Barack Obama

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

 

Exactly, i8. It drives me crackers when people complain about 'lack of choice' or 'all the parties being the same'. Why? It's only this way because it's what the electorate want!

 

Four times we were offered the chance to vote socialist; and four times, Labour were walloped. Then, three times (and in 2001 especially) we rejected a right wing rabble obsessed with Europe, which seemed to have nothing to offer a modern, twenty-first century Britain. So first Labour moved to the centre ground; and now, not before time, the Tories have started doing the same.

 

It's actually a very clear sign that democracy works - and moreover, that first Thatcher, then Blair's consensus has effectively been accepted; because the opposition aren't going to overturn it once in power. Personally, I'm left of centre economically, and very liberal socially (in the most liberal 0.5% of the British population according to the national electoral survey!), but at present, am envisaging abstaining at the next general election. Labour are tired: there seems little point in voting for them, not least when disgusting, wholly cynical measures like abolishing the 10p tax rate are dreamt up by Gordon and chums. And these things are cyclical: at national level, this is still very much a two-party system, and no party can stay in power for ever. Indeed, it's if they did that the real trouble would start...

 

I'm still not 100% convinced that the Tories will win - it's perfectly possible Labour could yet rouse themselves for one last push a la the Tories in '92 - but the prospect of Cameron becoming Prime Minister doesn't scare me at all. They now seem a perfectly respectable, electable, changing party to me; and in reality, at some almost indefinable point, the opposition ceases to be the opposition and becomes the government-in-waiting in the eyes of the public, usually when they appear the more centrist, moderate option. And if we haven't quite reached that point yet, it's awfully, awfully close now.

 

Shaun, you know very well you should not abstain, if you do you have effectively have no say in how the country is run, even a protest vote is better than an abstention.

 

Apart from that, i cant argue a single thing you say.

[shaun.lawson]

Shaun, you know very well you should not abstain, if you do you have effectively have no say in how the country is run, even a protest vote is better than an abstention.

 

Apart from that, i cant argue a single thing you say.

 

Sure - it's certainly not something I'd usually do! I'm a natural Lib Dem, and have voted tactically (ie. anti-Tory) at the last three elections, depending on where I was living at the time. But now... I can't see the point of voting Labour at all. Where is the vision? Where are the new ideas? After eleven years, there has to be more of a purpose to voting for them than just keeping the Tories out - especially as the latter have listened and started to change.

 

Similarly, I'm at a loss to understand the point of the Lib Dems. Clegg's an improvement on Campbell, at least - but their total failure to grasp the political nettle when there was a real, historic opportunity back when the Conservatives were In Deep **** under, er, IDS, completely disillusioned me. But it's still a stretch to see myself voting Tory, unless they become a party truly believing in liberalism both economically and socially - because it's the latter I'm more motivated by, and on which I've grown increasingly sick of either Labour or the pre-Cameron Tories trying to tell me how to live my life.

 

So that's where I am at present. Doubtless, in two years, things will be clearer in my mind - and really, it's a mark of how far Cameron has come that if I vote for any of the three, it might well end up being his party. I wouldn't have dreamed of doing such a thing only three years ago!

[Guest S.U.S.S.]

Sure - it's certainly not something I'd usually do! I'm a natural Lib Dem, who's voted tactically (ie. anti-Tory) at the last three elections, depending on where I was living at the time. But now... I can't see the point of voting Labour at all. Where is the vision? Where are the new ideas? After eleven years, there has to be more of a purpose to voting for them than just keeping the Tories out - especially as the latter have listened and started to change.

 

Similarly, I'm at a loss to understand the point of the Lib Dems. Clegg's an improvement on Campbell, at least - but their total failure to grasp the political nettle when there was a real, historic opportunity back when the Conservatives were In Deep **** under, er, IDS, completely disillusioned me. But it's still a stretch to see myself voting Tory, unless they become a party truly believing in liberalism both economically and socially - because it's the latter I'm more motivated by, and on which have grown increasingly sick of either Labour or the pre-Cameron Tories trying to tell me how to live my life.

 

So that's where I am at present. Doubtless, in two years, things will be clearer in my mind - and it's a mark of how far Cameron has come that if I vote for any of the three, it might well end up being his party, which I wouldn't have dreamed of only three years ago.

 

Again, very hard to argue against any of that.

 

Have you every thought about becoming involved in the political arena yourself? your a clever guy, who knows his own mind, i think people would warm to that.

 

Christ, now im emboldening things!

 

Grrrrr Damn you Lawson!

[shaun.lawson]

Again, very hard to argue against any of that.

 

Have you every thought about becoming involved in the political arena yourself? your a clever guy, who knows his own mind, i think people would warm to that.

 

Christ, now im emboldening things!

 

Grrrrr Damn you Lawson!

 

Well hey, maybe I should become a diplomat or conflict negotiatior? I mean, to judge by our recent rapprochement, anything's possible!

 

I used to think I was moving towards a political career, and friends certainly thought so too. But I'm motivated by different things nowadays, to be honest - and more than anything, have been very struck by how difficult it clearly is to make a real difference within a system that encourages, almost insists upon, commonality and toeing the party line.

 

Have you ever noticed how much sense politicians invariably talk when they're not part of a front bench, and can just be themselves? William Hague, a horrendously right wing Tory leader, suddenly metamorphosed into a damn good bloke when he stepped down; the same was true, in my view, of Neil Kinnock. Similarly, Ming was fantastic when invited onto Newsnight as its resident voice of reason - but a disaster when thrown into the centre of things and expected to lead. Don't get me wrong: there's nothing wrong with compromise - but I can't help but feel that the system stifles real individuality and difference, so disillusioning the public.

 

If, as is probable, I'm heading in a direction whereby I write about the politics and economics of football, it's certainly possible I'll end up as a political commentator somewhere along the line. That'd be great fun! But on reflection, I think I'm a lot happier as an armchair critic: that way, I can call for a plague on all their houses, and not have to actually do anything in the process...

[Bindy Badgy]

[I P Knightley]

 

I used to think I was moving towards a political career, and friends certainly thought so too. But I'm motivated by different things nowadays, to be honest - and more than anything, have been very struck by how difficult it clearly is to make a real difference within a system that encourages, almost insists upon, commonality and toeing the party line.

 

May I implement a supplement to SUSS's complement by applauding you on the correct spelling of 'toeing'.

 

I agree that the 'blandness' and sharing of policies between parties makes it disheartening to follow or be involved in politics. I want a little of this and a little of that (and loads of the other, which is a different story) which, perhaps, partly explains why that quiz in another thread gave me advice to choose on a 50:50 basis between the Tories and SSP.