In a world where we can now source anything online, download anything we want to see from any country in the world, and where we can pick and choose individual tracks, whatever programme, whichever individual item we need from whatever outlet – in this complete shopping basket world, they must be asking why on earth theyre being forced to pick one party and its entire list of policies, rather than their own playlist of ideas. It simply doesnt make any kind of sense. It is no surprise that even though were one of the most stable societies in the world and one of its most uncorrupt, we feel massively disconnected from the discourse of those we elect. They speak differently, they gesture unlike anyone in real life, they move from politics degree to parliamentary membership in the time it takes to wire a plug. Their speech patterns, their unhesitating use of phrases such as raft of initiatives and sustainability clusters fails to penetrate human ears. Politicians have trapped themselves in their own speech bubble. The policies they formulate dont feel like theyve come from any ordinary discussion ...For far too long, the policy ideas and proposals to govern our country have come from party committees to which we dont belong and in thinktanks hidden from normal eyes. The absolute necessity of the bedroom tax, for example, has never been explained to any earthling using ordinary words. If youre ever in Edinburgh, I urge you to go to the Scottish parliament building. Yes, you can go in. The building is open all year round, for the public to wander through. In the summer, during Edinburghs Festival of Politics, Ive taken part in public discussions and debates in the main council chamber. The building is there for the publics use. Switch to the Palace of Westminster and youre challenged by an edifice that says: Stand back. This is not for you. Keep out. Its an intensely private building, whose main message is that whats going on inside it is too important for standard eyes.. [AA] theguardian/commentisfree/2014/sep/21/scottish-referendum-massive-voter-turnout-means-politics-changed-for-ever
Posted on: Mon, 22 Sep 2014 15:12:33 +0000
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