In 2014, vote for Ali Baba. He has only 40 Thieves. |
So, bear with me as I try to follow along current events. There is a deputado (like a representative) named Donadon who was convicted in 2010 of "detouring" $8 million reais from 1995-1998 when he was the financial director of the Legislative Assembly of Rondonia (who here knows where Rondonia is? It's a state. Could be somewhere north of here. Wait, here it is.). So he said "okay I quit." And he did. And then he was voted back in later that year. What? Yeah, see, I am already on shaky ground.
My cheat sheet |
My point is that the vote about whether or not he could stay a representative was a secret one. While it is known by the numbers (XX votes for, YY votes against his impeachment), no one knows how individual representatives voted. So, you have no way of knowing if your representative is in favor or against a corrupt guy staying with the title of representative. Yes, he is on leave and not getting a salary.
What gives? Remember how I said that the military dictatorship is not far from the minds and history of this country? Yes, it is because of the military dictatorship that votes were secret. The thought being that the military government could not seek revenge for certain legislative processes if they didn't know who voted for them. And therefore you would not end up hanging in your jail cell under iffy circumstances.
Now, just yesterday the house of representatives approved open voting. Yes, after 40 some years of secret votes, let's go forward with open ones. It still needs to go to the Senate for a vote. I am totally in favor of open voting, because at least in the US, you can find out if your representative needs a phone call advising him or her that their latest vote was terrible.
I am moving forward in my knowledge of politics...if I am wrong about any of this, please let me know. It won't be a huge surprise! (PS, my Brazilian husband did fact check--so I am not toooooo far wrong!)
I'm with you. I really hope the secret votes come to an end, although there are rumblings that the Senate might maintain them secret in certain cases.
ReplyDeleteI also think it's interesting to look at the history behind these things. Since it doesn't fit (and is obviously counter-productive) in the current political climate, it's easy to forget (or not know in the first place) that it actually served a good purpose in its original context.
Interesting on some votes remaining secret. Is there such a thing as secret voting in the US in certain cases? Hmmm, I don't think so. Must check this.
DeleteI am just getting fascinated by what the military dictatorship did to the psyche of this country. So many things happen or don't happen because of the history of it. I guess the same is true of my own country--there was a reason for the electoral college vs direct voting way back when, but maybe not a reason for it anymore.
Very true about the electoral college.
DeleteI don't think there's any psyche involved in the secret votes in Brazil. It's just some thing that made sense (kind of) back then that should've been revoked with the new Constitution in 88 but wasn't because it served other (less excusable) interests post-dictatorship.