Elections 6th May...

[taff]

The example I like to use is this:
*I poke you in the eye*
You complain.
I say "Hey it could be worse - in some parts of Africa and the Middle East they poke you in both eyes... in North Korea they cut your eyes out and in Myanmar they cut out the eyes of your entire family while making you watch if you so much as think that the eye poking should stop."
Do you then accept that it could be worse and accept repeated pokes in the eye or stand up for yourself and insist on no eye poking at all?

well, that gave me a laugh

[organic]

Nice on BM.
I love that people can still muck about and have a laugh in the face of controversial issues on here.


Glad you appreciated it, Taff.

[Nicos]

As for standing as an independent - for the most part that's a pretty good way to waste £500 plus whatever needs spending on election propaganda.

We had Martin Bell for a while- and he did a superb job!

[pigletwillie]

The freedom of speech certainly highlights a few issues.

The BNP for instance probably has a few hundred hard core followers, the rest of its support comes from dissafectioned people who's voices have not been heard because Labour would not entertain any discussion on their views and fears as it would be racist to do so, or so they aregued. If those views and fears had been given an ear, been given some proper dialogue, the BNP would probably not have any MEP'S, any councellors and just withered on the vine (not the grapevine obviously). As it is, that policy has unleashed a monster that cannot not be put in a sack and drowned quite so easily now.

This thread is about our election in the UK, not anybody elses, so putting my moderators hat on can we keep it bumbling along those lines, UK orientated, factual and despite obvious differences, polite.

[Bramble_killer]

Sorry, I don't want to discuss party politics, it doesn't matter who you support. I just want less voter apathy and I want people to VOTE. Every vote counts, if you want something to change, stand up and be counted.

[weekendwellies]

if you want something to change, stand up and be counted.

I recall a teacher at my school asking us about things that we would like to change, not just in school, but anything, anywhere.
We had a really interesting debate and everyone had really strong opinions about various subjects.

Then the teacher asked us what our lesson had actually achieved.

After some thought we realised that although we had all got excited and irate, nothing was any different.

The only way to make any changes is to do so from the inside.

Voting might make us feel as though we have some say, but actually what we should do if we want to make a difference is to get involved to whatever extent we are able.

[greengas]

I jolly well do care! The village hall is booked for our May Cake Club meeting that day and the election will turf us out! We'll have to defer for a week.

However, I do always vote. I owe it to the suffragettes. If you have ever read what they went through and how shamefully they were treated, you wouldn't waste a vote either. Respect!

Well said Flummery with regards the suffragettes, I believe voting should be compulsory for everyone over the age of 16.

I say 16 as if your old enough to join the Army and pay tax you are old enough to vote. Everyone should vote even if it means just turning up and spoiling your ballot paper you have made your point. Regarding those that moan they do tend to be the ones that do not bother to vote. The ballot box is a very powerful tool if it was used and the political partys know that and that is why they are happy with the 40 to 50 percent turnouts that we get in this country. Personally I am a socialist and proud of that fact but no matter who you vote or what you think I yearn for a 100% turnout just to see who would win and I think it may be quite suprising

[Rabidbun]

I've always voted since I was able. I have never had a say in how I want the country run, unless you count disagreeing with the party that got into power every single time.

I now vote purely to keep the BNP from getting any seats (as I disagree with their methods, views and policies) and so that I can whinge about the whole flawed process to folks that say "But every vote is important". As far as the last though, I just don't understand why*. The end result is the same for me, after all.

*(I agree with the ideas and principles of democracy on the whole, but I just don't think it works on a macro scale the same way that it was intended to work on a smaller one)

[Madasafish]

I care enough to vote.

People who bother to post they will not vote seem to me to have their priorities wrong. If you can't be bothered to vote, then stop complaining or posting on the subject is my view...

[organic]

Madasafish
What about those who have no possibility of voting for someone who represents their views?
We don't want to vote FOR someone who we know will do just about everything in a way we don't want - does that mean we have no right to comment on the subject because the system completely fails to represent us?

[binley100]

What happens if you agree with a couple of points from each of the parties and not all of the manifesto of one party ?

[organic]

Agreed, Binley.

Also, no matter how much you grill the candidates in your area and no matter how much they agree with you on various points - they will follow the party line - even if it deviates from the manifesto. Most politicians don't rebel, as a rule.

"Everybody's so busy wanting to be down with the gang. "I'm conservative", "I'm liberal", "I'm conservative". Bull****! Be a f****** person! Lis-ten! Let it swirl around your head. Then form your opinion. No normal, decent person is one thing, okay? I've got some s*** I'm conservative about, I've got some s*** I'm liberal about."
Chris Rock ("Never Scared" 2004)

That's just a tiny part of the problem with the party political system we suffer under (if anyone still thinks it serves us like it's supposed to is doing a great job of ignoring the facts) but Mr Rock hilighted it really well.

In short though, if you're going to vote in one party or another you've got to trade off the things you agree with and the things you disagree with and go with the party that meets the most important of your views.

None of them fit the bill for me though... which is annoying.

[SueA]

I will vote but purely on who I think will do the best job for our area. In general I agree that most politicians are as bad as one another & I don't have an alliance to any political party as they each have policies I agree/disagree with.

[binley100]

I have voted in every election(not just generals) since 1970 & voted for the same party on each occasion & I don't intend changing now.

Whether you still agree with their policies or not. ?

[bubblewrap]

Whether you still agree with their policies or not. ?

It all boils down to who is closest to what you believe in no party is going to do exactly what you want.