Please don't patronise me

[notwavingjustironing]

I'm sure in the run up to the announcement of the election all of the parties were rubbing their hands at the rich seam of websites available for direct contact with the electorate, with Mumsnet being the jewel in the crown, if you believe what you read in the papers!

I realise that how elections are fought and won have changed over the years, and that this is now an important tool in the strategy.

So it would seem appropriate that the PR machines would use high profile sites to get their messages across.

However, over the last week or so there have been a number of really clumsy attempts to "influence" for want of a better word.

I always thought that your politics were between you and the ballot box, and it seems a bit strange if you are not involved with a party (of any calling) to suddenly want to stand on the rooftops and proclaim your persuasion.

I'm genuinely interested in whether you all think that there are "professional posters" put on here to try to influence people, or whether it is just genuine MNers speaking their minds?

If it is professional posting - don't you think they should be a bit better prepared?

I'm not deriding any one poster or thread,or trying to "out" anyone but I can't help feeling cynical, and a tiny bit patronised?

Thing is, notwavingjustironing (sorry to brown-nose, but i do love the name!), whether you're a professional politico or not, if your argument doesn't stand up, MN will have no hesitation in knocking it down. And then jumping up and down on it a few times for good measure.

I quite enjoy talking politics with people on here because if having a blazing row over one's principles is really necessary, it's better to do it with a complete stranger rather than a friend (bitter experience )
And speaking as a Lib Dem, it's nice to find there are people out there who agree with you, as you can sometimes feel like a bit of an endangered species otherwise. Especially if you come from a family of Daily Mail readers...

Can I just point out that although I may be a rabid Lib Dem, I have a good track record of posting on Style & Beauty?

My Mumsnet posting patterns tend to reflect my current obsessions

Just for clarity I'm just a political bloke, I'm very far to the left, so that's why I like to bait right wing twitchy freaks. Especially when they lecture us all and can't even spell.

I'm a libertarian socialist, an anarchist, but not a lifestyler dog/string/squat/top hat one, we have enough of them. I have a professional job.(Yuk). Lifestylers don't get us far or create mass movements imo. To be honest I don't even think they are anarchists, but that all gets a bit judean peoples front...

I see anarchism as true democracy, I think the society we live in now is an oligarchy. Real power is held by a very small number of people relative to the population. A few tens of thousands at the outside...I work with them every day. They are corrupt, arrogant and self serving.

So that's my position, just in case anyone thinks I'm f*cking about.

However I'm also touchy feely and like to talk about TV (Save Minty!) and relationships and stuff. And I came here as I've got a fairly new baby, 9 months. He rocks. Well cuddly blud.