Wandering Yellow
Well-known member
- Joined
- 10 Aug 2019
- Messages
- 5,461
Conceptually I can't argue with a lot of what you say. It's obvious from the way you write you're an intelligent person.
I think from working more 'inside' politics when I was fresh out of university, it really sucked away any faith or enthusiasm I had for political systems and politicians. I found Westminster a frustrating place. Mountains of civil servants, slow, immovable, uninspiring. Many people I met, I saw personally as disconnected from the realities of people like small business owners or office workers, whilst simultaneously claiming to care deeply about those people.
I'm probably far too cynical about politics, to the point I frustrate people on here for failing to see what they see as an obvious fact that Trump is worse than Biden. They're probably correct, but it's the system that absolutely frustrates me and kills my enthusiasm and passion for politics. Having seen Westminster, I have zero faith Brussels is any better (in fact it seems to have even more bureaucracy and red tape than even the madness of Whitehall) which is why I'm Eurosceptic. But I'm "sceptic" of almost all political institutions.
Some people may see it as childish and not willing to accept authority but my pure gut-feeling is that there must be a better system. People often seem to be waiting for politicians to come and save them, for me that's like believing in things like the tooth fairy.
This thread is specifically about Trump and I'd have no idea how to even go about fixing the mess of their political system. This is probably endlessly-flawed, but I'd love to see these changes in the UK
1) Proportional representation. Get 7% of the votes = get 7% of the seats. I understand the arguments for constituencies but I am very sceptic how much value MPs provide to their constituents.
2) Revolutionise local politics. Give each county a "county election" where they elect a leader who has a budget and power to influence things. I'd love to see more regional pride and tax incentives to encourage local produce and local culture. I don't know how you'd get rid of busybody narcissists like certain local councillors we are aware of, but I'd love to see people genuinely passionate about their community empowered and emboldened.
3) Ten year max terms for MPs. Career politicians turn my stomach. If you believe you can come in and do a good job, you will be fairly paid. But after ten years, your time is up. Politicians saying whatever they need to to get power and becoming political robots would be less of an issue if they knew this wasn't a job for life.
4) It's often assumed people in power are experts of intelligent. It's not true. I'd like to see a system where you have to be genuinely competent. Ministry of defence? Have to have a background in the army. Department of health? Have to have been a nurse, GP, surgeon, someone with actual experience in the system. Department for education? A former school teacher or headmaster/headmistress, someone who's been there and done it. The merry-go-round of career politician narcissists in the Cabinet is totally ludicrous.
