Why Vote

[Maggie/915]

These days are children may not see the need to vote!

Democracy may not be good for all, but it is said to be the best of the alternatives.

I cannot imagine a time when we did not have the privilege to vote.

This is a topic that I think demands discussion.

We now feel the politicians can be corrupt.

The local council used to be referred to as Ali Baba and the forty thieves.

Vote for Malcolm Robinson MP for Bedlington

[Keith Scantlebury]

Be careful what you ask for Maggie it may well happen, perish the thought

[keith lockey]

Democracy, with this government, means I am now going to have to pay £10 more for a spare room I have. A room in a house I have lived in for 16 years in a street I have lived in for 52 years. This from a government that

NOBODY

voted into power. We once had at least a three-party vote in this country. Now, Thanks to Gordo we have one - the tories. Don't talk of democracy as if it is a great thing. Even the Greeks, the so-called founders of democracy, were more tyrannical than most people think.

[the lone ranger]

i have voted a lot years but last election is the last time for my vote , i have not got any faith in any party good by

[keith lockey]

i have voted a lot years but last election is the last time for my vote , i have not got any faith in any party good by

Same here, Lone Ranger, so much for democracy.

[tonyg]

if you have no penefits you pay nothing

[Symptoms]

M195 wrote: "Vote for Malcolm Robinson MP for Bedlington"

Well, let's hear from the Man himself. Of course, background checks will have to be made to see if he's suitable.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Maggie you have just increased the Trolls activity on this site by 250%!

I would like to take my name out of this..............for the time being!

Maggie/Sym would you object?

[Symptoms]

Rest ye well Maggie and Symptoms for I have examined him and he is clean. Verily I say unto you that my true servant The Malcolm Robinson of Judean People's Front would get my vote.

[Adam Hogg]

The problem with not voting in my opinion is if you don't vote you can't complain about who gets in power, E.G everyone in my house did not vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner because they thought it was a waste of money for the public and their time going to vote for it, i thought the same. However I did go to vote for the Police and Crime Commissioner, so i think i have a right to say they are a waste of the public's tax money, while i don't think my family do because they did not vote.

[keith lockey]

I sort of see your point Adam, but I reckon I have a right to complain because I have no confidence in the people to vote for!! If you get my drift! By that I mean I want to vote but there is no one I trust or care to vote for. Let's say a general election is called for with the present runners; Look at my choice - David Cameron, Nick Clegg or Ed Milliband. It is totally disheartening! Why bother? I would just be voting one incompetant in to replace another. So my none vote is sort of a stand against the choices I have.

[Adam Hogg]

But the thing is Keith you are never voting for the party or the leader of that party, you are voting for the person standing as MP, Councillor, etc. in your area not the leader of that party.

[keith lockey]

Point taken, Adam, but he still represents party - leader politics.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Not a reasonable position to say there is voter apathy unless there is a NOTA on the ballot papers.

I was never happy with the choices on offer!

I presume Keef2 you would use that?

Spoilt papers used to be counted until the last election where there was a movement to jump on that for all disaffected voters.

[Adam Hogg]

True Keith but some don't follow party politics, like our MP Ian Lavery, Blyth's Ronnie Campbell and The Beast of Bolsover Dennis Skinner is pro nationalized Industry, Anti EU, etc something Labour is not at the moment, not to say it may change. But shows not all MP's follow Party Leaders or Party Politics.

[keith lockey]

It's a complex business, Adam. It makes you wonder why people want to run for the job. Like the Lone Ranger says, I've got no faith in any party. What amazed me the last time was the amount of people I knew who voted BNP - because of the reasons above.

[Malcolm Robinson]

The police commissioners looked to me to be a typical knee jerk reaction to particular problems in some constabularies. Too hot for our normal politicos to handle, or was there just too many skeletons which the cops had the keys for, so farm the problem out. Same way consultants are brought in to handle the bad news/reorganisations/mine closures etc. Whatever these new cop watchers bring in now its nowt to do with our present wonderful crop of political clowns!

Under the old system we had a semblance of democratic control over policing now unless we go the whole American hog and we see elected sheriffs I can't see where the democracy comes in. Unless we regard a single elected police commissioner with a £6 grand deposit and political party allegiance as democratic enough.

[Adam Hogg]

True at the end of the day Keith it is not my job to as people to get out there and vote but if you think you can change things vote or even stand what harm can it do?

[Adam Hogg]

Same way consultants are brought in to handle the bad news/reorganisations/mine closures etc.

Or Heads Of the NCB (Scottish Americans)

[Malcolm Robinson]

Mine closures.........Adam.

[keith lockey]

I went to a Neighbourhood Watch meeting years ago. The building was full of council reps and big wig police chiefs. It was the time of the hoodies and ASBOs were just emerging. Well this police chief shot this old guy down in flames because he couldn't recognise the kids who were throwing bricks at his windows. Everyone was gobsmacked, even the pcs who were in attendance. This guy was trying to explain that he couldn't recognise the kids because they were wearing hoods - the police chief just couldn't take it in, told this guy the police couldn't help him if he wasn't willing to name names. Stupendous! Head-brick wall - head against brick wall!!!

[threegee]

Or Heads Of the NCB (Scottish Americans)

You don't need to import people to do that, you just use good old local Labour Party talent. Seems to help if you can preside over the mass slaughter of innocent kiddies too!

Mind you those were the days when you could cover up just about anything. A nod and a wink to the right people; a hint of a gong down the line; a peerage to the really compliant big shots; and, if all else failed, a D Notice to gag the press - sorted!

Malc. do you think an elected P. Com. is going to put their head on the block to cover up something like another Hillsborough? Be grateful for what crumbs of democracy we are thrown by the political elite, and then keep on asking for more. One of these days we'll get asked to consent to something that really matters - like our de-facto EU membership! One of these days they might even notice that we now live in a data-centric society, and that you can take a vote near instantaneously, at minuscule cost, and as often as you want - so there's actually no need for an "elected representative".

[Malcolm Robinson]

In the wake of the disaster Robens refused to allow the NCB to fund the removal of the remaining tips from Aberfan, despite the fact that the Davies Tribunal concluded that the NCB's liability was "incontestible and uncontested".

Despite this conclusion, Robens refused to pay the full cost. This put the Trustees of the Disaster Fund, which had been raised by public appeal, under "intolerable pressure". Robens then "raided" the Fund for £150,000 (£1.8 million at 2003 prices[6])to cover the cost of removing the tips – an action that was "unquestionably unlawful" under charity law – and the Charity Commission took no action to protect the Fund from Robens's dubious appropriation of funds.

Flipping heck..........didn't know that GGG.

[Adam Hogg]

Malc. do you think an elected P. Com. is going to put their head on the block to cover up something like another Hillsborough?

It was proved that not only were the police to blame for the cover up, but also the Government. Now Threegee Who was the prime minister at the time and what party did they belong to? We all wonder?

But what i would like to see is all the Information about the 1984-85 miners strike disclosed wonder what would be in that, As I had a look on the National Archives and papers of the Chairman and the Vice-Chairman of the National Coal Board. From 1943-1997 are Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated, so what is there to hide. Also a lot of other documents about the National Coal Board are listed the same Subject to 30 year closure unless otherwise stated.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Malc. do you think an elected P. Com. is going to put their head on the block to cover up something like another Hillsborough? Be grateful for what crumbs of democracy we are thrown by the political elite, and then keep on asking for more. One of these days we'll get asked to consent to something that really matters - like our de-facto EU membership! One of these days they might even notice that we now live in a data-centric society, and that you can take a vote near instantaneously, at minuscule cost, and as often as you want - so there's actually no need for an "elected representative".

GGG,

I think they are the movement we are surreptitiously shown by sleight of hand artists, so we think we can see the trick. It's called misdirection!

I didn't think much of the previous system but at least we had a band of elected councillors sitting on policing panels looking into all aspects of policing in their jurisdiction. Now all Vera can look into is budgets isn't it?

It's not democracy being enlarged, its democracy being withdrawn!

Quasi militia of all types need to be adequately overseen by the communities they serve or it's the communities who become the servants! "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes”, and all that!