To vote or not to vote.

[dowager]

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

DON'T VOTE, all you get is politicians

[7g2b]

It seems to me that politicians, wannabe politicians and those who think there should not be any politicians, all suffer from the same inability to answer questions put to them. Preferring instead to ask one of their own.
So I will try again. Suspend your belief in reality and imagine no one has voted, parliament has crumbled and there is no government. Can Anyone from the don't vote camp explain what they want to happen next and how it will be achieved.
The answer may convert me and others to your cause.

[mk1]

It seems to me that politicians, wannabe politicians and those who think there should not be any politicians, all suffer from the same inability to answer questions put to them. Preferring instead to ask one of their own.
So I will try again. Suspend your belief in reality and imagine no one has voted, parliament has crumbled and there is no government. Can Anyone from the don't vote camp explain what they want to happen next and how it will be achieved.
The answer may convert me and others to your cause.

There is no answer.
Politics is mainly a question of ego. I have no doubt most candidates start out with the best of intentions but they get seduced by the system and end up justifying their malpractice with the canard 'It is all for the public good and I am the only one able to do it properly'. I think the only way it would work is to time limit  the length of office so that they do not get to reap the rewards of their mendacity. No politician will ever accept the fact he  is no longer doing any good but the electorate can impose this stricture by voting him out. The power is already in the hands of the people they just choose not to exercise it.

The cries that everyone should opt out of the system and when it comes crashing down a state of nirvana will instantly  spring into being is  plain crazy.  It is never going to happen . 
We only have to look to the USA to see what happens when a group of individuals gets together to try and bring the system down. The Tea Party have no agenda other than to tear down the Government and  impose their own form of  people purity. Go to YouTube and  look at Michele Bachman, Ted Cruz, Amy Kremer, Christine O'Donnell & Sarah Palin and see how crazy otherwise normal people can be
Be careful what you wish for.................

[dowager]

Nobody wants nirvana, it will probably be ugly, probably violent (and I'm a pacifist), probably lots of death and mayhem ..... BUT, I think more and more people know in their hearts of hearts, that politics and politicians offer not much better to be honest

Politicians have disengaged young people entirely, apart from those doing politics at Uni who are future politicians and will work for politicians after Uni and see nothing and do nothing in the real world.

Politicians have disengaged the majority of older people, because they have foughts wars and hardships all their lives for 'a better life' and against facism and unfairness in society, now they have to sell their houses for care, exist on virtually the lowest pensions in Europe and feel that no one cares anymore

Politicians have massively disenged the 'hard working' lower and middle orders and even some of those slapping themselves on their collective backs who have 'done well for themselves' ... these people see that Politicians lie, and thieve and lie again and again and again .... Politicians are NOT people that ANYONE look up to

Don't vote, all you get is politicians, you may get social mayhem and violence, but you may also be surprised what 'normal' people come up with when politicians realise the game is up ....  and whatever you believe, I believe that day is coming a whole lot sooner than many of you keyboard warriors think

[mk1]

Nobody wants nirvana, it will probably be ugly, probably violent (and I'm a pacifist), probably lots of death and mayhem ..... BUT...................

Sorry but that is a step too far.
This is no longer a rational debate.

[HarryBlackwood]

Not rational? Seems perfectly rational to me. Just because Michael Kenny (the forum bully boy) doesn't agree doesn't make it irrational

[DRiddle]

Don't vote, all you get is politicians, you may get social mayhem and violence, but you may also be surprised what 'normal' people come up with when politicians realise the game is up ....  and whatever you believe, I believe that day is coming a whole lot sooner than many of you keyboard warriors think

In some respects you're right. All political systems ultimately get overthrown if you go back through history.

They get overthrown by people rising up, and then do you know what happens next?

They get replaced.

By more governments.

By more politicians.

It's a self perpetuating system. You can't kill it.

It's like Cerberus that helps guard the gates of hell. Too many different faces no matter what you do.

Show me ANY political system through the history of our planet that has been overthrown and replaced by ANYTHING OTHER than ......... a new political system of one form or another.

Meaningfully do that and i'll consider not voting........

[HarryBlackwood]

We don't need any SYSTEM. We just need people of honesty and integrity who are doing it to make the world a better place and not in it for themselves.

That obviously rules YOU out.

[Pwilson]

I don't ask anybody to vote Conservative, PWilson. All I ask is that you look at each candidate individually and vote for them by the answers they give you and their actions. I stand as a conservative because is my political view point and I am a member and supporter of the conservative party nationally.

It might be easier for me to stand as an independent or pretend to be a socialist but then I'd be lying and I try not to make a habit of doing that to people.

I think Shane the point I was trying to make may have been lost behind my rant about Wells.

I don't know you but you seem like someone who has political ambitions, the trouble is that no matter how great your personal politics were if you're a member of a party history has told me your principles will be set aside if they're at odds with the decision of the party.

I just think that at local level we need individual, independent, committed and intellegent people who understand their ward & at the same time understand the needs of people elsewhere in the town. 

[dowager]

" ... I just think that at local level we need individual, independent, committed and intillegent people who understand their ward & at the same time understand the needs of people elsewhere in the town.  ...."

c**k-on Tommy, as long as they're NOT politicians

[Inspector Knacker]

Nobody wants nirvana, it will probably be ugly, probably violent (and I'm a pacifist),

Don't vote, all you get is politicians, you may get social mayhem and violence, but you may also be surprised what 'normal' people come up with when politicians realise the game is up ....  and whatever you believe, I believe that day is coming a whole lot sooner than many of you keyboard warriors think

..then the 'normal' people will want a strongman to sort out the chaos and violence you envisage. Try thinking thins through.....that's how we get the dictators of this wotld..... and you won't be having this debate then.

[Mican]

I have noticed that a number of posters on the site telling others not to vote, so to these people, a simple question which requires a simple answer: What is the alternative to everyone not voting?  No council, no government, whats left?

[HarryBlackwood]

Read my blog. Send me a FB request. I've been campaigning on this for 11 years. I'm still on pre mod with no reason given so no point answering. I've written hundreds of thousands of words on it.

One thing is certain. If you vote you'll get a politician. They're all the same. Despite what they say, they're all liars, all in it for themselves. They don't give a toss about you.

Keep doing the same thing. Get the same results.

[Inspector Knacker]

" ... I just think that at local level we need individual, independent, committed and intillegent people who understand their ward & at the same time understand the needs of people elsewhere in the town.  ...."

c**k-on Tommy, as long as they're NOT politicians

One nasty little irritating fact you appear to have overlooked......for every individual, independent commited and intelligent person with an understanding there's a busload more ready to shaft you.....and wouldn't the paragpns of virtue you allude then be .......politicians...?
The meek may well inherit the earth but I wonder how long they'll  hold onto it....and the fly boys will have the mineral rights.

[Inspector Knacker]

It'll be like a 60's hippie commune with rates.