Category: Thoughts on Politics

Election Time Again!

With election time almost upon us again, I thought this would be a relevant time to regurgitate an earlier post. As tactical voting is a hot topic of discussion with many media outlets currently, I thought this issue would be worth re-sharing…

Well, it’s that time again and we are beset with election fever; when I say fever, I mean more of a slight temperature and that scratchy feeling you get in the back of your throat. Now don’t worry, this isn’t going to be some typical rant berating one party in favour of another, but rather my view of the political “scene” as an overview. I know, I know, never discuss religion or politics, but how are we ever going to change things unless we engage in some form of meaningful dialogue.

I was flicking, or should I say, scrolling through some news stories on the internet the other day and saw a headline tearing into a certain soap actress for admitting that she had never voted in an election. The particular site that I was on didn’t seem particularly interested in covering the serious issues of the topic, but instead seemed more interested in the frills and frippery and so concerned itself on whether the actors outfit was de rigueur or not. I realised that the report didn’t give a reason as to why this particular actor hadn’t voted before, but it made me realise that there have been elections where I too have failed to register my mark in the necessary box. Now before you start lambasting me for not upholding my democratic right and pointing out that we have fought for our liberty in order to exercise this right. let me explain. Posed with the question, would you like to be stabbed in the face, or shot in the chest, I sincerely hope that your answer is, none of the above please. At this juncture, I would like to thank and apologise in equal measure to Rufus Hound, as I have stolen/paraphrased this question from some of his material – and damn funny it was too! (his material, not my question)!

The origin of the above material to one side, it does pose a very interesting question and that is, why should we feel compelled to vote, especially if we are left feeling as though we are picking the lesser of two evils (or many evils as is case in many constituencies). Surely this opinion is backed up when you consider just how many, or to put it more accurately, just how few people turn out to the ballot stations come election time. Whilst I don’t recall the exact figure, I believe that less than 40% of the electorate turned out for the last election and even those people couldn’t decide a definite majority. Surely with around a quarter of the electorate forming the “majority”, the result should be deemed null and void. I won’t labour the point (forgive the pun!), as many discussions have been had on this subject, but surely isn’t it time we had a “None of the Above” option on our ballot cards and we can then see what the real majority want. Then and only then can you truly berate myself, aforementioned soap actors and other abstainers for not exercising their constitutional rights.

That’s all well and good, I hear you cry, but what do we do if the none-of-the-above-ers achieve the majority. I should also make the distinction that “none of the above” isn’t the same as “I don’t know”. In my opinion, the “I don’t know” faction are people that the politicians have failed to engage in politics, rather than people that have weighed up all the options and have made a conscious decision that none of the political parties available to them are able to steer the country in the direction that they see fit. In my opinion, if the majority of the electorate tick, “none of the above” on their ballot papers, then the election should be suspended. The main parties involved should be given an opportunity to go away and re-group, even elect a new leader if needs be, within a pre-determined time span. You would hope that any necessary action taken would be driven by the actual numbers counted at the polling stations. If a particular party spectacularly under-performs in certain constituencies, hopefully this will then force them to make the necessary changes in order to win the voters on-side. Who knows, perhaps it will force the main political parties to draw-up manifestoes based on what the electorate wants as opposed to want they think we want to hear.

Idealistic and fanciful – maybe; impractical and unworkable – perhaps, but what’s the alternative, a constant round of being lied to and mis-represented. Surely, isn’t it worth a little bit of extra pain and hard work in order to get a government that is genuinely looking out for the well being of the majority, or in other words, a truer democracy than we have now.

So Brother and Sisters, when election day comes, join with me and demand a better future with a brighter outlook and vote for…….None of the Above!!!

Brexit. Really…this again!!

Well, I said I wouldn’t comment on it, but here I go for a second time. How did anybody think that Brexit would end well? Has anyone tried contacting their mobile phone service provider to ask if they could end their contract early. Most people’s answer would be, “are you kidding me!”. Life’s far too short, plus we all knew what we were in for when we signed up.

The thing that worries me, is that this isn’t like cancelling your gym contract, where once you’ve left, you never have to set foot in the place again. Whether we like it or not, the UK is part of Europe. Geographically anyway. It’s not like we can strap a huge outboard motor onto Kent and chug our way across the Atlantic to the US. Who said, out of the frying pan…..  And for anybody that says that we aren’t connected to Europe, what’s the Channel Tunnel then? A rainbow bridge made out of fairy dust and unicorn hair. Precisely. We’re joined whether we like it or not.

It’s for this reason that I think the population of the UK should be involved with the final decision. I hear the argument that we have already had a vote and now it’s down to the politicians, but that’s not how democracy works. We don’t vote for a government and then stick with it ad infinitum. We change at regular intervals, because things change. People and situations change and we need to adapt accordingly. I strongly believe that if most people knew then what they know now, they would advocate a second vote. Plus, it would give us the power and responsibility over our own future and take away the option of blaming it all on the politicians. This isn’t a question of hindsight, it’s about doing the sensible thing.

As my old Nan used to say, don’t ever wish for something, just in case you get it.

 

 

Brexit……..give me strength!!

I did say that I wouldn’t comment on the subject of the UK leaving the EU, as enough has been said already. Everyone has an opinion on it and to be honest, I’m fed up hearing about it. As someone once said, opinions are like ass-holes, we all have one, it’s everyone else’s that stink!

The whole issue of Brexit has been like a badly planned car journey. You think that you know where you are going and that you’ve planned the route down to the last detail. You checked your petrol and tyre pressures and you’ve even packed some snacks and a drink, just in case you get peckish. You set off, happy that you know where you’re going and you’re grinning at the thought of exploring pastures new.

However, after a short distance into your journey, you start to hear a small niggling voice in the back of your head. You try to ignore it, but the further you go, the louder it gets and you know that you won’t be able to ignore it for much longer. But you carry on, reassuring yourself that you’ve covered every option and there’s nothing that can possibly go wrong.

Onward you go, but all the while that voice carries on nagging at you. Louder and louder it grows until you can bear it no longer.

“Hey dimwit!! You’re going the wrong way!!!!!”

Every fibre of your body knows that the voice is right, but onward you plough, determined to carry on with your planned route. As the road becomes more and more unfamiliar, that feeling of dread becomes almost unbearable, but on you go. After all, you researched the journey, so this must be right. Right?

WRONG!

At least stop and check where you’re going. The very worst thing you can do is to carry on, blindly heading down the wrong road until you end up god knows where. Check the map, ask for directions, turn round and go back. Do anything but carry on!

But no. We’re Brexit bound. After all it has to be right, it was carefully thought out. Wasn’t it!!!

Give me strength!!!

 

 

 

General Election? None of the above please!

Well, it’s that time again and we are beset with election fever; when I say fever, I mean more of a slight temperature and that scratchy feeling you get in the back of your throat. Now don’t worry, this isn’t going to be some typical rant berating one party in favour of another, but rather my view of the political “scene” as an overview. I know, I know, never discuss religion or politics, but how are we ever going to change things unless we engage in some form of meaningful dialogue.

I was flicking, or should I say, scrolling through some news stories on the internet the other day and saw a headline tearing into a certain soap actress for admitting that she had never voted in an election. The particular site that I was on didn’t seem particularly interested in covering the serious issues of the topic, but instead seemed more interested in the frills and frippery and so concerned itself on whether the actors outfit was de rigueur or not. I realised that the report didn’t give a reason as to why this particular actor hadn’t voted before, but it made me realise that there have been elections where I too have failed to register my mark in the necessary box. Now before you start lambasting me for not upholding my democratic right and pointing out that we have fought for our liberty in order to exercise this right. let me explain. Posed with the question, would you like to be stabbed in the face, or shot in the chest, I sincerely hope that your answer is, none of the above please. At this juncture, I would like to thank and apologise in equal measure to Rufus Hound, as I have stolen/paraphrased this question from some of his material – and damn funny it was too! (his material, not my question)!

The origin of the above material to one side, it does pose a very interesting question and that is, why should we feel compelled to vote, especially if we are left feeling as though we are picking the lesser of two evils (or many evils as is case in many constituencies). Surely this opinion is backed up when you consider just how many, or to put it more accurately, just how few people turn out to the ballot stations come election time. Whilst I don’t recall the exact figure, I believe that less than 40% of the electorate turned out for the last election and even those people couldn’t decide a definite majority. Surely with around a quarter of the electorate forming the “majority”, the result should be deemed null and void. I won’t labour the point (forgive the pun!), as many discussions have been had on this subject, but surely isn’t it time we had a “None of the Above” option on our ballot cards and we can then see what the real majority want. Then and only then can you truly berate myself, aforementioned soap actors and other abstainers for not exercising their constitutional rights.

That’s all well and good, I hear you cry, but what do we do if the none-of-the-above-ers achieve the majority. I should also make the distinction that “none of the above” isn’t the same as “I don’t know”. In my opinion, the “I don’t know” faction are people that the politicians have failed to engage in politics, rather than people that have weighed up all the options and have made a conscious decision that none of the political parties available to them are able to steer the country in the direction that they see fit. In my opinion, if the majority of the electorate tick, “none of the above” on their ballot papers, then the election should be suspended. The main parties involved should be given an opportunity to go away and re-group, even elect a new leader if needs be, within a pre-determined time span. You would hope that any necessary action taken would be driven by the actual numbers counted at the polling stations. If a particular party spectacularly under-performs in certain constituencies, hopefully this will then force them to make the necessary changes in order to win the voters on-side. Who knows, perhaps it will force the main political parties to draw-up manifestoes based on what the electorate wants as opposed to want they think we want to hear.

Idealistic and fanciful – maybe; impractical and unworkable – perhaps, but what’s the alternative, a constant round of being lied to and mis-represented. Surely, isn’t it worth a little bit of extra pain and hard work in order to get a government that is genuinely looking out for the well being of the majority, or in other words, a truer democracy than we have now.

So Brother and Sisters, when election day comes, join with me and demand a better future with a brighter outlook and vote for…….None of the Above!!!