It All Seems So Wrong

I remember many years ago having a conversation with one of my bosses. This particular boss liked to paint himself as a deep thinking, intelligent man. He wasn’t really either of them. On this particular day he’d interrupted a conversation with one of our other bosses and a few of us staff. The topic was the recent visit of the top executives of one our national banks with our new government leaders who were supposedly discussing what strategies would be available to our country as we sought away to improve our economy and in particular the problem of finding work for everyone who needed it.

The whole thing struck me as being very odd. The people of this country vote for the candidate they view as having the best strategies, the best policies for our economy and for our futures in so many respects. If you are a pensioner then you are likely to vote on the basis of issues that concern pensioners. If you care deeply about the environment, then you are likely to vote for the party that promises to govern with polices that will protect and mend our environment.

So why on earth were are out political leaders discussing anything at all with business leaders? The not-so-intelligent boss interrupted to inform us that our leaders were being reasonable in that they would devise strategies to suit the business leaders. If the strategies didn’t suit the business men, then they’d simply leave, taking their businesses and employment opportunities with them. And they've been doing it again! All those business leaders getting their knickers in a twist about a tiny increase in NI contributions. How many of them haven't been making a profit? How many of them are sitting eating beans on toast, the seven pence tin that not even a dog would scoffle - for the fifth night this week because that is all they can buy? The bare-face cheek!

If we truly do live in a democracy then each adult has an equal say. It can’t be a democracy if our governments then invite in the business leaders who are there purely to hand over a list of requirements. I don’t remember there ever being any votes awarded to any kind of business. They obviously weren’t there asking for better policies on health care for their varicose veins or dementia care for their parents!

If that is what is happening then we do not live in a democracy.

We’ve just had a recent election. We’ve seen a host of rent-a-quotes appearing on our TVs over the years and especially in the few months before voting day. Our political candidates have certainly been spending a considerable amount of time in their company as they worked to formulate the policies with which they would use in offering for our votes. Who are these people?

Well, there is always the CBI and the Chambers of Commerce people calling for policies that suit their demands. I’ve no idea why their views should carry any weight! Politicians are employed by people to do the bidding of the electorate, not of businesses. Business success is dictated by their ability to provide the goods and services to consumers. Strictly speaking, consumers are not the same as the electorate! I have no need whatsoever of Y-front manufacturers and retailers. If you can’t make money from them, then move on rather than harassing politicians! Try training some people to make and sell fishing rods!

Then come of people from various things called ‘Policy Institutes’. These people seem to be selling policies! Why can’t our politicians devise their own policies? Aren’t they smart enough? Or are they smart enough, but just too lazy? Perhaps they are too busy with the business leaders! They aren’t employed by a bunch of pensioners looking to have bingo halls heated! They aren’t employed by the huge numbers of voters who want to have our environmental problems dealt with, and dealt with intelligently. Clearly, too many of these people are lobbyists for the businesses. And remember, businesses don’t get to vote, so just what is going on? They are interfering with our democracy!

If we want to know what is the best care for dementia patients then it is the professional medical associations, our academics and the carers who should be consulted, not business leaders.

If our politicians are too dim, or too lazy to formulate the policies they will use in order to stand apart from their competitor candidates in each constituency, then perhaps they shouldn’t be standing for election. If they need help, there are plenty of people sitting bored in front of the TV they could talk to; if you want to know how to improve the lives of the electorate then maybe, just maybe … you might possibly consider talking to the electorate. Or didn’t they include that as part of the political science course?

There are plenty of universities brimming over with academics who would love to show off their data and conclusions. All those geographers, biologists, medics, business researchers… We pay them to do those things. So why not pop along to them rather than listening to a pretend charity/policy institute that is funded by the Y-front seller and his brother?

PS

If that Y-front manufacturer is doing so well he can afford to fund his own policy institute, complete with rent-a-quote people, then maybe they aren’t paying enough tax. Just a thought.