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Do we get the politicians we deserve?
By the time you read this, the election may be over and a new
government installed. In the run-up there was a new focus - on
what the media referred to as the 'grey vote'. That means us, anyone
over-50, with special emphasis on another media expression -
'pensioners'. (Does anyone ever describe themselves in these terms?)
We won't know for some time whether we will be listened to,
but one newspaper headline described a plan 'to put pensioners in
control as intelligent adults', which is a good start.
Surveys before the election showed that we in the fifty-plus age
group are politically aware and get ourselves to the polling
stations, so it's no wonder that politicians wanted to woo us. The
political parties know that we are highly interested in pensions,
retirement, taxes and the NHS, and they address these issues with
our age group in mind.
But poll after poll show that we do not trust politicians.
Some of us think they tell outright lies, others that they fudge the
truth. We lose patience with them when they indulge in scoring
points off each other. Just like petty squabbling among small
children, we think.
Do we get the politicians we deserve? Yes and no (sorry, that
sounds just like a politician evading the question). But politicians
are like the rest of us. They tend to boast when they are winning,
hurl insults when they get cornered, go into sulks when they are
defeated, sometimes more loudly than others. And like the rest of
us, they do have ideals and sometimes strongly-held opinions. That's
mainly why they went into politics in the first place.
They also want power and glory, and they have to work very
hard for both. If you and I don't want the job, we have to tolerate
those who do, and try not to sneer too much at such egocentric
ambitions. But it would be very very reassuring to witness a
politician who doesn't just 'do sincere' but is the real thing, and
please could they give up those smug smiles of triumph. And could
they also say what they mean and mean what they say, at lease 80 per
cent of they time. It's not asking a lot.
How do you rate politicians, and what do you hate about them? Email
me at helen@laterlife.com
Tell me what you think. Email
helen@laterlife.com
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Talkback is a
regular feature in laterlife.com run by
journalist and author Helen Franks. 
