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Original poster

is your faith in politics...dying?

34 replies

magpienchips · 17/07/2011 13:46

Lets be realistic,
the reputation of the current government is far from good...in fact can you find a single good thing that this coalition has done up to now that can be considered as a step in the right direction?
you have a prime minister whose judgment has proved to be extremely poor... you have a energy minister who is accused of trying to get his ex wife to take the blame for a driving offense...and yet the leader of this coalition is the one who said he would clean up politics...are you convinced?
to be fair, the coalition inherited a real shambles thanks to the previous labour government.
but hey, can anyone recall a single British government of the 20th and first decade of the 21st century that has ever got it right?
it's been a disaster hasn't it?
please share your thoughts.
Thanks.

OP posts:
chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 15:07

I loathe mps more than i can say.

smallwhitecat · 17/07/2011 15:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
magpienchips · 17/07/2011 15:10

well I'm not a fan of mp's either chips...

OP posts:
chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 15:13

Dodgy used car salesman Grin.

Original poster
magpienchips · 17/07/2011 15:13

smallwhite cat
take heart because 97 was also the year I finally kissed goodbye to the ballot box and never looked back since.
hindsight is indeed a wonderful thing...

OP posts:
Original poster
magpienchips · 17/07/2011 15:14

LOL yes that made me chuckle too chips...Can't think who it could be?
Prescott?
Blair?

OP posts:
Original poster
magpienchips · 17/07/2011 15:19

small whit cat
I forgot to mention That I no longer subscribe to any political party...and please don't be offended but my opinion is they may be blue red green etc but it's whats inside that counts...and from what I have seen in terms of hearts content I cannot be drawn back to the ballot box.

OP posts:
mercibucket · 17/07/2011 15:24

'churchill was probably ok' Grin
I dunno about that - there's plenty who had a bad word to say about him - they're none too keen on him in Liverpool for example after the sinking of the thetis
you should read his autobiog though - on a par with superman at least

Original poster
magpienchips · 17/07/2011 15:33

I would never vote for a cigar chomping politician...after all that would be the man who would be leading the country and if he foolish enough to pollute his own body with tobacco he is not fit to be a prime minister.

OP posts:
SardineQueen · 17/07/2011 18:25

Me. They're all the bloody same. Braying at each other across the commons, it's pathetic.

The expenses
Cosying up to murdoch
The illegal activity
Looking all over excited at being friends with the current US boss

I'm sick of everyone from the lords to the unions to the mps to the corporations to the police to the popular press and everyone who wields or holds power, frankly.

GivingUpIsEasiest · 17/07/2011 18:34

My faith in politicians and the political system isnt dying its dead. Local council elections here we had a choice of councillors from one political party only how the fuck is that a choice?

chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 18:56

I know this is hideous after what i said earlier but between us lot ive got a little bit of a crush on Boris johnson.Blush

SardineQueen · 17/07/2011 19:20

Dear GOD

bkgirl · 17/07/2011 20:21

He he, I too think Boris is lovely!Seriously though, I am disgusted with party politics. So many seem have enjoyed the hospitality of the Murdoch organisation:(

Tom Watson the one who stood against I would trust, maybe even that other Chris guy.

niceguy2 · 17/07/2011 20:28

I think it was Alexis De Tocqueville who once said that "In every democracy, the people get the government they deserve"

And I think it's probably true. If half of us can't be bothered to even vote at a general election, let alone a local one. If most of us have never even written to our MP let alone seen him then we can't be surprised for having a bunch of fuckwits as our leaders.

Mellowfruitfulness · 17/07/2011 21:35

How true, how true, Niceguy.

(Find I am agreeing with you a little too often nowadays. What's happening?)

4sure · 06/08/2011 01:13

Parliament is out of touch and dated!! The 3 main party political groups do not in my mind truly represent properly any of it's citizens that vote for them. Our political system has become alienated and more than chaotic. Our country at the moment is being run by the millionaire political elite and play at politic's like it is a game with a dice and counters and have no conscious about the fact that they are playing with people's live's, affecting all class levels and all parts of society as a whole. They are creating by their inefficient ruling and policies a breakdown in all that was strong and true about Britain hence the breakdown in morality, respect and good ethic's. Thousands of people in this country are suffering because of the weak leadership and self serving politician's in parliament today.

Thumbwitch · 06/08/2011 01:27

Died some time ago, actually. The rot started when the Tories were elected for a fourth term back in 1992 and continued when the New Labour govt demonstrated that they weren't an improvement in any way.
Liberals linking with SDP added to the misery; Paddy Pantsdown letting the party down in soooo many ways; and coming to the conclusion that really there wasn't a penn'orth of difference between them all in the end.

Voting became very difficult when I couldn't care less who got in because they were ALL shit.

Nihilisticbunny · 06/08/2011 01:36

I can't remember ever having faith in politics, it's like that song by the band that dp likes, meet the new boss, same as the old boss. All self serving idiots, maybe government should be formed in the same way as juries are picked, totally random from the general population Grin.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 06/08/2011 05:28

Actually, right now, with the US AAA rating downgraded, Eurozone countries struggling and even the Asian stockmarkets taking a hit, I'm very pleased with the government we've got. They may be taking very unpopular decisions in the short-term but I think they're getting it about right. It's not so much 'faith in politics' as 'proof of the pudding is in the eating'... and if, in a few years' time, they have been shown to have made the right call, then I'll happily vote them back in.

There are some bad apples in the barrel.. always will be. But I think transgressions like lying about a speeding ticket are pretty trivial. 'Kiss goodbye to the ballot box' however, and you can't really complain about who gets in.

Iggly · 06/08/2011 06:49

"there are some bad apples..." I hardly call kissing the balls of Murdoch and employing certain communication officers being a bad apple. Also making financial choices that will have negative long term consequences

Iggly · 06/08/2011 06:50

Also if people are disillusioned with politics, not voting is not enough IMO. at the very least go and spoil your ballot papers!

CogitoErgoSometimes · 06/08/2011 07:07

If people are disillusioned with politics, spoiling ballot papers would be a childish response. The best reaction would be to run for office themselves... actually make a difference.

EdithWeston · 06/08/2011 07:16

I agree that we've simply not had good enough politicians for the last 20 years or so.

I see an important factor in this being the increased number of people who see politics as a career and it is all they have ever really done. Before that, you would see people coming from industry (management and unions/shop floor), business, the professions etc; often with a non-commissioned National Service background. A real mixture of actual experience.

Another important factor is the (hopefully now over) recent trend of style over substance. I had a hell of a lot more respect for old-style holders of opposing political stances than I ever can have for the (as we all know, orchestrated) bleating and handwringing style of opposition - which is ready to criticise, but does not stand for anything itself.

Expecting incoming: but with the news on the US's credit rating, Obama is likely to prove the last hurrah of style over substance.

CogitoErgoSometimes · 06/08/2011 07:31

I think people choosing politics as a life career rather than something they do after gaining experience elsewhere is a backward step. But he daily persecution and personal intrusion that politicians are subjected to is probably what puts good people off applying. And I'm really not surprised that everything is so orchestrated.... because if they make one even mildly controversial comment it's Death by Twitter these days. If they've got a few quid in the bank they're 'toffs' that don't know anything about some mythical place called the 'real world'. But if they're so unsuccessful that they are living on the bread-line... do we want them running the country? Amazed anyone actually runs for office.