The Underscore Archives

Petitions may not directly affect the government, but as with marches  
and demonstrations, they can bring publicity to issues that sometimes  
changes the way people vote.  Until there's something like a  
petition, a lot of voters won't realise that some pie-in-the-sky  
scheme is actually going to happen.

Of course, the same thing would probably happen if they bought in  
this dumb scheme.  If the arrogant government-of-the-day ignores  
public opinion for too long it can escalate nastily and turn against  
them.  Look at what happened with the Poll Tax riots in 1990, and the  
effect it had on Thatcher.

With regards to your points about public transport, I'm not  
completely sure that's right.  As far as I know, most subsidised bus  
routes are paid for by the city or county councils, out of the  
Council Tax.

Tom

-- 
Tom Gidden
http://gidden.net/tom/