On my way to vote...

Perhaps I'm one of the few, but Euro elections are the ones that get me out to vote...  normally, the nearest I get to voting in UK elections is to go into the booth and write "none of the above" on the voting slip, so 'spoiling my ballot'

But in Euro elections we have proportional representation and my vote (in a safe Conservative constituency) counts for something, normally my vote is utterly wasted, so the most positive thing that I can do is to make a point to the candidates...

But what about the women who campaigned and suffered to get women the vote?  I reply that we have abused their efforts with a political system that means that the votes of only a few thousand actually affect who gets in, where millions are disenfranchised because their votes are taken for granted "they've got nowhere else to go...", so elections are decided on the whims and needs of swing voters, largely middle class, reasonably prosperous... 'pebbledash' people..

I wrote a poem about the way I feel about electoral politics here

But today... I vote GREEN and hope that maybe, just maybe an extra couple of seats might mean that our arguments get to be listened to a little more.  We have not persuaded enough people to be involved in government, but we have earned the right to be heard above the greenwash din of the main, free market blinded parties.

Normal, non-party political service will return to this blog tomorrow! :-)

Comments

[rob culhane Mont Albert Nth, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia]

I came across your blog via someone else's. I live in Australia. We have proportional representation in elections at both the State and Federal level. And just to make sure its fair, each house has a diffe3rent method. The best is in Tasmania where they use the Hare-Clarke system. New Zealand adopted a modified form of it approx 4-5 yrs ago. The reason we have proportional representation was the frustration the colonial gov'ts felt about the British system. I would not claim however, that our system is 'christian'. Australians are not Americans in this regard. cheers, Rob

[Tory Burch Outlet]

So, for me, I'm challenged by the high value that I put on success, doing my job well, being praised for doing a good job. It's all too important to me. Now, maybe I could think about giving up my present job and going for a less prestigious one? I think that the work I'm doing is what God has called me to do, but maybe I could do it in a different context (not a university). Now, I might be able to explore that idea further when I go on retreat next week, but I might also be able to experiment with some ideas. Just giving up my job would, I think, be too extreme, but what could I do that would try out a new way of valuing 'success'? Two options spring to mind. I've got to write a report on a project that I've been involved in. I don't think that I'm going to write a good report (too long to explain why) and I've been delaying, putting off the evil day when I'm criticised, and maybe found wanting by colleagues I value, maybe I won't be asked to do a project again? How will I handle that? Secondly, I'm going to try to organise some time over the winter to take my work up to a community house I know well. What will it be like to fit my academic research writing within the rhythms of a 'monastic' day?

So what explorations or experiments could you try to test out your emerging 'ideas'?

[UGGs Outlet]

'Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing? But now be strong … Be strong, all you people of the land,' declares the LORD, 'and work. For I am with you,' declares the LORD Almighty… And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear…. and I will fill this house with glory,' says the LORD Almighty. … 'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty.

[North Face Outlet]

The second story happened to me. About 5 years ago, I went for a promotion at my previous university. I didn't get the job and the way that I didn't get the job was horrid (a message left for me on a mobile phone answering machine. To make things worse, the message was left on someone else's mobile phone not mine!) There followed a painful period where I had to come to terms with the fact that any chance of progression at that university was over for me and, given my age, I was probably going to struggle to get to another university and get promotion there. All sorts of 'demons' about my feelings of self worth ripped into me. I spent a miserable year 'plodding on'. Looking back now, I can have a more balanced reflection on the mistakes that I made and the insensitive f

[North Face Sale]

The second story happened to me. About 5 years ago, I went for a promotion at my previous university.

[Timberland Boots]

There followed a painful period where I had to come to terms with the fact that any chance of progression at that university was over for me and, given my age, I was probably going to struggle to get to another un iversity and get promotion there.

[North Face Outlet]

I was probably going to struggle to get to another un iversity and get promotion there.