Blathering on Politics 2

I used to be far more idealistic and, while I can't remember what I thought I remember the passion I felt in taking part in campaigns. One thing is for sure, as a teenager, I didn't expect/accept that so much of politics was compromise.

Capitalism and communism were good ideas, but in the end the greed of the Haves seemed to have won out and left the vast Have-Nots in their dust. Well, we did that well in the feudal society, didn't we! In a perfect world, governments leaving us alone and we go and make our own way though life sounds wonderful, but I think we can't get a way from the fact that there are those who can't make it on their own. And it seems to me the difference between animals and humans is that we are not about the survival of the fittest, but that we have the capacity to help the weak.

I have a good friend who, for most of her life, lived in rural/farming New Zealand, but ended up in science. She's a generation or two older than me. And we agree on most everything, from education to health to social welfare. And yet she votes right and I vote left and we wondered why that is so. I think in my case, I vote left in the hopes that something spectacular might happen while I surmise from our discussions that she votes right to make sure certain things get done.

Back then, earlier in the year, neither of us particularly cared for our Labour government nor the National candidate. Mind you, in New Zealand, the two factions are called Centre-Right and Centre-Left because there is not the big chasm in many of their policies. But bi- or multi-partisan approach is good; dialogue is good, among people in power, and among regular folk; I've come to accept, respect, compromises, as much as determination and conviction.

I read on one of those "quote a day" sites that, and I paraphrase, the best thing about democracy is the chance for an ordinary man to do something wonderful. I'm not calling anyone ordinary, but you see that I like this quote.

I just don't want a rich money trader making decisions for this country where there are big groups of the weak. Just blathering. It's been a year of intense political discussions, and I needed that magical thing: closure.