psychoceramics: Re: One World Gov't

[Peter Hipwell <petehip @ cogsci.ed.ac.uk>]

> I recall that someone in Britain founded a World Government Party once
> and ran for Parliament.  Among their policies were (obviously) the 
> establishment of a one world government and the conversion of 
> Buckingham Palace to a hostel for the aged.   There may have been more
> weird policies, but I cannot recall them.
> 
> I don't think they got too many votes, though.
> 

I don't know what the set up is in America, but over here it's fairly
easy to put up your own party for election: you have to lay down a
deposit of a couple of hundred(?) quid at each constituency to get on
the ballot paper - but you don't have to run everywhere. This allows
for anyone with a bee in their bonnet to start parties along the lines
of: "The Dental Charges Are Too High In Lower Cheadleham And We Will
Bring Them Down Party".

It also allows "wacky" people to display their finely honed senses of
humour. The best known is Screaming Lord Sutch, head of the "Monster
Raving Loony Party". Not really a kook, not really very entertaining,
but sort of nice to have. This is the kind of thing Monty Python was
taking a crack at with the "Sensible Party" vs. the "Silly Party"
episode.

I never heard about the World Government party. Although the Natural
Law Party, funded by George Harrison's (among others) money, put up a
candidate in every constituency in the last general election. They are
a transcendental meditation, levitation, and cosmic harmony sort of a
group.

Cheers,
Pete.