All you politicians?

[Haruki]

Have you done anything to change the world you slevour about?

I long ago accepted it.

It will never change.

Evil will always be. As will good.

I defy any one of you to give me a good reason to vote for any party.

And if ever a word was so horribly abused it's "party".

 

[wee 162]

Have you done anything to change the world you slevour about?

I long ago accepted it.

It will never change.

Evil will always be. As will good.

I defy any one of you to give me a good reason to vote for any party.

And if ever a word was so horribly abused it's "party".

Because if you don't participate in the democratic process (however flawed it is, and however many doubts you have about the actual level of democracy) then you can shut the fuck up about any decisions politicians ever make.

 

[am_moroccan]

It s a complicated issue about voting , in recent elections I havent voted for anyone, I m not satisfied of any of them. participating or not both has a negative impact but every person has the right to do what he wants.

 

[buckie]

Because if you don't participate in the democratic process (however flawed it is, and however many doubts you have about the actual level of democracy) then you can shut the fuck up about any decisions politicians ever make.

surely not voting is participating in the democratic process as you are expressing you democratic right not to vote.

I dont understand your point, are you saying you should vote for somebody you disagree with and who doesnt represent your opinion otherwise you become worthless and merely a subject and not a citizen.

Ive a choice of dup/uup/sinn fein/sdlp/alliance/bnp/independant nutter 1/ independant nutter 2.

Im fecked if im voting for any of that shower of money grabbing ****s.

 

[Jack]

The reason most folk dont vote is because they cant be arsed that is IMO the wrong reason for not voting.

If, having looked through all the shite they send you then decided there's none of them worth voting for then Id suggest thats different.

 

[wee 162]

surely not voting is participating in the democratic process as you are expressing you democratic right not to vote.

I dont understand your point, are you saying you should vote for somebody you disagree with and who doesnt represent your opinion otherwise you become worthless and merely a subject and not a citizen.

Ive a choice of dup/uup/sinn fein/sdlp/alliance/bnp/independant nutter 1/ independant nutter 2.

Im fecked if im voting for any of that shower of money grabbing ****s.

Then spoil your paper. That's showing that it's not apathy, but the choices you have are not ones you are able to vote for.

I worked at the count for the European election. My highlight of the day was a spoiled ballot paper which was being looked at by the party representatives. There was something written down the side on it, and the call from the official was "no clear mark indicating a preference". One of the party officials asked "what does it have written on it, that might be a correct vote" to which the answer came "You're all scum". That has more effect on individual politicians and their parties than a statistic saying that the country is populated by the apathetic and lazy. I dream of the day where spoiled papers would have won a majority in a seat.

 

[buckie]

Then spoil your paper. That's showing that it's not apathy, but the choices you have are not ones you are able to vote for.

I worked at the count for the European election. My highlight of the day was a spoiled ballot paper which was being looked at by the party representatives. There was something written down the side on it, and the call from the official was "no clear mark indicating a preference". One of the party officials asked "what does it have written on it, that might be a correct vote" to which the answer came "You're all scum". That has more effect on individual politicians and their parties than a statistic saying that the country is populated by the apathetic and lazy. I dream of the day where spoiled papers would have won a majority in a seat.

Ive always argued that in a true deocratic vote all ballot papers should have a column for "none of the above"

they will never do it though, too scared

 

[wee 162]

Ive always argued that in a true deocratic vote all ballot papers should have a column for "none of the above"

they will never do it though, too scared

Honestly, just apply for a postal vote. You should be able to say you want one permanently assuming you're going to be feeling this way for a while. And send it back in either blank or with whatever message you want them to read written on it. They have to be looked at, and there will be party representatives who read it.

 

[Brainwrong]

Then spoil your paper. That's showing that it's not apathy, but the choices you have are not ones you are able to vote for.

I worked at the count for the European election. My highlight of the day was a spoiled ballot paper which was being looked at by the party representatives. There was something written down the side on it, and the call from the official was "no clear mark indicating a preference". One of the party officials asked "what does it have written on it, that might be a correct vote" to which the answer came "You're all scum". That has more effect on individual politicians and their parties than a statistic saying that the country is populated by the apathetic and lazy. I dream of the day where spoiled papers would have won a majority in a seat.

That's me feckin' decided.

 

[Deleted member 12281]

The reason most folk dont vote is because they cant be arsed that is IMO the wrong reason for not voting.

If, having looked through all the shite they send you then decided there's none of them worth voting for then Id suggest thats different.

I cant be arsed voting.
I will sell my vote to the highest bidder.
Lets start the bidding at 15p. Who wants it?

 

[Nielmartinrocks]

I cant be arsed voting.
I will sell my vote to the highest bidder.
Lets start the bidding at 15p. Who wants it?

I would but all my cash is being saved for the Dear Leaders 10 bob bit.
Seriously if your not voting spoil your ballot paper.
Even silence sends a message.

 

[Nielmartinrocks]

I don't buy this 'you're all scum' argument. for the most part the politicians ive met have seen themselves as doing the best for their country and constituents. If people are so pissed off why don't they get off their arses for 5 minutes and try to do something positive for change. It's a shite state of affairs right now fair enough but complaining about politicans who for the most part are genuine in their desire to bring about positive change is doing nothing to help.

Voting should be compulsary use it or lose it.
Even if you dont actually vote for any paticular party.

 

[wee 162]

I don't buy this 'you're all scum' argument. for the most part the politicians ive met have seen themselves as doing the best for their country and constituents. If people are so pissed off why don't they get off their arses for 5 minutes and try to do something positive for change. It's a shite state of affairs right now fair enough but complaining about politicans who for the most part are genuine in their desire to bring about positive change is doing nothing to help.

I actually agree with you tbh. But those who disagree with that should be expressing their opinion that they have no-one they feel are worth voting for.

Politicians in the UK are in a straightjacket politically. There is no room for manouvere and you have to follow the party line. The problem with that is that to become an elected representative you have to be willing to compromise your principles in favour of whatever party policy is or your party will simply not select you to stand.

I heartily dislike the results which come from the US political system, but there is a much much better chance for someone who is independent in thought being elected there than there is here. It's not often that it happens in the US, but it can and does. People like Dennis Kucinich or Mike Huckabee who are completely outwith their party mainstream can still get elected.

The UK has a bad political system. It has an extremely narrow choice of mainstream political parties policy wise because everyone fights for the centre ground. And it has an electoral system which means small parties are barely noticed. And then it asks the representatives elected by the people to check in their consciences to support the party regardless of how they feel. Look at the vote on the Iraq invasion before it happened. 139 Labour MPs voted against it. They seriously seriously put themselves at risk in terms of their career because of that vote. I would be interested to know how many of them are a) still in parliament b) how many of them have made it to a cabinet position. I suspect the answer to both is not very many.

 

[snoots]

Politicians in the UK are in a straightjacket politically. There is no room for manouvere and you have to follow the party line. The problem with that is that to become an elected representative you have to be willing to compromise your principles in favour of whatever party policy is or your party will simply not select you to stand.

Which tells me that they are wankers then, why betray their so-called principles for the sake of what is then just a job making the numbers.

Why don't they come out and complain about the straightjacket - tell it like it is.

Wouldn't vote for anyone willing to take part in that system, it's been a joke for years.

 

[wee 162]

Because all them seem to think they can make a difference, and to an extent they can. A good constituency MP is still a good thing.
(Posted fae ma mobile fone)

 

[Nielmartinrocks]

Which tells me that they are wankers then, why betray their so-called principles for the sake of what is then just a job making the numbers.

Why don't they come out and complain about the straightjacket - tell it like it is.

Wouldn't vote for anyone willing to take part in that system, it's been a joke for years.

Cause they would get booted off the gravy train.
The world is full of poor cAnts with principles.

 

[egb_hibs]

Have you done anything to change the world you slevour about?

I long ago accepted it.

It will never change.

Evil will always be. As will good.

I defy any one of you to give me a good reason to vote for any party.

And if ever a word was so horribly abused it's "party".

I think there's something to be said for something I read somewhere; forget trying to leave the world a better place, and concentrate on leaving it a better man.

After all, if everybody did the latter the former would look after itself.

In short, 'practical politics' as one might put it, would include;

- Putting in more than you take out
- Raising the next generation well
- Working at relationships
- Helping your neighbour
- Standing by what you hold to be right

ps what are good and evil?

 

[snoots]

A good constituency MP is still a good thing.
(Posted fae ma mobile fone)

You coudl hire someone to do that without all the hypocrisy that goes with it, and at half the price.

Long gone are the days when MP's can make a difference. They are all middle managers.

 

[Haruki]

Because if you don't participate in the democratic process (however flawed it is, and however many doubts you have about the actual level of democracy) then you can shut the fuck up about any decisions politicians ever make.

I've yet to have any complaints about any decisions any politicians make

They're mostly very clever people. But their hands are tied.

I'm fully aware that in many countries it's different.

But in the UK, right now, I can't see a difference. So I'm f\cked if I'll be wasting my thought on which one is best. Difference between eating cold sh't or hot sh't at best.