Saturday, May 23, 2009

Time for REAL Change

It feels to me like we are at a time of real opportunity.

We have a political crisis that gets deeper day after day. We are being told daily of expenses abuses by Members of Parliament (MP's). The MP's
'fingered' so far are from all three major political parties. The list gets longer and longer. No party comes out of this smelling of Roses. Frankly this stinks. I think it is definitely the most serious political crisis in Britain in my lifetime.

And yet this may be a time when we have a real opportunity to change things.

MP’s seem frightened of their shadows at the moment. They are no doubt worried about just what and who are going to be exposed
by the Daily Telegraph each day.

MP’s are supposed to be the people we look up to and they have totally destroyed any trust we are supposed to have in them. So many of them seem to have had their head in the trough.

The public of the UK are very angry and are demanding change.

Someone said to me this week – “It’s fine having a General Election … but who the hell do we vote for?”

We have a real opportunity to see radical change – the emergence of new politicians who are motivated for the right reasons.

A phoenix can rise from the flames. Let’s hope so.

I would like to see a complete change with the creation of new political movements that stand for ethics, integrity, common sense and simplicity.

Sometimes I think to myself ... “Am I exaggerating? – is it really as serious as I'm thinking?”

I keep answering myself – “Yes it is as serious as that.”

As far as I can see MP’s have lost all credibility – none of them are now trusted, simply because we don’t know all the information about this expenses scandal …

Yet ….


10 comments:

Dan Gunter said...

Trevor,

Political greed, corruption, and abuse of power and position seem to be all too universal. But I do hope the media, et al, press hard to reveal the facts and details.

People can make jokes and remarks about the "court of public opinion," but guess what? It was that public's votes that put them in office, so they SHOULD INDEED be accountable to the court of public opinion.

If not now, just let a few honest, credible people get their names on the ballot come election time.

The "jury" will return its "verdict" and a few of the defendants will probably be shocked when they are read the verdict of "You're out of office... go home and make a mess of your own life... you're not taking a whole country with you."

Trevor Gay said...

Thanks Dan – there is an old saying that ‘we get the politicians we deserve’ so I guess apathy has probably brought all this about to some degree.

Whatever the reasons I sense a new feeling in Britain among the people I speak to make these people accountable.

The media is to be applauded wholeheartedly for exposing the reality of what our ‘masters’ are doing with public money.

What irritates me most is how these sanctimonious people are the every same people who have the nerve to criticise unemployed people for abusing benefits systems.

It would be laughable if it were not so serious.

Dan Gunter said...

It all makes it more and more tempting to try and get on the show "Survivor" ... and never return. At least if the contestants were stranded there permanently, they could resort to cannibalism when someone betrays the group's trust.

Problem solved. Would give all new meaning to the term "job 'well done'" at the banquet when someone got "fired."

Steve said...

"We have a real opportunity to see radical change – the emergence of new politicians who are motivated for the right reasons."

it should be trevor but in my humble opinion the more things change the more they stay the same; politics, politicians, government workers: nothing changes partially because even if someone wants to make change they find that what exists is good for them too and they won't get accepted by their peers. chicago has a very healthy attitude. the people don't care how much money the mayor's family makes from certain businesses (i.e. monoploy on van service from airport) as long as he does right by the city....which he has done. i don't think i'm cynical...just realistic. and, we can't change anyone else, only ourselves.
take care.
steve

Trevor Gay said...

Hi Steve - Nothing wrong with being a realist which is probably what you are rather than cynical.

I would love to see some people standing for honesty, integrity, ethical and simplicity.

I think the apathy of voters could be overcome if we had such people running our governments both national and local.

Dan Gunter said...

Sadly, most people have to hurt in order to change. In the case of politics, the ones who usually end up getting hurt the worst are not the ones in office, rather they are the ones who cast the votes in trust and hope but got burned.

For the voters (people) that change comes in the form of electing someone different and all too frequently getting the same results.

Dan Gunter said...

Trevor,

I agree with you, but far too many a person with real integrity fear running for public office because they fear "guilt by association." The ones that do campaign and get elected cry out for truth, justice, integrity, etc., but end up adopting the very ways they swore to fight and abolish.

Perhaps if a person is consistently surrounded by corruption, they participate in out for reasons of expediency at first, and eventually come to embrace it out of familiarity.

Like you, however, I wish we could figure out how to break the vicious cycle once and for all.

Trevor Gay said...

Dan – Thanks for your excellent comments as always.

I am hoping upon hope that the latest deepening scandal here in the UK will mean a root and branch change in politics.

The current crop of over 600 MP’s are tarnished with the abuse of expenses.

The party political system is in a shambolic mess because we, the voters, have no idea which party is credible any more – they have all had their snouts in the trough.

I am however an eternal optimist and I still believe the great British public will rise above this crisis in spite of political leadership rather than because of it.

Dan Gunter said...

"All movement occurs as it is being inhibited." -- Humberto Maturana, Biologist.

Trevor Gay said...

Like it Dan - We British are always at our best when the back is against the wall.