Democracy Has Jumped The Shark

[poliphilo]

I am sick of reading political news and comment.

It used to be the first thing I did every morning after making breakfast. I'd call up my on-line Guardian and flick straight to Comment to find out what those clever folk in Lunnon were saying about smiley Mr Blair or grumpy Mr Brown.

I won't say I never do it any more, but the fun has gone out of it.

These characters bore me. It's like soap opera. The same stories keep coming round. The shark has been jumped.

And I begin to understand why 17 year olds, interviewed on the street, can't name the leader of the conservative party.

Politics used to be about ideology. That ended with the defeat of socialism. Now everyone's a little Englander and mildly racist and equally afraid of Rupert Murdoch.

The next election will be a contest between clones. It doesn't matter who wins because either way the product will be the same.

It's like All-Saints v the Spice Girls- only with ugly men in suits.

Comments

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I don't know how it is you your country. IN this country, we've always been told that 'anyone can grow up to be President'.

Except 'anyone' can't. Politics has become the property of RICH OLD MEN. Yes, I know, we have a few women in politics, and some of them are even in positions of 'power'. But...

It IS discouraging. If you remember, five years ago people registered their displeasure and voted for a third party candidate, and we ended up with ...what we have now.

Sometimes I hear myself encouraging my younger friends and the students here at the University - "But, your vote DOES make a difference." Does it, though? Does it really?

We have a new 'star' in American politics, Barach Obama. He is a liberal, a Democrat, a well educated young man. He's African American. He also comes from money. If American were the country it likes to boast that it is, he'd be the rule, and not the exeption. But he's the exception for the color of his skin. That is the first thing that you read in his campaign literature, it's the first thing the Democratic party pushes in your face...

He is the only African-American currently serving in the U.S. Senate, the fifth in U.S. history and the third since Reconstruction. The 2004 U.S. Senate election in Illinois made history as the first Senate election to feature black nominees from both major parties.

it isn't that it isn't important. But how can rich politicians - black, white, pink, green, man, woman or neuter - represent so many people in this country when we are most certainly not all rich.

You're right, Tony. Politics are digusting. And ugly.

And very discouraging.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I saw Obama speak at the Democratic convention.

I agree wholeheartedly. It's shocking that you have to be rich to run for high office.

Here in Britain the Labour party (Blair's party) was founded to represent the interests of the Working class. In the early days many of its members of parliament had come up through the trades unions. These days they're all lawyers and academics and businessmen.

[halfmoon-mollie.livejournal.com]

I saw Obama speak at the Democratic convention.

He is an amazing speaker, isn't he? And I don't mean that he won't be a good senator. It looks as though he is The Great Annointed, and eventually he will run for President.

I didn't mean he is disgusting. It's just...the whole stupid thing is discouraging, and sad. I don't think it is what the people who founded this country had in mind...

of course...some of them were rich politicians, as well.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I uess most of the founding fathers were fairly rich.

But Lincoln can't have been- at least not in his origins. I've been to the Lincoln birthplace and the boyhood home and they're nothing more than shacks.