Exterminate?

In Davos, a bunch of jokers who believe, or at least proclaim, that they represent the populations of the First World are meeting to discuss… what, exactly? What conclusions have they pre-planned to arrive at and what decisions will be made which will affect us all, yet have no basis in anything remotely linked to democracy? In fact how many of the world’s ‘leading’ countries can even lay claim to the dubious distinction of being truly democratic?

Following the current LibDem determination to tear themselves apart over the Lord Rennard debacle, former leader Paddy ‘PantsDown’ Ashdown, without a hint of irony, spoke about how ‘the people’ MUST conform to the ‘new standards’ of morality and acceptable behaviour. The people yes, but obviously not the politicians who routinely behave in ways that reveal their susceptibility to the most base of human frailties – greed and lust feature high on an MP’s CV. Surely people in public office should be held to higher standards first?

Labour talk the talk about being the party of the working class… or is it the middle class now? They talk tough on welfare and making work… er work, yet they oppose every measure the coalition has introduced in order to do just that. But this self-proclaimed Party of the People is so far removed from those same people as to be indistinguishable from any other mob in Westminster. While some of its lowly and increasingly elderly back benchers are grounded in the honourable Labour Movement, the glorious leaders have eyes only for power and the prizes power brings – an invitation to Davos, perhaps?

Meanwhile the Conservatives, long supporters of the wealth producers, seek to remain firmly in the wealth confiscating European Union, approval to join which has never been asked of the British people. Even now, reminiscent of the worst kind of conjuring trick, they hope to fool the people into believing a referendum will both be offered and fought on a level field, while the fifth ace is clumsily sticking out of their sleeve. David Cameron must barely be able to contain his glee at the charade of the private members bill, currently being timed out by the supposed opposition tabling a litany of amendments whose transparently flimsy nature oversteps the border of contempt.

What not one of the established parties has is a valid and representative view of the bulk of the people they seek to control. In fact what most people want from government is not interference in the minutiae of their every waking moment, but the freedom to get on and follow their own paths. The last thing happy people living fulfilling lives are interested in is politics. As more and more freedoms are curtailed and behaviours proscribed, even “the government must do something” is more an expression of impotent frustration than any genuine desire for more top-down interference.

Left to their own devices most of the population will sort themselves out. The only state involvement they need or want is light touch regulation and a bit of law and order. But the group that actively need government are the only ones they tend to squabble over. What a shame then that those people most reliant on the state understand and trust authority about as much as they understand and trust joined-up meat. All they want is bland, Turkey-Twizzler dole-dispensers who will maintain their lifestyles regardless of what it costs everybody else.

On all sides the out-of-touch ‘liberal’ types rail against ‘demonisation’ of those wholly on benefits and say to all who listen that they want nothing more than to be in work, that they need our sympathy and support to become productive members of society. But ask anybody who lives on a large council estate and they will point out the criminals, the idle, the dossers and those who pop out sprogs as if they didn’t know how to stop it. The only thing they want is to be left alone with their benefits.

Which way to the conference?

So, while the political classes squabble over the small number of people who need their charity but won’t vote, the largely uncomplaining majority work on, wondering just when a politician, any politician, will say a single thing to suggest that they understand. When Davos concludes that what the world needs now is love, sweet love, more wind turbines and more EU-style ‘democracy’ it might be helpful to remember that politicians on the whole represent nobody but themselves.