----- Original Message -----
From: "Derek Parkinson" <<email obscured>>
To: "David Braund" <<email obscured>>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 5:45 PM
Subject: Re: [BH-Issues] Local Representatives
> David,
>
> Unfortunately I missed that programme. But did it attempt to give a
balanced
> view of our "current crop of parliamentarians", or just expose the deviant
> practices of a few?
>
> It's worth remembering that the media is led by the need to find something
> new/interesting to say, so Dispatches is never going to put out a
programme
> that says "Well folks, there are some good and some bad politicians, but
> that's always been the case so nothing new to report really..." Even if
that
> is in fact the case.
>
> E.g. "The national budget must be balanced. The public debt must be
reduced;
> the arrogance of the authorities must be moderated and controlled..." A
> prescription that could have come from any of the party conferences, yet
it
> comes from Cicero...
>
> Cheers,
>
> Derek.
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Braund" <<email obscured>>
> To: <<email obscured>>
> Sent: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 10:49 PM
> Subject: [BH-Issues] Local Representatives
>
>
> > After listening to the Channel 4 Dispatches programme last night, I
wonder
> > how many people felt, like me, that there is something rotten at the
heart
> > of our parliamentary democracy. That something appears to be, with a few
> > exceptions, the current crop of parliamentarians. These representatives
of
> > the people exempt themselves from the rules of financial probity that
> govern
> > everyone else and now seek to exempt themselves from the Freedom of
> > Information laws such as we have (already, after only one year, under
> threat
> > of severe erosion.)
> >
> > Instead of promoting democracy, i.e., improving accountability,
> > transparency, accessibility and responsiveness, they prefer to feather
> their
> > own nest (i.e., second home.) In this cosy culture, no one is to blame
> > except whistleblowers and they alone must be punished. This explains the
> > democratic log jam which I would suggest is what we now have. It is the
> main
> > reason why those in charge have lost the trust (which they maintain they
> > value so highly) of so many of us. It is what is turning voters off in
> > droves. Where are the local heroes of democracy who are worth voting
for?
> > The need for heroes keeps us on the bottom rung of democracy but it's
> better
> > than the mouth of the snake.
> >
> > O ye local Representatives of the People and Chosen Ones (and would-be
> > Chosen Ones), now is the time to put up your hand and state plainly
> whether
> > you are for democracy or content to fiddle while democracy burns.
> >
> > David Braund
> >
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