Because the left aren’t doing the ordinary people any favours Lincs.
It’s time to kick Labour (spit!) and Conservatives into the long grass and put reform in…
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I agree that this current UK government is a major disappointment. But I was not writing about today and the UK current perceived third option. I was talking about voting over the last few decades and more than just the UK. I was asking the question why people stuck in low income jobs or even on social support (when they do vote) step out and vote for a right of centre party which has a core goal of retaining / growing the wealth of the very rich? What motivates that vote? Again, I will point to what you yourself hinted at in your previous post.
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Not so much that they vote for, but that they vote against perceived failure which has run its’ course.
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But do people really do that consistently over decades? Nope, I don’t think so. And as you say - perceived failure - when in fact the track record of economic performance of right and left are as bad / good as each other. So are we saying that the right is good at selling the idea of perceived failure of the left?
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Yes, inasmuch as after a few years, the incumbent party has created a few open goals.
This is inevitable/inexorable anyway IMHO, based on Gödel’s Axiom of Incompleteness (which is, in layman’s terms, that creating a solution to one set of problems leads to a new set of problems).
In simple terms, running a chaotic economic, social non deterministic system is a game of whack-a-mole.
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This is the way I look at it. It’s not a right or left wings thing that effect the majority of the people, it’s both sides. The average person is one of two things. One, they are uninformed/ill informed of the situation and can not see the whole picture or don’t want to think or do a little research to form their own opinion. Or secondly, they are unsatisfied with their situation and vote for the lesser of the two evils.
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Another thing people should look at. It not the left or right politicians it both sides that are abusing or taking advantage of the laws that they have the capability of changing, but do you think they are going to cut their own throats and get rid of laws that help them? No!
When the government cuts funds for anything and I hope your not under the delusion that money goes back to the people because it doesn’t and goes to something else that is not working and throwing more money at it, thinking that will fix the problem.
Another thing is, look how politicians that go into office on a wage if around $150,000 a year and in a few years are multi millionaires. I don’t understand how people vote them back into office.
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From afar it does seem that the US system of lobbying and the need for very large campaign funds is a recipe for this form of corruption. It can be changed if there ever was an appetite from politicians to take away their opportunity to gain serious wealth…erm?
I can only speak for the area in which I live, I only have a passive interest in national affairs.
Everyone except business owners and those who considered themselves middle class, voted for labour. They stood for the working man and his trials and tribulations. Over the years the labour party has drifted away from it’s original format and become more or less Tory.
In my opinion the rot set in with Blair, hence the swing to conservative after Brown, and is finally coming to head with Starmer, he does not represent me or the working class.
I don’t particularly see politics as left or right, just those who are in it for the money and those who are in it because they want the UK to continue being the UK and not diluted.
Lesser parties are becoming popular because they claim to know what the public want, hence Boris being voted in, even by working class people round here, because he said he can ‘Get Brexit Done’ and in my opinion he made a good job of it, albeit, half done.
You are very well aware of the outstanding problems that we face in Britain, and any party, left, right, green, or Reform, who can come up with a solution will be voted in. The people would be prepared for the growing wealth of the very rich to benefit if they can come up with an answer. Just wait to see what happens at the next election, which might not be as faraway as you expect…
You have certainly identified half the reason why there is a shift to populist people and parties. That is a charismatic leader with a claim of ready answers. That person with empty but attractive promises seems to be able, time after time, to gain support and votes. And as you rightly point out, the lack of visible improvements by the traditional parties has made for easy pickings - criticism of their lack of positive change is easy.
The warning that is not heeded is that the ready answers don’t work. Every single time - you’ve just noted one example.
But there is another half to this populist drum beat. The ready answer is half the story. The other part is identifying something or some group to fear or dislike or resent. If you look at populist rhetoric its as much about pointing out groups or movements to dislike as it is promoting answers. Which is useful as it means avoiding putting details and practical aspects to these answers.
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The gaping hole of what is not being discussed is the tremendous disadvantages that the young face for not having been born into a nuclear family. While only at 9% during the 1950s -1960s, that percentage is now at a whopping 25% and growing. The causality between the opportunities, resources, education - and generations wealth - of children in single-parent households is glaringly obvious and packed in peer-reviewed research.
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This is what you get when society becomes all embracing and accepting and is without rules of morality and religious guidance.
Reap what you sow!
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I think you can be secular in your “beliefs” and still understand and celebrate the critical importance of maintaining the nuclear family.
Of interest, I watched a documentary on wolves last night in which a female was living alone. In time, she encountered and bonded with another (likely her mother) female who accepted her. The first joined the second in rearing of the pups to the point that she produced milk, but too devoted to the pups and with no provider, the first never left to find food, and in a matter of weeks, she starved to death. The second female with the pups was soon encountered by a large pack of males and females, and in keeping with inherent pack “rules”, without an alpha male to protect them, the other males killed the pups to ensure that only he alpha’s pups would be successful - classic Darwinism.
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Forgive me if I’m wrong OGF, but I thought you were an atheist.
Hey, Annie! Long time no read!
Interesting conversation is with the atheist or agnostic who supports religion.
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The more I see what is happening to modern society the more I realise that religion was the catalyst that bonded a community together. You’ve got to admit, as we draw further away from religion, the more society accepts the things that were once considered wrong . You don’t need to be religious to abide by it’s guidance Annie.
Perhaps I’m just stuck in the past, but I can’t help the way I was brought up, and taught the difference between right and wrong. Too old to change now.
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I can’t explain it, but I always feel comfortable around religious people. Perhaps I don’t feel threatened in their company. And it’s not just Catholics or protestants either, that’s probably why I embrace Mormon’s, JoH witnesses etc when they appear at my door.
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I couldn’t agree more.
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Good food bonds souls with each other!
"I was about to say so!"
“Son what did you want to know, nothing dad, the Bug isn’t in your soup anymore!”
She has Piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle jeans and is 20 years older than me!"
We share a dream in the woods, living in a mini home and have cut the stack of wood!
“I’m disgusted when I see guys with hot young chicks! An old guy with a Teenager hottie!
Young women, Couples, or Groups, Any person actually!”
all you need is…money
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