Elections - of whatever sort

This should put the cat among the pidgeons:

Elections – I despair.

So, the turnout was low – so what? Some people made the effort, and someone was elected with a democratic mandate.

However, a majority of the electorate were too damned lazy to get off their bums. They deserve whatever the minority decides for them and will just have to live with it. That’s democracy; voters have to make an effort. Stop whinging – it’s the lazy’s fault.

I respect:
1. Folks who spoiled their ballot – they expressed their democratic views.

2. Folks who were too late preparing to vote; just moved or just reached voting age.

I despair of:
1. Folks who haven’t joined the electoral register. They’re sheep. People have died, and are still dying, to get the vote. They are probably too stupid to be given the vote.

2. Folks who “didn’t know there was an election coming”. Their voting cards told them what and when. If they didn’t get a card they should have made an effort to get one. Too lazy to be given a voice.

3. Folks who blamed a cold November day – the summer wasn’t so great. I bet they go to rugby or football matches, or go shopping, or go to work, or go walking in the winter. I bet they go to the pub or to birthday parties. Pathetic.

4. Folks too busy watching ‘Strictly’ on television to bother. Equally pathetic.

5. Folks blaming a lack of information. Make the effort, dimmos:

a. They can buy a local paper and look at the candidate list. Requires ability to read and think –probably lacking.

b. They have the internet full of information, if they make an effort to look.

c. Local TV news interviewed all the candidates. If they don’t watch the news, that’s their decision. Leave it to the rest of us the make decisions for them.

6. Folks who didn’t know the candidates. Please tell me who exactly is on the 17-person un-elected Police Authority and how to contact them. If you know all of them, I apologise profusely. At least you can find out how to contact the one elected Police Commissioner, if you can be bothered.

7. Folks who think the wrong person will be elected – Derrr…

I have helped run elections all over the Balkans for years. Folks there with dire and dangerous lives made a supreme effort to vote, at last. I have feeling that might be the low-point of our democracy – maybe we should all lean back and take whatever the leader, the system, the regime, doles out. Maybe we don’t deserve a vote any more.

Best regards
Dick

You're taking your life into your hands aren't you?

I'm one of those who didn't vote but it wasn't apathy, or laziness, or lack of knowledge. I refused to vote (for one of only a handful of times in my life) as I strongly object to the whole exercise. I object to the politicising of the police authorities and the amount of money these people will get.
I suppose I could have gone to the Polling Station and spoiled my voting paper but I was too busy watching 'Strictly' - all day long. (for Louis Smith)

Rosie.and.Dick wrote:This should put the cat among the pidgeons:

a. They can buy a local paper and look at the candidate list. Requires ability to read and think –probably lacking.


Dick

but not the ability to spell - pidgeons doesn't have a 'd'

as regards the rest of your post - I don't do politics.

I didn't vote because none of the candidates were independent. In my view, the police should not be subject to party politics.
As for you despairing of me - do you really think I or anyone else gives a damn what you think?
Those who voted were in the minority, perhaps you should give that some thought before slagging off the majority of people in the country?

Motorhome forums are not the place to discuss politics
Frank

Guess what - I didn't have a political point, intentionally. I was having a grump about us folks making an effort.

A spoiled ballot is counted - it is declared by the returning officer to the world news. It is without doubt a protest.

Imagine a 1-million electorate: The declared results were : "Candidate A - 6500, B- 2000, C - 5000, D - 1500, Spoiled Ballots 850,000". Now that's making a protest against the proposition. Not casting your vote says nothing or can mis-interpreted. That was my point. It doesn't matter if it's a union strike vote, a referendum, or any other vote. Voting can be a protest against the proposition itself.

These PC election should not have been politicised, and they weren't in my case. I voted for the candidate I thought would be best able to assist in a complex task and would be a known point of contact, but that's just me. Others have different reasons for voting, but they votes nonetheless.

Sorry, my spelling always collapses when I'm grumpy.

Beast regards,
Dick

You’re right, this is not the right place to make such points.

I was wrong to raise the topic. I had probably watched too many vox pop TV interviews, with all their varying reasons for the low turn-out.

I’ll shut up about it. Accepted - no-one cares what I think about voting or democratic rights.

Abject, grovelling apologies. Forget I said it

Sorry.
Dick, in sackcloth and ashes with a bell round my neck.

Rosie.and.Dick wrote:You’re right, this is not the right place to make such points.

I was wrong to raise the topic. I had probably watched too many vox pop TV interviews, with all their varying reasons for the low turn-out.

I’ll shut up about it. Accepted - no-one cares what I think about voting or democratic rights.

Abject, grovelling apologies. Forget I said it

Sorry.
Dick, in sackcloth and ashes with a bell round my neck.

Now that's the way to treat people who air their political views in public.
Bring back the stocks say I.

Hi there,

If you are Grumpy and Old then this is EXACTLY the place to have a mump!

The only problem is that I only half agree with you!

In our case we didn't vote on the basis that before we left the UK on 30th October we hadn't received:

A) ANY information vis the post as to who was standing for election.

B) ANY information via the post as to what the position of Police Commissioner entailed.

C) OUR POSTAL BALLOT PAPER!

As we are registered "Postal Voters" I consider the last item to be a shameful dereliction of duty by .............. oh we have already dealt with this.

It was "Him over there!" wasn't it.

Best regards,

Dick Why are you apologising??? This is "Grumpy Old Man " forum.
I have just posted on the "Discussion Lounge" about the Forum being too political. Read it and see my views
Like you. I have seen the efforts people go to in neglected, impoverished areas of the world where they are subjected to violence even death to VOTE> and we are so apathetic in OUR free society to get off our butts and suffer a bit off cold weather, miss TV etc etc.
Voting should be made compulsory But thats another story.

remember the old joke, how can you tell when a politician is lying, every time they open their mouthes, so can we keep politics off this forum, i for one am not interested, johnandeva

johnandeva wrote:remember the old joke, how can you tell when a politician is lying, every time they open their mouthes, so can we keep politics off this forum, i for one am not interested, johnandeva

Johnandeva,

I sympathise with your remarks.

However may I suggest that, rather than attempting to restrict the activities of other people, you just don't join in on any of the political threads?

That way we will keep everyone happy.

Best regards,

Ian

I agree Dutto If you can't stand the heat get out off the fire

Hi, folks above,
Honestly, I didn’t realise that the majority think voting in our democracy is a “Political Act” and grumping about not voting is being unacceptably partisan in a G O M forum. Sorry, again.

I was going to raise the following:

Trendy alloy wheels:

Increasingly, manufacturers are fitting ever bigger alloy wheels with ever thinner profile tyres. Now they fit 18”, 19”, 20”, and bigger wheels, with black rubber bands around them. As our roads get more pot-holed and normal surfaces go unrepaired, these wheels inevitably transmit more bumps, crashes, rattles and general noise.

For example: The smart 17” 3-spoke wheels and low-profile Scorpion tyres, optional fittings on our (old, cheap and very second-hand) Freelander1, were annoyingly bad on West Country roads. As we squeezed aside on single track lanes, their treads filled with mud and made getting out a chancy, muddy, business.

We did a no-cost deal with our rural Land-Rover garage to swop the smart 17” wheels for older, boring original 16” alloys. We bought some proper all-terrain tyres – not available in 17”. The transformation was surprising: Far less road noise, despite chunky treads, and no dramas with pot-holes and muddy verges.

So, we thought we would ask our MH dealer if he would consider swopping, at low cost, our smart 17” VW Trooper wheels for a set of less trendy 16” or 15” VW alloys. Understandably, he declined – little profit in it. Ah Well. We don’t want to splash out on another set of alloys/tyres, we’ll just live with what came on our wagon, and the consequent rattles and thumps.

Oops, maybe I’ve been political again; Road expenditures v. public service cuts? What else can go wrong?

Maybe I won’t submit the Trendy Alloys thing after all.

Best regards, Dick

Rosie.and.Dick wrote:...............

Increasingly, manufacturers are fitting ever bigger alloy wheels with ever thinner profile tyres. Now they fit 18”, 19”, 20”, and bigger wheels, with black rubber bands around them. ...............

Oooooooo!!! A pet hate of mine!!!

Every time I see them I dig Helen in the ribs and say "Look at them. What happens if they hit a kerb or a pothole with 'those'?" .......

....... and she says "What are you going on about?"

Best regards,

Ian