Where I live.
The people voted in Rudd (or Blair, or Obama). It assuages their consciences. They’ve voted in the right people and given up plastic bags. What more could be expected of them?
When you point out to them that these people are only ‘this much different’ from the others – and here I am holding thumb and forefinger so close together you can’t see the space between – they argue with you ‘but they are different’.
The point of living in a democracy is that we have politicians of our choice. So, it turns out that we want politicians who don’t do any of the things we pay lip service to the importance of. Here in Australia, not least, the environment. We are happy to have a Labor government that, to all intents and purposes (and this is meant literally), is exactly the same as the Liberal government.
Where I live.
There are two ways of dealing with these facts. One group who voted for Rudd is completely apologetic – in this current climate, what can he do? The other group comforts itself with a sense of having been betrayed. These people are all liars one way or another. A child of two could tell exactly what Rudd and his cohorts were like prior to the election that brought them into office. Where I live they have appeased themselves with the idea there is a difference. Never mind it is a meaningless one.
Where I live.
Voting in Labor was done by self-serving people who wanted to feel good without worrying about the real consequences. We live in a democracy, we actually have the power to have big goals and to get what we want. It is our duty to make politicians behave. We put them there. What they are doing is by definition what we want them to do. So, we have this hypocritical Labor Govt in power now and WE put it there. In full knowledge. I think we should do much better than that. I’m ashamed not of the politicians, but of the people who voted them in and were content to know EXACTLY what would happen even though they all pretended they didn’t. Either that or they are all shamefully ignorant.
This and That 
Reading your last four posts was very uncomfortable and I have thought about a lot. Sadly, I suspect you are right, and it gives me no joy to say that because it means I am part of the problem, and it is my responsibility to do something about it. Bugger…
I never have this problem with your bridge blog!
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Lindy, I did split my blogs into two precisely so that bridge players didn’t have to read the rest!! Hope to get off politics and back onto knitting soon….
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Very insightful – I agree heartily.
But then, I will choose to interpret what you are saying with my big ass liberal – filtered glasses!
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