Originally Posted by
index
This line of thinking is one of the main problems with our union. If a rep is unable represent the will of the majority and instead wants to substitute his "best judgment" then that rep should do the honorable thing and step aside.
We've been down this road too many times before and it has got to stop. The shear arrogance of "I know better than you," "I know things you don't know," "we'll never see the "3" and "3", yada yada yada, has GOT TO STOP.
Absolutely they should disregard "THEIR" information and do the job they were elected to do- REPRESENT THE PILOTS. Not substitute their secret knowledge for the collective wisdom and desires of the majority.
Originally Posted by
Alan Shore
That is one point of view of how a representational system should work -- that each rep's job is to carry out specific tasks put upon him by his constituents, regardless of what effect he believes that performing those tasks will have on those constituents.
That is the ONLY "point of view" if you are describing a representational system Alan. Anything else is not a representational system.
Originally Posted by
Alan Shore
The opposite point of view is that each rep's job is to guard and advance the best interests of his constituents as he sees fit.
No Alan, that's a dictatorship. Every dictatorship describes itself as advancing the best interests of the people it subjugates.
Originally Posted by
Alan Shore
Most representational systems seem to borrow something from each of these points of view to find a happy medium.
That's just not correct. You're either representing the best interests of your constituents by advancing THEIR desires, or you're doing things your way while trying to pretend you've advanced the desires of your constituents. This is no different than our Congress. A congressman can ignore the strong desires of his/her constituents by doing whatever he/she feels is best, but only until the next election. If a congressman (or LEC rep) really believes the desires of his/her constituents is wrong, that rep needs to do everything they can to educate the constituents and persuade them. If they cannot be persuaded, that rep must either vote the way their constituents desire, or resign. There is no option to ignore them and do what you want...unless you're OK with being a dictator.
Until we all get this concept right, we'll continue to be disappointed in our results. We're either a representative democracy, or we're not. Right now, it is very clear that we are not.
Carl