Home > Business > Will selling votes clean up the mess of politics?

  • twitter
  • Print
  • Email

Will selling votes clean up the mess of politics?



Cartoonist Renoo Panyadee believes that though the middle-class is economically wealthy, the low-income group enjoys a higher political and cultural status. The middle-income bracket's few political rights are being further ripped off by the one-man-one-vote policy.

Should this policy be smoothly implemented and the middle-income bracket actually get something in return for their loss, there would be no more dissent in society. And Renoo's formula for this is having the middle-income people sell their votes to the low-income group based on the carbon-credit-trading scheme. For instance, if people in Isaan are already die-hard supporters of one candidate, yet canvassing is still rampant, then they should be fined Bt500 each for polluting the environment.

Alternatively, in order to avoid this fine, low-income people could buy the voting right of a middle-income person at Bt100 each. This selling of voting rights is similar to the carbon credit that developed countries buy to avoid having to make huge investments to make their home carbon free.

If voting rights can be officially sold, then both sides would be happy. The low-income lot would not be fined, while the middle-income group would not feel ripped off.

In case any fines are collected, they can be used to finance the institutions that act on behalf of the middle-income group - such as tearing up an existing Constitution or drafting a new one as well as paying salaries to those that support middle-income interests.

 "This is mechanism should inspire a brand new political paradigm that would in no way lead to confrontation and damage the society as a whole," Renoo said in his column.

A carbon footprint under the traditional carbon-credit-trading scheme indicates what polluters should be subjected to. Renoo, on the other hand, has his own version - the democratic carbon footprint.

"If the red shirts get violent, the middle-income level should be entitled to form a government. If the low-income people get to establish a government, then they should also allow a coup," he said.

Hmm, given the continued political problems, with people wearing different colours barking at one another, this idea might actually win some support. At least, some will have opened their minds to a new political hypothesis - like having 70 per cent of the MPs elected and 30 per cent appointed - and should not mind welcoming other options.



Bookmark and Share

Free! Thailand Business News Update , Stock Market , SET Index , Invesment Information and more...

Enter your email address:

OTHER BUSINESS



Advertisement

{/literal}


Privacy Policy (c) 2007 NMG News Co., Ltd.
1854 Bangna-Trat Road, Bangna, Bangkok 10260 Thailand.
Tel 66-2-338-3000(Call Center), 66-2-338-3333, Fax 66-2-338-3334
Contact us: Nation Internet
File attachment not accepted!