tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14115431.post114330172208229286..comments2023-10-16T15:59:02.445+01:00Comments on NEIL HARDING: "Must Politics Disappoint?"Neil Hardinghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01333739272733802133noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14115431.post-1143315425892840952006-03-25T19:37:00.000+00:002006-03-25T19:37:00.000+00:00"What about the abject betrayal of principle? What..."What about the abject betrayal of principle? Whatever happened to the ethical foreign policy, for example?"<BR/><BR/>This is a good example of what Meg Russell is getting at (though I entirely agree with you that she was trying to unjustifiably pass the buck and make it somehow partly the public's fault).<BR/><BR/>The ethical foreign policy was a laudable aim, the whiter than white on sleaze was a laudable wim but they were impossible to achieve and it was foolish of political parties to propose it and for people to believe them. However in foreign policy (under Robin Cook) some ethical progress was initially made and party funding is CLEANER than it has EVER been despite the recent sleaze.<BR/><BR/>Russell is arguing that both politicians and the public need to be more realistic about policy objectives. <BR/><BR/>But what she fails to realise, is that it is impossible unless we change the way parties are funded, have constitutional, media and electoral reform. We also need to strengthen regional and global democratic controls on multi-nationals to halt the long term decline.Neil Hardinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01333739272733802133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14115431.post-1143313643475598192006-03-25T19:07:00.000+00:002006-03-25T19:07:00.000+00:00consumerist, individualists eh? So it's our fault?...consumerist, individualists eh? So it's <I>our</I> fault?<BR/><BR/>And what about lying, cynical, bullying, dogmatic politicians? What about a prime minister who went to war on a lie (well, several, actually)? What about the electorate waking up to the fact that no matter who they vote for, the government always gets in and the colour of the rosette is meaningless? What about the abject betrayal of principle? Whatever happened to the ethical foreign policy, for example?<BR/><BR/>I suggest Meg Russell looks a little closer to home for the answer to the disconnect between the electorate and politicians before she starts passing the buck.<BR/><BR/>One thing I've learned in the past twenty-odd years of involvement in politics is that the only way politicians will not disappoint is if you expect them to. Then, when they live down to expectations, I'm not disappointed...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com