The Palace of Westminster – It’s our Parliament too ! Over the past few weeks of the UK’s election campaign, I’ve noticed many readers saying in comments & emails ‘its just not worth voting'. Never could I disagree with a statement more than this. As citizens, British subjects, the electorate, the one thing we have to hold our politicians to account, to maintain or change the way we are governed, and help decide our nation’s future, is the ballot box. Use the opportunity we have today, participate, and vote !
Some politicians say they are giving us an invitation to join the Government. Well, if that is the case, use your vote, and power as a citizen to ‘join’ such a Government, and hold them to account on each & every issue, policy or law they propose, address or change, along with the very way they may govern us if elected.
Some politicians say we, the people, are the boss. This is the way it should be. If you feel this way, use your vote and power as a citizen to ensure they continue to do their best for the country, and you, through the good times and the bad.
Some politicians say we need a change in British politics, that it should be cleaned up once & for all, and that the very nature of how we vote should be changed to allow ‘wider representation’ of the population. If you feel that way, then again, use your vote and power as a citizen to bring such change, and never let up until such change is upon us.
Some politicians say we need a local champion fighting for Scots at Westminster. We certainly do. All the candidates in Scotland, for whichever political party they are standing for, are very much local champions in their own constituencies. If you feel we need those local champions, find yours, and vote for them !
Lets face it, you can be rest assured the professions will be voting in their numbers, to ensure, or help along the party they wish to be in power … so we as individuals should also use our vote, to make our voice heard.
So, to my readers today … certainly to those of you who may have given up on the political process – take a few minutes out of your day, go along and vote for whichever candidate, local champion, or political party you feel will do their best for the nation, you, your family, your finances, your wellbeing, the causes you may campaign on, or the injustice you may fight, personal or otherwise. We cant grumble if we don't participate, so participate !
18 comments:
Voted this morning as I feel the same its no use complaining about them if we dont vote !
"Lets face it, you can be rest assured the professions will be voting in their numbers, to ensure, or help along the party they wish to be in power … so we as individuals should also use our vote, to make our voice heard."
If it stops the Law Society coming forward to whoever gets in and saying "we delivered the election for you" I will go out and vote!
I wouldnt blame anyone who wont vote this time I mean look at who is all standing the same expenses crooks as before and now all that has been forgotten they are just not worth the time
Any suggestions on who to vote for ?
pity you arent on the ballot because that would really piss the lawyers off!
# Anonymous @ 18.37
Choose someone or a political party you feel will listen to you and represent your interests, before those of vested interests ...
Peter
I would reply to your comment by saying that such a person or party does not exist in politics.They get where they are by doing deals with industry & business who will always come before the ordinary voter.
Just try arranging a meeting with your MP when he/she would rather meet with the bank,law firm or whoever it is the voter is having problems with!
Criminals the lot of them!
Pleased to see you agree Scots should have their local champion in London!
Who would that be now?
Having said all that what do you think of the f*up of a result ?
House of CommonsThe Palace of Westminster – It’s our Parliament too ! Over the past few weeks of the UK’s election campaign, I’ve noticed many readers saying in comments & emails ‘its just not worth voting'. Never could I disagree with a statement more than this.
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I agree with your comment Peter, political participation in a general election does not happen often, and it is of paramount importance to vote. But politics is not just about elections and voting, it affects justice, equality, the allocation of scarce resources. Just look at the chaos in Greece.
We live in a democracy and it is our democratic right to hold MPs MSPs etc to account because they are employed and answerable to us. Sir Bernard Crick said "Politics is essential to freedom", it is because we have freedom of speech, expression that dissent is alive.
It reminds me of Reclaim the Streets in New York, a pressure group who were angry at the then Mayor of the city were people were being stopped by the police for nothing.
The protestors cut off a whole block, dressed in suits and dresses, set up a loudspeaker system which player Vivaldi's four seasons, drank tea, and handed out leaflets critisising the Mayor's policies which infringed civil rights. The police turned up in riot gear. One passer by asked a policeman what the police were doing there, and the policeman said "we are protecting the public from this disturbance". The cop was doing a better job than the protestors.
I think people are really angry about expenses and politicians have to understand that we are not here to be bled of every penny to support their lifestyles. Politics is sort of recession proof, MPs do not struggle to pay their way.
I support the union too because I am Scottish and British.
I will never meet Mr Salmond but I am glad the Scottish people vote Labour. Mr Salmond wanting independence is wrong, I support the union and hope many of my fellow Scots keep doing so.
So, to my readers today … certainly to those of you who may have given up on the political process – take a few minutes out of your day, go along and vote for whichever candidate, local champion, or political party you feel will do their best for the nation, you, your family, your finances, your wellbeing, the causes you may campaign on, or the injustice you may fight, personal or otherwise. We cant grumble if we don't participate, so participate !
Yes indeed Peter, and all of the above are determined by policymaking, what political scientists refer to as issue networks and policy communities, the latter like the BMA or the former the campaigns highlighting single issues.
Take the regulation of the legal profession. The Law Society control the policymaking process. It is unelected, but Salmond and MacAskill may as well be in Lorna Jacks or Phillip Yellands shoes. We are talking about the political will, and I would never trust Salmond or MacAskill because they are traitors to their constituents supporters of a legal dictatorship.
Ascotland Against Crooked Lawyers www.sacl/info rogues gallery state
"Lord Hamilton abuses his position to cover-up legal misconduct and criminality in Scotland's courts".
What has Lord Hamilton done about this, Nothing, and this criminal dictates to the Scottish people what is acceptable to the court. Get real Lord Hamilton you are an insult to Scotland and its people.
Western Social Science was created by dissent against the clergy.
Dissent is the vehicle that crushes injustice. Dissent in the periphery grows and overcomes established beliefs and prejudices.
An army can crush a rebellion, but not an imagination. An army of lawyers cannot crush the drive for justice.
Long live dissent, it will crush self regulation and clean up the filth that have the label Legal Profession.
Dissent Mr Douglas Mill, cause your resignation. Parents tell your little ones about the criminals in wigs.
Watch Out for Crooked Doctors
One’s health is so important to them they will do about anything a doctor tells them to do toward trying to find healing. Such was the situation with me, which brought me to a big discovery: doctors are the cause of our faltering social security and Medicare system—not by accident, but by design.
Social Security trustees say the program's financial problems will grow as baby boomers retire. The program will pay out more in benefits than it collects in revenue in 2018, they say. By 2042, they say, the trust fund will be exhausted, and tax income will be sufficient to pay only 73 percent of scheduled benefits. (St. Petersburg Times, January 16, 2005)
Before I retired and went on Medicare, I averaged one visit per year to my medical doctor for my annual physical check-up, and about four times per year to my allergist who treated my asthma. Other than that, I called and made appointments on an as-need basis.
Then I went on Medicare and suddenly (it seemed) my health got worse although I wasn’t aware of any major changes in my physical condition. My doctor started sending me to this specialist and that specialist—whom I frequently learned were friends of theirs. I really thought something must be wrong with me to merit being sent to so many specialists for so many tests. The problem with all these doctor’s visits was that after they asked a few questions and wrote something on my health chart, they would stand up and say I’ll see you in two—or three—months.
Never a diagnosis, never a search for a cure to whatever ailed me! Boy, was I an idiot for a long time. Then when I got sent for an MRI at a beautiful newly built clinic and went back to my doctor for the results, I expected some sort of diagnosis, but got none. Instead, he tried to tell me that I had arthritis—which I don’t and never have had—and wanted me to go see the doctor across the hall from him. When I left his office, I decided to go across the hall and see this doctor’s office he wanted me to go to. Lo and behold, not a single patient sat in the waiting room and the doctor came up the hall when the door opened to see if he might have a patient. The punch line to this story is that my doctor was passing me around to other doctors or medical teams that needed business.
WHAT A HELLAVA WAY FOR THEM TO ABUSE THE MEDICARE SYSTEM--NOT TO MENTION THEIR TRUSTING PATIENTS!
In this day and time when MONEY has become GOD to many medical professionals, one has to be very selective in choosing a doctor (especially if you're on Medicare or have a good insurance plan). One also must be the caretaker of his/her own body and monitor their own health by always looking for causes of sicknesses or illnesses on their own. You can’t afford to be so naive as to leave your total health care up to a doctor, because he’ll write a prescription and tell you to come back in two or three weeks, and then he’ll write another prescription without ever knowing what in the hell was wrong with you in the first place.
BE THE CARETAKER OF THAT TEMPLE, YOUR BODY, GOD HAS GIVEN YOU, AND DON’T PUT YOUR TOTAL FAITH IN ANY DOCTOR.
P.S. I'd like to note that there are some great doctors out there who truly care about their patients. Just be selective until you find such a person.
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MONEY CHANGES EVERYTHING AND SELF REGULATION IS A LICENCE TO MAKE MONEY.
Consider your doctor to be the same as your banker or lawyer, then you will not expect too much because make no mistake, they all protect insurance companies and each other.
These are the people laypersons have no rights against no legal political rights.
Well I'm happy to say I didn't vote and look what we have now !
Hardly worth voting for as I always thought !
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