Democrat - October 2006 (Number 98)
Arthur Smelt says the theatre of politics is a horror story
Sick politics bring a
sickening democracy
Widespread political, economic and social contradictions within our social structures are becoming more apparent by the day. Large sections of the population are feeling baffled and cheated by the actions and behaviour of those trusted to make decisions and act in the public interest. There is considerable concern regarding the way in which services of all kinds, public and private have become idiotically complex and are difficult with regard to access and use.
The spectacle of political party conferences has once again run its course for the major parties in much the same way as previous years. They are a kind of theatre where opposition parties act our every poly the can think up to make themselves appear acceptable to the electorate. Now Labour however, like the Tories before them have made such an absolute mess in government their conference involved attempts at damage limitation to justify their appalling mendacity and incompetence. As usual the leadership disregard not only public opinion but mendacity and incompetence.
As usual the leadership disregard not only public opinion but also any decisions made by their rank and file with which they do not agree. History shows us, time after time a familiar pattern of wonderful promises made at election time by politicians of all hues, promises which evaporate on the wind once they arrive in Westminster. After years of bungling the next step is to make us believe that by changing Macbeth for Macduff improvements will start to appear. Blair however is not prepared to hand in his notice yet. One of the reasons behind this could well be that there are no vacancies of sufficient magnitude on the EU Commission where failed politicians like Patten, Kinnock, Mandelson and others are usually handed lucrative jobs where they can continue their political chicanery.
News and information on EU issues seem to be at a minimum at the present time due no doubt to considerable public opposition. In the meantime plans to divide our country up into regions, the intention to implement a European Constitution and an absolute welter of EU diktat is being kept on the back burner or being implemented by stealth. That which cannot be hidden is the chaos being caused by ‘freeing up for competition’ no matter inappropriate it may be.
It is evident our representatives in parliament do not represent ordinary voters but are front men for powerful elements elsewhere. Many areas of the private sector have become so arrogant as a result of such policies that they think they have license to rip off the public. Commercial crime is at an all-time high. Anger is growing with banks, airlines, communications services and others who think they can extract money from people at will.
A glaring example is when some call-centres who keep people waiting indefinitely running up a telephone bill from which there is a rake off. Beware of numbers beginning 0870. Customer satisfaction seems to be non-existent.
To cover up their political misdemeanours, politicians resort to all kinds of subterfuge. The divide and rule technique whereby antagonisms are deliberately fermented between different religious, political or ethnic groups can often provide an effective smokescreen. Examples of this are evident at the present time. In a truly civilised and democratic society it is imperative that co-operation collective interest, human needs and a more equitable social system be worked for instead of individualism hedonism, competition, business profits and the abuse of power.
The EU and its policies is part of the wider global system which promotes all these things which in turn bring about damage of every description including unrest, conflict, famine and inane destructive wars.