The Aussie Government is mental (6 Dec, 2018)

[aardvark_admin]

This column is archived at: https://aardvark.co.nz/daily/2018/1206.shtml

Why do we allow governments to express levels of paranoia, narcissism and other afflictions that would likely result in an individual being committed to a mental heath facility if they demonstrated same?

Surely it's time that governments were given regular "mental health checks" to avoid situations such as the one in Australia where the state intends to effectively strip people of the right to privacy -- whilst simultaneously create massive vulnerabilities for businesses and anyone else who has a legitimate right/need to keep stuff from preying eyes.

How many governments of Western nations would pass such a mental health check today?

[phill]

not sure a full election every year is such a good thing
we will still end up with the same problem
lots of baby kissers, head nodders and smiley faces but no engineers or scientists
we need to start electing people who can solve problems not people who just create them .. imaginary or not

[aardvark_admin]

I don't think we need annual elections but I do wonder if it might not be a good idea for an "annual checkup" in respect to the mental health of incumbent governments. If they pass... all good. If they don't pass... well action might need to be taken to protect the people they "govern".

[phill]

yup
and with that the reality
it will be a full election ... every year

[Malcolm]

I don't think we need annual elections but I do wonder if it might not be a good idea for an "annual checkup" in respect to the mental health of incumbent governments. If they pass... all good. If they don't pass... well action might need to be taken to protect the people they "govern".

Who decides the criteria for a pass and fail? How do we ensure they are free from corruption? Perhaps they also need a checkup every year or so as well?

[phill]

I don't think we need annual elections but I do wonder if it might not be a good idea for an "annual checkup" in respect to the mental health of incumbent governments. If they pass... all good. If they don't pass... well action might need to be taken to protect the people they "govern".

Who decides the criteria for a pass and fail? How do we ensure they are free from corruption? Perhaps they also need a checkup every year or so as well?

They should be examined by a suitably qualified international panel of psychiatrists and mental health experts who look for signs of unreasonable paranoia, delusions of grandeur, schizophrenia and other conditions that, in a regular person, would require intervention and intensive treatment -- lest they become a danger to the public.

from the article you just read before you posted

[GSVNoFixedAbode]

Ignorance and willful stubbornness (or backroom deals) are sadly not considered mental illnesses. Nor is deceit. Even a yearly election won't flush all that out as, as you've highlighted before, 50% of the population is below average intelligence.

[latewings]

I oft ponder (apart from the scenery) if Switzerland's appeal is the Direct Democracy hybrid system they have rather than the representative democracy most countries employ. The people have power to direct the country that isn't limited to a few ticks on a piece of paper every few years.

The French have an electoral period of seven years, and perhaps that's the impetus behind social unrest when unpopular (re petrol tax recently) decisions are made within the electoral halls. Waiting too long to oust the elected incumbent makes the unwashed put down their cake and take to the streets.

America has four years, with mid-terms that can emasculate control from the roundy room of the imaginatively named building. Australia has four years apparently but it's been about three weeks since the last round of facing the music(al chairs) at the helm so we should be seeing movement there soon.

NZ perhaps has it about right. Three years is just enough time to ensure no-one gets too settled. Those who are effective and serve apparently stay, with the odd one who attracts the flies hanging on (Tauranga perhaps?).

WRT to Australian dictats, treating everyone like a criminal (and Australians have convictions as we know) rather backfires in the long term. The best way to ensure something happens is to announce a blanket ban.

[phill]

yeh i was going to point out that flaw
the dumbass's we have elected are dumbass's only because they are dumbass's

[hagfish]

Some interesting thoughts from Peter Dunne - he reckons STV is a better bet.