People often say (my own mother especially) that if you don't vote, you have no right to criticise the democratic process or any government policy. They also add the cynically manipulative remark that failure to vote makes you somehow lack a sense of civic responsibility which, by default, makes you apathetic about public life. That I don't believe in "rights" notwithstanding I would say that whether you vote or not makes no difference whatsoever and that furthermore I can criticise whomever and whatever I want. There are exceptions, of course, but it is long since Members of Parliament represented their constituents. Who represents my beliefs and sentiments? No one but myself. So why should I assent to the least of the evils presented to me in a voting booth? The major political parties in the United Kingdom are barely distinguishable so, in effect, what I am being called upon to do is choose between three competing secular liberal collectivists bent on the obliteration of Christian values. The fringe parties, like UKIP (with which I have some sympathy), will never form a government and so making the trip to the local school to tick that option would be a waste of time. They can all go hang as far as I am concerned.
Principled abstention has nothing to do with "apathy." A "right" to vote which does not allow the right to abstain is completely meaningless. Ask any North Korean. The only civic responsibilities of which I am truly conscious are my obligations to obey the law, pay my taxes and pray for Caesar - whoever he (or she) is; and Caesar has almost always been a monster. Remember that God called even Nebuchadnezzar "my servant."
"The strongest poison ever known, came from Caesar's laurel crown" William Blake.
God save The Queen!
Hear hear!
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the biggest horrors of Australia, worse than it's glee at the Napoleonick Hate measurements it welcomed (because it thought America was soon to do), is it's compulsory voting.
People fought and died for freedom and liberty, the opposite of which is beaurocrats and politicians telling you what to do, i.e. vote.
If your mother votes, then it follows she is more responsible for the mess. If anyone shouldn't complain it would be those who keep doing these same stupid things over and over again. 2008 was the year I realized we didn't have a valid choice in the U.S.A., so I stopped voting. If anything good is going to happen, it will be something that politicians don't have a thing to do with until it is done.
ReplyDeleteDo you really want to see Ed Miliband as prime minister? If people like you fail to vote Conservative, Miliband and his socialist chums will be in government.
ReplyDeleteNo, I wouldn't want a Jewish Prime Minister, still less an atheistic liberal one and I have to say I have a heart-felt loathing for Mr Miliband.
DeleteFailure to vote Conservative nowadays is surely a good thing. I think that had the Conservatives been pulverised, rather than simply beaten, at the last election they would have split and we'd all be much better off.
It's no good not wanting Miliband for prime minister if you can't stomach your scruples and vote Conservative. If Cameron doesen't win, the atheist liberal will be in Downing Street.
DeleteWhy would anybody vote for the Conservative party? They are in favour of Europe, they brought in gay marriage, and they have done nothing to stop mass immigration. Mr Cameron is certainly no bastion of political or moral conservatism. The only thing he seems to be good at is playing to the BBC and the Guardian by his obvious hatred of his own party.
DeleteThere are a handful of good Conservative MP's; Edward Leigh is an example (although he is compromised by his ardent Thatcherism), but by and large they do not represent their constituents nor are they in most respects distinguishable from the Labour party.
You don't like the EU? Well, the Conservatives are promising a referendum on Europe. Miliband is opposed to that.
DeleteYou don't like mass immigration? Reducing immigration from outside the EU has been a priority for the present government. What is more, Cameron is seeking to negotiate with other EU leaders to curb migrant benefits.
You don't have to agree with everything the Conservative Party has done, I certainly don't. However, there are clear and important policy differences between Labour and the Conservatives.
It will be a cold day in Hell before any such referendum is held. I'm pretty sure that would violate Mr Tusk's human right to dictate British politics.
DeleteAs for "clear and important" differences between the Labour and Conservative party, perhaps you can see them but I certainly can't.
I'm sort of with Patricius on this one. Were I a British citizen, I would go out of my way to vote UKIP.
DeleteI am broadly in sympathy with UKIP (particularly their policy on the smoking ban) but it's hard not to see them as like the old Monster Raving Loony Party.
DeleteStill better than anything we have in the States. There would be rejoicing here if we had a third party who was doing even half as well as UKIP.
DeleteIndeed. I think I will vote for Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim-bus-stop-F'tang-F'tang-Olé-Biscuitbarrel. I don't know whether he is Jewish, but then my vote will negate your vote for Screaming Lord Sutch. Long live the queen, and let's sell castles back to the French... oh, and let's correctly label all veg in the markets as for oral use only. All the other policies are too radical.
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