Re: [council] Council wide Nominations are closed - Part 2 Each House determines a Candidate
Hi Philip,
On Oct 16, 2009, at 9:55 AM, Philip Sheppard wrote:
A right to a secret ballot is fundamental to any robust system of
democracy.
That this body is even considering such a denial is of great concern.
I guess it depends on what your concept of the polity is. Are we a
group of individuals who only act for ourselves based on self-interest
and convictions? If so, then a secret ballot is indeed a matter of
right. Or are we the elected representatives of communities that send
us to engage in a quasi-legislative or regulatory activity? If so,
then we are accountable to those communities and our actions should be
transparent to them and to all others who are effected by our
decisions. Either way, we are not engaged in something akin to
private lobbying.
I'm an elected representative, and I have an obligation, and indeed a
right, to state in public where I stand on this and any other council
issue. And I believe I have a right to know where other legislators
stand as well.
Do you occupy a different kind of position?
Cheers,
Bill