The electorate
Author
Discussion

Dixy

Original Poster:

3,541 posts

230 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
There are lots of threads about various politicians .
Joseph de Maistre once said Every nation gets the government it deserves.
In the local elections the population have rejected the incumbents as lying incompetent egotists.
And replaced them with what will certainly be another group of lying incompetent egotists.

dukeboy749r

3,316 posts

235 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Sadly, I suspect you may be correct and (even more sadly) it was ever thus.

fido

18,681 posts

280 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Yawn.

Even if you think Reform will be exactly like the Labour Party (and I suspect you don’t but you’re just saying it to detract from the fact that Labour have been an absolute disaster) then you won t mind Reform getting in then!

Joseph Ducreux

5,846 posts

245 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
If you can only select from a pool of lying, incompetent egotists, then don't be surprised when people elect lying, incompetent egotists.

biggbn

31,072 posts

245 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill



....so what is the alternative?

bstb3

5,068 posts

183 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
biggbn said:
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill



....so what is the alternative?
Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time. - Also Winston Churchill.

Democracy basically means: Government by the people, of the people, for the people.... but the people are retarded. - OSHO

Basically we are screwed until we can get a level of emotional, social, economic and technological intelligence in a wide enough pool across the voter base. Either we do that through restricting the right to vote (which of course we cannot do and remain democratic) or by properly investing in young people (which we don't want to do, because greedy).

That has to be matched by making politics / governing a realistic path for the best people with genuine intentions to improve the nation, over those looking purely for their own/ related parties best interests.

Harry H

3,699 posts

181 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
biggbn said:
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill



....so what is the alternative?
I know... let's give votes to 16 year oldsbiggrin

PurplePenguin

3,994 posts

58 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
If voting changed anything, they wouldn’t let you vote…

-Lummox-

1,760 posts

238 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
It's a shame that the trad parties are so woefully out of touch and out of ideas that they can't grasp how pissed off the electorate is with them, or present them with anything resembling a clear plan that leads to visible and meaningful improvements in their lives.

I doubt Reform will deliver that either, but they've had a very slick and well-funded marketing campaign going (whether or not it's truthful or relevant to what this round of elections was actually about) and they have at least learned from other international politics that if you speak your message clearly and confidently, lots of people will vote for it. You can worry about delivering on that message later (if at all)...

SWoll

22,142 posts

283 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
PurplePenguin said:
If voting changed anything, they wouldn t let you vote
This.

All just re-arranging the deck chairs on the titanic.

Murph7355

41,195 posts

281 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Harry H said:
I know... let's give votes to 16 year oldsbiggrin
Of all the things that need change in our system of governance, elections etc...that one should have been at the very bottom.

Sadly it's demonstrative of how the current fkwits think. And it shows itself everywhere (education - biggest issue by far that will move the needle is VAT on private school fees... economy - what we need is growth, so let's make it a fk load more expensive and awkward to employ people... Energy - Milliband. Etc etc etc).

They must stand in the Members' Bar congratulating each other on how wise they are, when the whole country looks on, astonished, at what a bunch of morons are in charge.

fflump

3,218 posts

63 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
This country has always been fairly centrist/centre-right in political outlook on average but we now have a 5 part system it's still an even split between the left and right of centre, albeit more polarised. What FPTP will result in a GE is anyone's guess.

What is striking is the polarisation between those of high vs low income, between young vs old, high vs. low education.

Shooter McGavin

8,762 posts

169 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
My local town's Facebook page (Labour controlled council since the 70s) is full of people telling the rest of the electorate that they are "fking idiots" for voting Labour in again, with a small reduction in majority, lost three seats to the Greens.

I'm no expert in these matters, but I'm pretty sure that nowhere throughout history has telling someone that they are a "fking idiot" because of their political leanings ever led to anyone the world over changing those beliefs.

You would surely have to be a "fking idiot" to think that they would, no?

Crumpet

5,143 posts

205 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Perhaps it should be a bit like jury duty?

Very few successful people of decent quality and ability are going to want to trade in that life for being a politician. The salary isn’t high enough to attract high-flyers and the scrutiny and invasion of privacy that comes with it will put off even more.

We’re doomed!

Tankrizzo

7,977 posts

218 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
fflump said:
...What FPTP will result in a GE is anyone's guess.
Most likely a hung parliament, what I find interesting is the sorts of deals that could be struck between parties the morning after a GE, or whether we will have to go for a very rare second run at it if nobody can form an agreement.

Sway

34,092 posts

219 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
biggbn said:
The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.

Winston Churchill



....so what is the alternative?
Me, with you as my Deputy PM chap. The thoughtful Cummins to my belligerent idealism.

Tankrizzo

7,977 posts

218 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Sway said:
Me, with you as my Deputy PM chap. The thoughtful Cummins to my belligerent idealism.
With 2xChevrons as Home Secretary.

valiant

13,661 posts

185 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Well, people are very, very vocal about the state of politics yet turnout is usually low.

Maybe if we weren’t so belligerent and actually got off our collective arses, things may change a bit.

amusingduck

9,664 posts

161 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Tankrizzo said:
Sway said:
Me, with you as my Deputy PM chap. The thoughtful Cummins to my belligerent idealism.
With 2xChevrons as Home Secretary.
stongle for chancellor? Is he even around these days?

DaveCWK

2,336 posts

199 months

Friday 8th May
quotequote all
Well if the system only presents you with 2 options:
1 of which are definitely lying incompetent egotists
1 of which might be lying incompetent egotists

You chose the might be.
And reassess when it turns out they are definitely.

And eventually you will get the government you deserve.