You get the politician you deserve.

We insist that they promise us the world, otherwise we don't vote for them. Then they fail to deliver and we blame them....I think the electorate has become increasingly dishonest with itself.

 

I think we have unrealistic expectations of what politicians can actually do. The country is a supertanker, not a dinghy. There's always someone to oppose any policy, it must be utterly frustrating.

Humans have a finite attention span. For music it's about 4 minutes per tune. For politics it's about 4 years per administration. Only if the alternative tune or political party is totally crap will we listen to the same tune or political party again. We demand change, whether it's a different tune by the same band or a different leader of our preferred party, or a complete change. Human nature. I'm not really sure what even constitutes an MP that people wouldn't deride for something. Impossible job.

 

All I want as a starting point is a political party that truly believes that their policies are right for the whole of the country and once elected they will implement them rather than thinking that their policies will get them elected where they can U turn on most of them and make a career out of lies and dishonesty while they line their own pockets. That, sadly, is what this country has had since Thatcher (and you have no idea how much it sticks in my craw to have to say that).

 

Yes but if they stick by their ideals/convictions like Thatcher did we all cry that they are not listening to us, the public, who voted them in.

Bliar was following his convictions (as given to him by Jesus Christ no doubt) when he took us into two wars, and smeared this country in the blood of god only knows how many Iraqis.

If only he had U turned and listened to the hundreds of thousands of people who marched on the streets of this country to say 'not in our name'

When they do listen and do a U turn (or flip flop) we label them as being indecisive or lacking real conviction.

We cannot be pleased (or you can't anyway)

 

To be fair Thatcher did follow her ideals and she told us what they were before we elected her so when she did what she said she was going to it was fair enough. The fact I think her ideals were wrong does not matter as she believed they were right and right for the country not just for herself.

Since then we haven't had a government that has a) truly believed what it stands for is right for the country or b) hasn't done U turns aplenty for their own ends not because of the electorate asking them to.

The parties have all moved to the centre as they simply want to get elected not because they truly believe in what they say.

These days it is just about feathering their own nest and little else and that goes for all the parties not just the current incumbents.

So you're right I cannt be pleased until we get a praty that stands up for the good of the nation and not just themselves!

 

Do you think though, F1, in a world where people communicate electronically with people all over the country/world, that it will ever be possible to have strong Government again? Was Thatcher only possible because of a bit of oppression which these days would be easier to resist?

 

I was away.

I am not certain now whether I have misunderstood what you said in your post about Cameron. You said that "Cameron was going nowhere"

To my mind that meant that you thought that he was going to be grossly unsuccessful in the next election. It may well be that you meant the opposite.

If I did misunderstand what you said, that will explain what I said in my later posts. If so, sorry for my error.

Part of the trouble of course is that try as I may, I find it difficult to rack up any idea of him as an impressive leader, rather as a weak individual who so far has only managed to preside over one good change in the law which will actually benefit innocent people in this country.

Les

 

The idea was that he was going to be deposed.... No chance, hence he's going nowhere

 

Ok Martin, you have confirmed what you really meant.

I don't agree though!

Les