(As guest 'cause I can't get my cookie to reset)


A brief look at history would indicate that change only comes by agitation from the bottom up. The origins of the Labour Party (believe it or not) lie in grass roots organisation and civil disobedience. Women gained the vote through the suffragette movement. Some might even argue that America pulled out of Vietnam because popular opinion at home moved against it. I suspect there'll be plenty of people here on Mudcat who took part in the protest movement at the time.   

DB you say: "I feel a profound sense of disillusionment with the political process and also with the cardboard cut outs that masquerade as our representatives. I may sound like a right whingeing git but I cannot see that voting for any political party is going to alter my life or the lives of those I know one iota. Has it ever been any different or is this the way it's always been?"   

Good. This seems to me to be an excellent starting point for change. I'd also say you are absolutely right about politicians and you are definitely not a whinging git. And yes it has always been that way. But disillusionment is the catalyst of change. Politicians are vacuous because they are not being challenged enough. Remember cardboard cut outs are totally spineless and have principles that can be bought and sold. They should be rattled and shaken at every available opportunity. Change takes time and people who firmly believe "It doesn't have to be like this", have a vision of their own, and are prepared to act on it.      

These people are variously branded as mad, dangerous, criminals, a "threat to the rule of law", sometimes they are terrorists, revolutionaries, dissidents or traitors. They'll be vilified, pilloried in the media, imprisoned and sometimes shot at. But the thing you can be most sure of is when their new idea takes hold of the public imagination, you will see established politicians of all parties falling over themselves to claim that it was their idea in the first place, and they've been suggesting it for years.   

If you feel you can't vote, then please, please do go out and demonstrate. Personally I don't believe there is any such thing as a wasted vote. It was a hard one right and many gave their lives in the struggle for it, precisely because they wanted change. Please for God's sake use it; tactically as a 'protest' vote if necessary. Remember what happened to Michael Portillo.   On no account do nothing. Apathy is de-facto a vote for things to remain as they are, and for politicians to remain vacuous. The life blood of democracy are bright, articulate, loud-mouthed trouble makers. We used to have a lot of those, and there's always room for another one. Nothing will ever change if established politicians are allowed to set the agenda.   

There appear to be a lot of people of your age who share your view of the current political process. We hear a lot about our politicians being concerned about this voter apathy. In this case they are right. Personally I can hardly wait for the young firebrand that's going to galvanise all this apathy and well and truly upset the applecart.   The sooner the better.

Bill