Why does 2011 feel like 1981!
I feel a rant coming on.
May, so far, has shown (to me at least) that there is common misconception in the country that our politicians are useless but the best we can hope for.
Only apathy makes this true.
I guiltily didn’t vote in the last locals or in referendum for AV. But it was at least a conscious decision. in my local ward the choice of councillors were the incumbent useless idiots (labour) or the three completely unknown tories. We didn’t get told anything about their policies, or them and none of them bothered to drop even a simple leaflet through the door. And as for AV, we didn’t get any information about that either, other than a pamphlet through the door that said SAY NO to AV, but nothing else – no arguments why and no information from the Yes campaign at all.
So it really isn’t my apathy I am ranting about but that of the country and of the politicians themselves.
At the last election we had a real chance to change the political landscape in the country by not voting for the usual suspects. Unfortunately not enough of use did it and since then we have been ConDem-ed to a return to Thatcherism.
Don’t be fooled by the inclusion of the Lib democrats – they are just there for the power now. 100 years or so out of power and they don’t want to let go now.
Already local services are being cut, and like the Thatcher government we are being told that it’s not the government that’s doing it as it’s up to the local council that decides what to cut. True – but they have been told very clearly that they have to cut something – and it’s going to be the obvious stuff that’s going to go. So if your vulnerable (old, disabled, or otherwise) your buggered. Live in a small village without a car – better hope that the village store doesn’t go bust – because there won’t be a bus to take you out of town.
The Police service is being cut – your government will tell you they are making efficiencies in the back office – possibly – but 85% of the police budget is manpower so to meet the cuts required of them they will have to cut people.
The NHS is getting a "real" increase in funding – doubt it – they still have to pay for energy, fuel, etc. I know that the increase is inflation + a bit, but we all know that our costs have gone up more than inflation – imagine that multiplied by the scale of a hospital and then answer me if it’s a "Real" increase. Add that to the usual attempts by the Tories to privatise everything in sight – and get ready for cuts cuts cuts.
It’s about time we all started to get a little more involved and started to send a message to all of the main parties that they need to work for us!
