Voting apathy

[felix]

What's that called again: market mechanism That's all we need, everybody recognising/understanding that this is the way the world works (and has been working from the start

Ah yes, the free market economy. It does work (more or less) and always has but ---

That's real democracy

No it isn't. It's capitalism. One pound = one vote. Democracy is one person = one vote. The two rarely agree and so we must arrive at a compromise. The optimum solution can be found somewhere between Karl Marx and Rupert Murdoch.

Or maybe not. I have a friend who claims that someday capitalism and socialism will destroy each other and something new as yet undreamt of will emerge from the ruins. He might be right. I can't see homo sapiens being top ape on this planet for another 5 billion years. It's much more likely to be a machine - but not if Microsoft have anything to do with it!

 

[WoodYouLike]

Ah yes, the free market economy. It does work (more or less) and always has but ---

That's real democracy

No it isn't. It's capitalism. One pound = one vote.

I appreciate your thought Felix, but you have to quote me correctly:

No subsidies anymore, no more expansive loans to big companies from taxpayers money.

That's real democracy

Meaning: free market mechanism stops governments 'saving' (and spilling money, our money on) bad-run companies. Well run companies survive, pay taxes, employe people who pay taxes etc. Taxes which then can be used for the real issues (I don't want to go so far to put schooling, hospitals etc on the free market mechanism).

I don't call that capitalism, I would call that common sense (ah well, there you go: government - common sense ? ? )

 

[felix]

Sorry WoodYouLike you're quite right. I stand guilty of leaving a bit out of the quote.

 

[AdamW]

those who don't vote, don't have a party to represent their point of view.

About a century ago, plenty of people felt that and so the Labour party was born. But, a lot of people (especially in the north) were facing a very real danger of starvation due to the shifts in industry and the policies of the day. Now I moan about anti-middle class policies of Blair's gang, but I really don't think they would let me starve.

Perhaps people are too safe to be interested in politics?

 

[2scoops0406]

those who don't vote, don't have a party to represent their point of view.

About a century ago, plenty of people felt that and so the Labour party was born. But, a lot of people (especially in the north) were facing a very real danger of starvation due to the shifts in industry and the policies of the day. Now I moan about anti-middle class policies of Blair's gang, but I really don't think they would let me starve.

Perhaps people are too safe to be interested in politics?

Oh, I dunno, if you claim to be a scientist, then you're gonna be well poor in this country. This country seems to hate people who can actually do things, just sell 'em a policy, it's quick clean and doesn't require you to get your hands dirty, god forbid, that's kind of base activity is best left to tradesmen..... (spit)

 

[AdamW]

I just looked up the word "cynical" in the dictionary, and there was a picture of a guy in a Toyota Landcruiser next to it

 

[2scoops0406]

Not built in this country

 

[kendor]

Things come around in circles, up until around the 19th century britain's was not an engineering based economy more a financial one it seems that we are diverting back to this with other countries producing better and cheaper but britain is still one of the financial hubs of the world.
perhaps a second industrial revolution will happen in a hundred years or so?
Or perhaps the wise men with the money have seen that industry is about to come to a decline with lack of resources to back it up and have decided on a service rather than a production basis for an economy.

A rather bigger scale of what goes on now with agencies hiring sub contractors rather than having them on their books.

This is something britain have been masters of since the middle ages, get others to do the work and just reap the benefits of the finished product.

So perhaps it's natural evolution that we find ourselves once more as non producers?

 

[WoodYouLike]

Perhaps people are too safe to be interested in politics?

Adam, I think you're right. Complacency rules? No matter who wins the election, the real effect on our day-to-day life will be minimum.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Those who dont vote have not got a point of view

Or looking at it another way, those who don't vote, don't have a party to represent their point of view.

Or even another way, those who do vote, don't get a party to represent there point of view either.

Or those that do vote don't have a point of view, just suckers for political indoctrination.

 

[jasy]

Perhaps people are too safe to be interested in politics?

Adam, I think you're right. Complacency rules? No matter who wins the election, the real effect on our day-to-day life will be minimum.

There you go, somebody who complains about it but wont do anything about it. no comebacks you aint got none!

 

[WoodYouLike]

I never complain