 Poster: A snowHead
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A referendum in the Swiss Valais has rejected financing the winter games at Sion by a margin of nearly 54% to 46%. As grumpy chalet owners noted, it was the flatlanders that carried the vote against the games. Bern has announced there will be no Winter Olympics for the foreseable future in the country. Schluss. Punktfinale! It seems that, apart from sports people and politicians who enjoy their boondoggles the populations of democratic nations, where they are given a voice, have fallen out of love with the Olympics. The Swiss Bund newspaper calls it a "Katzenjammer" for sports fans (caterwaul or "Hangover" in English).
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interesting! Many locals here were pretty vocally against the Innsbruck bid too. It seems it's only Asia that's willing to throw the cash in these days.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If you know the true underlying state of the Cantonal finances right across Switzerland the decision looks rather rational. The high Swiss F has really messed international income and the balance of cost and benefit re the Olympics is not great. And that includes long term impact - ie surely the Olympics would guarantee later tourist income? Nope; as Canada found out.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Makes sense. Spend lots of money for your ski hill to close and be filled by random people. I'd vote no.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I wish it were the sort of think we'd been able to cut our teeth on referendum wise rather than straight into Brexit.
Totally understand why anyone would vote against it.
Doesn't look all over for Europe yet - Turin and Milan still apparently in the game plus Graz and Stockholm. Turkey too if you count them.
Can't believe it's really the sort of thing Italy should be coveting
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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One of my influential local friends in Ste Foy when I mention wouldn’t it be nice to have another Winter Olympics in the Tarentaise always says why ? We don’t need to advertise the area , summer tourism is what they want hence the clamber for the Tour de France . However some of the resorts in the Swiss Valais could do with the “shot in the arm “ effect of the Winter Olympics the strong SF has not helped them over the last decade .
I’m sure with a return to a traditional Alpine area interest in the Winter Olympics would soar .
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| Dave of the Marmottes wrote: |
I wish it were the sort of think we'd been able to cut our teeth on referendum wise rather than straight into Brexit.
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Yes, good point. I'm not sure referenda are a good idea in countries that don't have a tradition of such votes.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Sensible Swiss.
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@davidof,
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I'm not sure referenda are a good idea.
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FIFY.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| under a new name wrote: |
@davidof,
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I'm not sure referenda are a good idea.
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FIFY. |
It's a good idea if you're Swiss. Not so sure for non-Swiss countries. 
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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@abc, not even sure it's a good idea if you're Swiss (and I have lived here ~12 years).
What it does allow for is a central government to actually not do very much to change things - reducing type 2 errors (acting on something you shouldn't act on) and increasing type 1 (not acting when you should) - which I would argue is a better general strategy in a world of imperfect information. Which leads to more stability.
And, the Swiss system has developed into what it is over time, with some good reason.
Imposing referenda on states where it's at best a little unusual, expressed as binary when it's not a binary question and for purely ideological internal party political reasons is a very poor idea. As we've seen.
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