I can't be alone in thinking this, can I?
I have to admit I would really appreciate just being able to vote and move on now.
And I say that as a self-acknowledged political geek.
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I’m flipping the TV & Radio over/off as soon as a ppb/peb comes on, regardless of party. My husband says we can’t afford to buy a new telly if I throw things at them.
Nope. This is a short campaign, as far as I am concerned. Just spent 2 years fighting the Indyref, this a mere walk in the park.
Plus there is still time to argue for progessive politics and parties. Scotland is switched on, but we have still to get the peoples of WENI (Wales, England & Northern Ireland) fully engaged and actually looking at what is on offer and more importantly understaning how to see through the jargoneese of the usual suspects.
We have a window of opportunity to break the usual tribal loyalty of the electorate. We can still taget those people who vote for the same party over and over, as if it was football team that they supported. The rise of the SNP along with the Green Surge can still awaken WENI (Wales, England & Northern Ireland) to the notion that there is another option.
Maybe I got out of bed the wrong side with a lot on my plate this morning – of which not much was breakfast
I like the term WENI
Thanks
The problem is that whatever the official start date the election campaign has actually been going on for months, Richard. It started with the Autumn Statement and has continued ever since. Consequently I feel that you do, lets just get on with it. Also, while I’d like to think that @SquidyBidge is right in arguing that there is still time for people to be persuaded into supporting progressive parties, this has to be countered by the fact that once the “official” election campaign begins the Tory press are then free to go into overdrive reporting the distortions and misinformation/lies coming out of Tory central office. I experienced just such an example of the impact that has on joe and joanna public when I went for a haircut yesterday, and had to listen to people talking about how, if Labour gets in, they’ll all have to pay more tax. Straight out of The Sun, of course, doing the Tories bidding as always.
At least we get to experience what it is like living in a one party system.
level of debate:dire!
Dumbed-downess rating:100%
Sense of meaningless farce: high
media Collusion with unquestioned neo-lib assumptions: 100%
Narcolepsy of populace: Very High.
Hmmm….I think I also want May 7th out of the way! However there is the (timed!) royal baby to offer more bread and circuses to the already supine, sleeping-sickness sufferers.
But we do have a ‘public service broadcaster’ called the BBC which is supposed to be impartial of the politicians and which should be thoughtful, analytical and policy-driven listening to the input of experts such as economists and interest groups or even relevant members of the public involved in the topical areas of discussion.
But what we have instead is a Tabloid BBC seeking shouting matches, Tory press regurgitation or sensationalism such as yesterday which was iconic of the modern dumbed down BBC – instead of reporting on the Labour leader’s speech about the danger of ‘EU exit’ downstairs, BBC cameras went chasing upstairs the boss of Siemens. This then went on the Tory press front pages to be shown on press reviews. This is not ‘discourse’ its pantomime. Its not political, economic or sociological reality – its ‘hyper-reality’. Enough here I would have thought for class action against the BBC’s dereliction of its duty to inform. Since when did the BBC see its coverage of politics as continuous light entertainment.
I agree – many think it is time to ditch the license.
You’re not alone Richard.
Its excruciating at the moment, I’m watching the very little I can stomach, through my fingers from behind the sofa.
It does strike at the heart of the malaise though – voting reform is required.
Agreed
Let’s end this misery and get on with what needs doing
As I’ve noted elsewhere on your blog today there is enough information out there (including on your blog) that the Con-Libs have been one of the most destructive administrations in recent history and every man-jack of them effectively ended their political careers during their first year ‘in orifice’ as far as I am concerned.
I can’t wait to see the result either because I want to see exactly what sort of country I actually live in. Go on Britain – surprise me!
Then, having done that I need to work out how I can continue to survive in it until I’m able to help my kids stand on their own two feet, fit enough to leave and go somewhere else other than England.
If they were willing to debate more solid issues beyond the deficit and immigration, which sadly many of them or not, then I am unlikely to be watching any of them.
Sadly, for me Labour is far too reticent and too content to tinker around the edges rather than do something halfway radical like say, nationalise the railways or the utilities.