The moment has dawned to turn my jaundiced eye to the unattractive world of politics infested by the self serving, corrupt, greedy and generally incompetent group-think addicted sub species we are encouraged to call politicians.
Sadly, there are few one can name in whom any unusual competence, gravitas, flair and achievement actually reside.
William Pitt the Younger perhaps, Churchill and Maggie guided
us through various wars to the benefit of the nation but who else can be recalled as providing that for which the nation craves? Precious few.
Mostly, it seems, governments of whatever hue stumble from crisis to crisis, often self induced, without ever resolving same to the nation’s benefit.
Why then do we insist on electing them every few years for all the good they actually do in the minds of the silent majority?
It was Churchill and probably several others who opined that democracy was not a very good basis on which to govern a country just better than the alternatives. I know not what credence he placed on benevolent dictatorship tempered by assassination.
What is regrettably as clear as oncoming headlights is the woeful lack of common sense, judgment and honesty amongst the political classes.
They purport to strive for the middle ground (aka consensus) wherein they perch claiming it’s all for the best in the best of all possible worlds. One suspects that Dr. Pangloss got that wrong.
Rarely do politicians appear to act from any conviction but more often do they seem to pander to the loudest minority voices however ludicrous. One can only despair at the general levels of fecklessness with which they seek to govern the country which gave the world so much.
Cast your gaze upon the Houses of Parliament and wonder whether Guy Fawkes did not have the right idea.
The Lower House has become a morass of shouty ingrates and the Upper House an ineffective anachronism. We deserve so much better.
It cannot be beyond the wit of man to devise a system of government that eschews all the current flaws so readily apparent even to the meanest intellect. Time to put pencil to paper and create a government the people can respect and trust. Being older, as I am, than the NHS I fear that will not emerge in my remaining lifetime but it is, nonetheless, something for which we should strive.
The casting out of politicians guilty of crimes they have placed on the statute books without recompense might instil some proper behaviour and a proper right of recall yet more.
There are myriad ways to control what is presently manifestly out of control but the inbuilt reluctance of politicians to emulate turkeys voting for Christmas renders most solutions unlikely.
If it continues to spiral downwards, as seems likely with any Parliament, the time may yet come when PARLIAMENT DELENDA EST will become the clarion call for the hordes of repressed citizenry.
Or not, as the case may be. We’re a tolerant and well behaved lot in the main us Brits but not forever. When systems fail us we change the systems.
My own solution, for what it’s worth, would be the end of the Party system. I repose more faith and trust in a Parliament of Independents than any ruled by any Party.
Certainly little may be achieved whilst 650 argue amongst themselves but that alone is a good thing. We have far too many laws already and the repeal of the majority would be a tangible benefit.
So, start thinking about how to improve our governance for the benefit of the common weal and share your ideas with others. It’ll be a long road but the first step is yours for the taking.
Foootsoldier Says… 