tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292391779446914378.post3474386887256678410..comments2023-10-14T03:29:27.812-07:00Comments on Bid for Freedom!: Labour's desperation...Julie Hepburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03625896364216944508noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292391779446914378.post-11192644920143462472008-06-28T10:21:00.000-07:002008-06-28T10:21:00.000-07:00Julie,I would agree with your sentiments although ...Julie,<BR/><BR/>I would agree with your sentiments although I don't believe any one party has a monopoly on this.<BR/><BR/>In terms of the reasons for becoming a poltiician I think most have pure motives in that they believe there is an ideas gap in public life that only they can fill. You can call that arrogance but I do think it's what initially drives people.<BR/><BR/>After that there's probably an element of going native for many. I suppose again that's a human weakness - anyone that joins such a big group may fall into the habits and worst aspects of that organisation. This is especially true of one which has a selection process which has to create division.<BR/><BR/>Many people's views of politicians are driven by a media that characterises them as all evil. The reality is otherwise, especially if you sit down one-to-one, as you found with the women who 'didn't really mean you'.<BR/><BR/>You're right about FMQs not being about 'beating' the FM, although you can argue that things are no different now than from when the SNP were the Opposition. And it's also true of PMQs.<BR/><BR/>I was a supporter of the Scottish Parliament and think there's many positive innovations. But an FMQs that is designed to undermine the FM and a Standards Committee full of people with partisan leanings does not help us.<BR/><BR/>Still these are all changes which could be made, and that's the positive thing. Whether they actually happen or not is another matter.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292391779446914378.post-42802514608772317762008-06-27T08:55:00.000-07:002008-06-27T08:55:00.000-07:00Hi Jeff. I'm actually a little more pessimistic th...Hi Jeff. I'm actually a little more pessimistic than you are! I don't believe ALL new politicians start with worthy aims, but I do hope that at least MOST of them do.<BR/><BR/>I don't think there is anything wrong with spending a lot of time helping out individuals locally. Sometimes the problems that people approach politicians with may not seem much of a big deal in the grand global scheme of things, but they do matter and often a great deal to the people concerned. But you are right, that doesn't mean that politicians should focus just on 'firefighting' the barrage of local issues, at the expense of trying to affect more strategic changes that will ultimately improve all of our lives. <BR/><BR/>So, I'm not a sleazebag. I perhaps have a touch of the do-gooder about me, but I hope that means in the wider sense and that I won't be ground down by a perception that it's pointless to try and change things.Julie Hepburnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03625896364216944508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8292391779446914378.post-13741828827956109552008-06-27T07:58:00.000-07:002008-06-27T07:58:00.000-07:00Although I believe all new politicians go in with ...Although I believe all new politicians go in with the same, worthy aims, I'm beginning to think there are ultmately 2 types of MPs.<BR/><BR/>(1) The sleazebags. They get sucked into the hurly-burly of it all; the money, the power, the delightful 'Westminster bubble' back-biting along party lines. As time passes, the electorate become a troublesome matter that needs addressed every 4 years but schmooze your way into a safe seat and even that's more and more irrelevant.<BR/><BR/>(2) The do-gooders. They are interested in effecting change and even voting along party lines is not so important as long as the 'correct' decisions are made. The frustration grows at the corruption and grubby career politicians and in the end, due to disenchantment, their mission is less about changing the world and fixing the global wrongs but more about helping the grannies down the road with very local problems and more of a councillor role.<BR/><BR/><BR/>I don't like to be so pessimistic or cynical but it seems to be going that way...<BR/><BR/><BR/>Apologies for my choice of phrase Julie, but I hope you can find a 'third way' when your time inevitably comes...!Jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01485196287282298695noreply@blogger.com