular in old tradition-bound blighty where the ruling class makes all the rules.

I have to bet that the "free champagne" law would have won hands down if it had been included, rallying support from serf and served alike.

How did that Firesign Theatre line go? "What would you rather do: ____ ... or beat out that rhythm on a drum?"

.

[iverglas]

7. uh ... oh yeah ...

Oh look. It wasn't a survey at all.

It was a thingy that people participated in on their own initiative, not because they were chosen as part of some sample of the population.

Gosh, I wonder ... do polls get freeped in the UK?


In Steve Pound MP's own words:

Mr Pound told the Independent "we are going to have to re-evaluate the listenership of Radio 4. I would have expected this result if there had been a poll in the Sun."

Kinda like having to re-evaluate the readership of the Washington Post if you got the results from them that you'd expect from the viewership of Fox News, y'see.

Or else just recognize the plain fact that your results weren't really representative of anything but the determination of ... hmm, 37% of 25,000 (assuming no cheaters on phone and email voting, haha) ... 9,250 people ... out of a population of just about 60 million ... to get their own way.

Well, that's entertainment.

.

[MrBenchley]

8. As usual with RKBA crap

there's a bunch of threads on this lame subject....and in one of them I wondered idly how many "Brits" who demanded guns were also part of last week's "we're from Wisconsin and we have to have guns" fraud....