But the old colonial power was rebuffed on January 30th, when an eight-member Commonwealth committee, charged with monitoring members' adherence to democratic principles, voted to do nothing, at least for now.
In a personally addressed letter to electors, she wrote: "I have always acted with integrity and stuck to my principles – voting against the government going to war in Iraq".
Or, if the system itself seems too morally compromised, one should, on principle, not vote at all.
That is essentially an election-year dare: Republicans will either have to violate a core principle and vote for a measure that will raise the deficit, or they will have to hand Democrats a cudgel with which to thump them all the way to November.
We cure the danger of factional anarchy by resort to the "republican principle" a vote.
Extend this anti-hedonistic principle during voting hours to shopping malls, gigaplex movie houses, computer cafes, opium dens and assisted-living bingo games.
Resigning on principle -- voting with the feet -- seems almost quaint these days.
The Everton Committee initially accepted Houlding's proposal in principle, yet voted against it at a meeting.
What makes the present situation particularly outrageous is this: the White House and the House leadership now want progressive Democrats in the House to abandon their constituents, their commitments, and their principles and vote for the War/IMF supplemental.
"For conservative people of faith, voting for principle this year means voting for the re-election of George W. Bush," Mr. Falwell wrote in the July 1 issue of his e-mail newsletter "Falwell Confidential" and on his Web site, falwell.com.
