I love politics, I am passionate about it and have been for a while. Granted the democratic process is a little lost on me since I consistently find myself disenfranchised by the current electoral system and that has been the case since the 90s. Nevertheless I have at least up to now felt a degree of interest and sometimes foreboding at a General Election. The sense that things are being decided, a course is being taken, a course which will send this country one way or the other. I tend to watch the results with bated breath, particularly in 1997 where the hopes were so high and the country rid itse;f of so many hated figures. No, by 97 I was not expecting a seriously socio-democratic Labour government, Labour had made it quite clear that they were no longer interested in improving the lot of the common person, they were simply hell-bent on getting into power and if that meant being more Tory than the Tories then that is what they were going to do. It is precisely what they did.

Sadly in this election I cannot see any major paradigm shift whatever the result, it does not seem to matter which one of the parties gets in because the policies will be the same, granted, one may be a lighter version of the other but it is simply a question of the express train to conservatism or the slow train. The terminus remains the same and the course now seems almost inexorable.

I feel sorry for those who have attained the age of minority since the last election, I cannot think how they could possibly fail to feel completely detached from the whole process. Were I in their situation it would hardly be an advert for our democratic process. Is it any wonder that people no longer choose to engage in society. To me one of the most illustrative points is that I shall not being staying up until the small hours to watch the results come in as I have tradionally done (even when my dissertaion was due the following day as in 97!) because it really makes no difference.

At times like this you wonder if there is anything you really can do to make the world a better place for your children. Furthermore if I needed anything to back up my belief that the current system is beyond reform current events serve to do so.

If you are going to vote today in the belief that this country has a secret ballot let me impart the following to you, on that polling card you’ve got there is a number, when you turn up at the polling station they’ll cross you off the list so you can’t vote twice and they’ll tear you a ballot paper out of the booklet, they’ll write your number on the counterfoil. Look at the back of your ballot paper, or on some it is even at the front there is a serial number which is the ballot paper number. This number is replicated on the back of the counterfoil of the book that they have kept, remember what was on the front of that counterfoil… I’ll leave you to make up your own mind as to whether you think that is especially indicative of what you consider democracy.

Song Of The Day ~> Bugsy Malone OST – We Could Have Been Anything

Original Comments:


protagonist made this comment,
Yeah – I have been reading about the British election here in the states and thinking of you. Well, I hope it works out in the end. I am not sure of all the politics in the process, but it is the same here – you vote democrat or republican – either way you’re voting for someone who will either anally rape you on one end or shove their dick down your throat on the other end – either way you’ll be taking the dick the hard way.
Fuck politicians.

Mandrake

comment added :: 5th May 2005, 17:37 GMT+01
Mark Ellott made this comment,
For the first time in my voting life, I was a true floating voter. Having thought I’d decided, I changed my mind in the polling booth and voted with my conscience rather than my head. Ah, well, it ain’t gonna make the slightest difference tomorrow.
Visit me @ http://longrider.blog-city.com

comment added :: 5th May 2005, 19:51 GMT+01
baracuda made this comment,
I was wondering about that number thing myself, they called out a number wrote it down and gave me the card, I thought it was a bit fucked up.
Anyway, your man George got in, which is pretty spectacular.

I’ve just posted the transcript of his interview with Paxman.

Visit me @ http://myveryownblog.blog-city.com/

comment added :: 6th May 2005, 11:11 GMT+01
A visitor made this comment,
NICE ONE GEORGE !!!!!!
John

comment added :: 6th May 2005, 16:27 GMT+01
A visitor made this comment,
I hear a lot of argument here that it doesn’t matter, so people aren’t going to even bother to voite. Is the system corrupt? Is that feeling of citizen efficacy in the toilet? You bet. But in the end, it is all we have, that vote, and I’ll be damned if I’m going to abdicate what little voice I have. People asked me if I was going to vote in the last election, and I said “Yes, I’ll vote. But I won’t enjoy it.”
Kristie

comment added :: 6th May 2005, 16:46 GMT+01
baracuda made this comment,
Bugsy Malone rules…
comment added :: 17th May 2005, 05:32 GMT+01