DIRDEM    

 July 2021

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Campaign for the Introduction of Direct Democracy

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What you may be able to vote on
 

Dirdem will give the citizens the power to have the final word on any policy decision that is taken by their governments. Below we list issues which are currently debated or being decided and which should be subject to proper democratic control. Most legislation masquerades under the description of 'directive', 'guideline', ordinance' etc. At least under the authoritarian regimes a spade was still called a spade and when the ruler made a new 'law' it was openly called 'ukas' or 'edict'.

Dirdem is not just raising its hands in despair when we put up this woeful list of arbitrary and often discriminatory interference by bungling officials that pretend to be the guardian of the citizen's interest. We are convinced that most of these measures, all of which cost money and restrict our freedoms just another bit more, would find it very difficult to get passed if the citizens would have the opportunity to vote before they are introduced. If anything, they would have to be designed in a more intelligent way that saves money and keeps their intrusive side-effects to the minimum necessary.

More importantly, we will also be actively - and continually - campaign to the repeal of existing legislation. All too often public debate is focused exclusively on new legislation and it is taken for granted that any law - once passed - has become written in stone and is to be taken for gospel truth. In reality, most legislation is just a result of some temporary fad promoted by lobbies that have the upper hand at a given point of time and deserves nothing better than to be struck out at the earliest possible time.

Dirdem will be promoting ways to roll back the reach of bureaucrats and will work for constitutional changes to make it easier to repeal legislation and recall politicians that neglect the will of the people.

You should be aware that most of these new 'initiatives', 'proposals' or 'schemes' - however worthy they may appear to some - nearly always increase the tax burden on some or all citizens. The tax may be an explicit one but in many cases it is likely to be hidden or disguised as a 'fee', 'charge' or whatever else our masters may think of. All 'schemes' will have
to be administered on an on-going basis by a pampered public sector.


Areas of Policy you would be able to influence:


Tax laws
Environmental Protection
Consumer Protection

International Development Aid
European and National Regulation
Allocation of National and European Subsidies
Immigration Control
Protection of Civil Liberties
Changes to the Constitution
Military Interventions abroad



General


 

Secession - California, Catalonia
Party Finance - Italian parties get Euro 2 billion to fight elections
Austrian parties get Euro 130 million from taxpayer - not counting hidden subsidies
Olympic Games: who stops the waste of taxpayer money?
Discriminatory tax laws due to exemptions for special interests and lobbies
Unequal regional distribution of tax burden
Forum demands that climate tax be redistributed on global basis
Former politicians cash in with books and lecture tours
Unequal regional distribution of tax burden
Global Humanitarian Forum wants Climate tax redistributed on global basis
Chlorine in tap water - has anybody ever been asked to approve it?
Carbon tax should increase to $200 a tonne says IEA
$US 50 Billion for Afghanistan agreed by Paris Donor Conference
Introduction of genetically modified food
Control of over-fishing in international waters
No country ever allowed citizens any say over immigration (except Switzerland)

Cap-and-Trade of Carbon Permits and ideal vehicle for fraud
Green Energy plan may cost 17 times more than its benefits



Website: for all demands have always most recent topical new item to illustrate


Europe

EUROCRACY THINKS ITS CHERISHED INTERNAL MARKET IS SUCH A GREAT GIFT THAT THOSE OUTSIDE SHOULD PAY FOR THE PRIVILEDGE TO PARTICIPATE - BUT IT SHOULD WORK BOTH WAYS, EG EU BENEFITS FROM ACCESS TO SWITZERLAND, UK ETC

 

June 2019

 

Polling people about whether or not to retain the Summertime is a step in the right direction, but the unelected and elected Eurocrats still do not wish to accept the result unreservedly - so much for Democracy in Europe! (8/18)

Restrictions on traditional and LED light bulbs (Ecodesign Working Plan) would hit theatres particularly hard

 

Italy's Luxottica and France's Essilor have agreed a 46-billion euro ($49 billion) merger deal to create a global powerhouse in the eyewear industry with revenues of more than 15 billion euros (Consumer, Competition)

 

Nearly 6000 EU staff paid more than 100,000 says Cameron

Staff in EU foreign service entitled to 83 days paid holiday - not counting time off for training and 'special leave' entitlement

MEP suggests that member states pay 5 to 10 times more into EU Budge

European Investment Bank to lend another billion Euros to Arab States

Data Retention Directive to extend politician's control over citizens

EU Pharma Regulator joins Industry Lobby without cooling off period

EU Parliament travelling circus costs Euro 180 million per year

MEPs not required to disclose details on their allowance of £91,000 a year tax-free expenses

EU watchdogs find errors in 90% of Brussels budget

Hungarian company paid more than £3200,000 by EU to build new facilities for dogs

Tyrolian farmers paid £14,000 to "increase their emotional connection with the landscapes they cultivate"

France and Germany spend Euro 400 million a year on Arte TV despite declining viewer numbers

Structural Funds spend Euro 50 billion a year

Gipsies entitled to share of Euro 17.5 billion of structural funds destined for 'vulnerable' groups

MEPs to get 736 more 'researchers' at a cost of £16,600 each to deal with External Affairs questions

£163 million for schooling children of Eurocrats

EU wants to spend 6 per cent more next year

24 Million Euro subsidy for Hotel construction in Lanzarote

European Council members must put interest of the Union above those of their own countries (Lisbon Treaty, Article 9)

EU prepares expanded sanctions against Iran

MEP wants tax on carbon-intensive products

EU wants introduction of body scanners on Airports

US to get access to customer bank accounts

'Only' 300 new diplomats for EU Embassies

EU plans green taxes to cut debt

104 lobby firms go in and out of EU Parliament

Greece gifted Euro 6.3 billion in 2008

8000 bureaucrats for 130 EU embassies

EU wants proceeds of financial transaction tax for itself

EU permits planting of genetically modified potato

EU wants to attract more refugees

EU Parliament costs Euro 1.5 Billion annually

EU wants to attract more refugees

EU Parliament costs Euro 1.5 Billion annually

Monster Trucks up to 60 tons may be allowed

One in three MEPs employs a family member

Spendthrift countries bailed out by taxpayers in thrifty countries

Airlines compelled to use renewable energy

Unrestrained immigration into Italy

Excise taxes on Tobacco to rise again

EU wants to store airline passenger data

500 Million Euro for Kosovo

Non-Eu troops stationed in Europe

Ireland to vote again on Lisbon Treaty

'Green' plans could put £300 on prices of new cars

Tobacco-style health warnings on all car advertisements

New passports must include fingerprints from 2009

Air passenger information exchange with USA

EU control of climate strategy of member states

Free speech outlawed by EU bureaucrats

Fundamental Human Rights Agency opens in Vienna

Model History textbook planned

EU Officials vote to cut emissions

Euro-constitution is sneaking in by the back door


International

US special envoy says Mubarak needs to remain in power

Bribery allegations at FIFA

Fraud suspected at Global Fund to fights Aids



United Kingdom


How long is the way from announcing legislation to implementing it? Sometimes laws and regulations get literally changed overnight, but in many cases it is a long wait. Rules to prohibit Estate Agents from charging renters were announced in autumn of 2016, now it is intended to put it into law - in 2019!

Pathetic - the home of modern Economics and country with long history of banking and finance cannot find a home-grown successor for top job at Bank of England

 

GCSE not fit for purpose - weak standard, every student should have to take the core subjects, no ifs and buts, multiple choice takes subjective opinions out of marking, less costly, much quicker

 

University admissions should be based solely on objective testing, no 'friends and family', social engineering

 

2 million self-employed may be without pension pot - but £43 billion gifted  to the well-off or rich, anyone surprised about rising inequality?

Call to make bicyle riders wear helmets

5p charge imposed for ALL plastic bags handed out by any shop

 

300+ new staff employed to support Aid giveaway

 

Impose stricter sanctions on Russia

 

Migration from non-EU countries reaches 250000

 

Sleepy competition authorities to investigate Sainsbury-ASDA linkup

 

Still no legislation to ban agent fees for those renting - how long does this simple change take? Government incompetent or beholden to Estate Agency and Property lobbies

Children should be encouraged to run around classrooms in lessons (!) to get them fit says former headteacher

 

Britain has second-worst record in Western Europe - World Press Freedom Index

Victims of miscarriages of justice only get compensation if they can prove beyond reasonable doubt that they were innocent.

People will be able to 'self-identify' - i.e. pick their own sex - as they please on their birth certificate

 

Government wants to prevent estate agents charging rental fees from tenants - but why does it so long for this to become law. Legislative process not fit for purpose!

 

Sky is akin to a Utility - introduce control - may discriminate what channels customers can receive

 

Speaker wants to provide 'Trans-gender Loos' in House of Commons

Immigration target has been dropped

Surgeons paid extra to tackle NHS waiting lists

Thousands of Council staff paid more than £100,000

Government prepares to 'mine' all our data

 

Young mother to be paid for breastfeeding their baby

Britain to pay more for Electricity than Germany


Heathrow night flights proposed

Do you want to allow 'fracking' under your property?

£2.9 billion to be given to developing countries to help them fight global warming

Government plans compulsory fingerprinting of school children

Aid budget to increase sharply despite severe cuts to domestic spending

New energy policies may cost up to £300 billion over next 10 years

Anonymity plan for rape defendants is dropped

BBC not worth TV licence fee say over-55s

Pakistan is biggest recipient of British foreign aid

Benefit overpayments total £1.1 billion - National Audit Office report

Young Britons more than twice as likely to claim incapacity benefits - OECD study

Scotland handed additional £12 billion fiscal powers

Met Office costs nearly £200 million a year

Barnet Councillors vote to double their pay

Asylum seekers moved to £2million home after complaining that they disliked 'poor area' they were in

CBI calls for global 'cap and trade' tax

Councillor Brian Coleman claims he does not have to justify what he earns

Tory MPs ordered to attend Commons sessions as hardly any MPs attend regularly

NHS chiefs set for payoffs of up to £900,000 each

$700 million a year for Afghanistan

Minister states: British forces will be among the last to come home from Afghanistan

Wind farms will increasingly dominate most picturesque landscapes

7.6 billion car trip entries stored by police

Cost of wars reaches £20 billion

'Bloody Sunday' inquiry cost £191 million

BBC disregards public sector pay guidelines

US wants Britain to send more troops to Afghanistan

Housing association chief on £400'000 a year

Local Council bans white applicants

Parents may lose right to boycott school sex lessons

Britain to support $ 500 Mio donation to Taleban

Committee calls for additional tax on air travel

Parents may lose right to boycott school sex lessons

Britain to support $ 500 Mio donation to Taleban

Committee calls for additional tax on air travel

Fuel Duty up by another 2p

Clamping Fee free-for-all

Scotland gets 20pct more public spending per head

Eco-towns plan £13,000 'stealth' parking charge

Excessive powers of bailiffs to enter homes and seize property

Innocent people's DNA to be kept for 12 years

Pupils to get power to fight school expulsions

Families will have to recycle all food scraps

Taxes will rise after the election

27-year old criminal seeks lifetime anonymity at great expense to taxpayer

Energy Security put at risk by British Energy Sell-off

Fraud at Housing Associations cost taxpayer up to £400 million a year

Local Councils want to take 'fat' children into care

£100m to expand permanent Gipsy sites

Married couples punished by tax system

Criminal record checks on School Children doing work experience

Independent Safeguarding Authority -one more Quango

Mosley Libel case - more constraints on press freedom

Parents to be punished for children's internet piracy

England without democratic representation

Olympic budget may rise above £10bn

7,000 wind-turbines to transform the British landscape

Heathrow pollution control axed in favour of expansion

Mothers will be forced to name baby's father on birth certificates

11 Million people face checks to work with children - database to cost £84 million

Two-class pension system - ordinary taxpayers fund gold-plated pensions for Public Sector

Change of airline tax to raise extra £520 million a year

Police allowed to detain suspects for 42 days

Role in Afghanistan to last for decades

How often is your rubbish bin emptied

Distribution of National Lottery funds

Reform of House of Lords

Introduction of Road Pricing

Government wants to fingerprint 11-year olds

Discriminatory airplane ticket tax increased

Black box for road pricing could cost £600

Police trace drives via congestion cameras

'Nice neighbourhoods' face higher council tax


Germany

57% reject 'Euro Bonds'

Hartz IV Recipients don't pay for Electricity, Gas

Solar Subsidy reaches 20 billion Euro

New tax on USB memory sticks

Free Gas, Power for Unemployed, Hartz recipients

100 Million Euro for Kosovo

An Additional 1000 soldiers to be sent to Afghanistan

Carbon Tax on Cars to start in 2010

420 Million Euro for Afghanistan

Participation in Afghanistan Intervention

Continued subsidies for East Germany

Acceptance of net payment to EU budget

Increase in VAT rate
 

Austria

Klimavolksbegehren - BITTE ERST ERKLAEREN WARUM DIE SAHARA JETZT EINE WUESTE IST ODER WIESO DIE EISZEITEN KAMEN UND WIEDER VERSCHWUNDEN SIND

OeVP setzt Vorzugsstimmensystem fuer NR Wahl im September aus- DIESE PARTEI MANIPULIERT DEMOKRATISCHE REGELN WIE ES IHR (ODER KURZ) GERADE PASST

Juni 2019

Teachers on High Schools spend only 589 hours a year in Classroom

Farmers get further tax breaks - practically tax-exempt in any case

State TV/Radio ORF does not have to publish directors' pay

Government ignores Constitution - new budget delayed until December

VAT thresholds manipulated

Teenagers over 16 allowed to vote

Parties change their Members of Parliament at will

Compulsory Kindergarten for five-year olds

TV license must be paid by internet user

Kid's play in Parliament - New Elections

Tax on turnover of pharmaceutical industry

New constitutional privileges for Chambers

Another hike in the gasoline tax

Extension of legislative period to five years


 










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