So the election race is well under way and so far it is proving to be predictably boring and defensive. We have little choice between the main contenders – neither of whom appeal to me in the slightest. I will of course cast my vote – it is essential that we all do – especially since women got crushed under the legs of horses to get us to here. Shame I feel as if all I want to do is put a cross in the “conscientious objector” section (if there is one). The only thing I am very sure about and another very good reason to make my vote count is to try and ensure UKIP doesn’t get anywhere near the winning line.
It does all feel a little like the procedure I go through every morning of the Grand National – which we do in a last minute frenzy because I initially feel massively against the whole principal behind the race because it’s messy and dangerous, so I don’t read anything and then suddenly there is much panic buying with my children mostly based on smiles, hairstyles, names and colours (and that’s just the horses). I am amoebic in my ability to be persuaded to agree with anything someone tells me – “fine form”, “carrying not too much weight”, “winner of last year’s bla bla”…it’s just the same if I listen to a debate on the NHS or about “non-dom’s”, inheritance tax and global warming and then off I waft in yet another direction.
Seeing Sam Cam on numerous occasions of late wearing RED shirts has caused me untold confusion – is this a cry for help? Is she going to vote labour? Doesn’t she like her husband anymore? Is she just going with the new colour of the season? What are her shoes like? Where is Theresa May? What about Nick Clegg’s wife? She’s got nice hair…maybe I’ll vote for him then.
Honestly, it is truly hopeless and I must try harder to pay more attention during the next four weeks. I hope that the millennials are on the case. How are they getting their manifesto information apart from via Russell Brand? I don’t know many political youths to be honest – my teenagers tend not to want to discuss the election during mealtimes and if I attempt to engage and ask something like, “So who are you thinking about voting for then?” if they are actually listening (rare) then the response would engender references to either the “X Factor” or “I’m A Celebrity…” or at a push The Masters. So debates are a little bit hopeless in our house and I haven’t got enough knowledge or clout to go down the nuclear deterrent, national defence budget route and expect their eyes not to glaze over before they keel off their chairs onto the floor and crawl out of the room hoping I don’t notice. I didn’t watch the televised debate on account of the fact that I decided it would be pointless (and also, I forgot) – everyone predictably trained up to the eyeballs in the art of media presentations and simply defending their turf, saying no more and no less than is required to not fuck up. From what I’ve heard, I think that mostly worked?
BUT WHERE IS THE PASSION?? I am not feeling it. Shouldn’t the Tories be well in the lead by now, given our zero inflation and growing economy? Why are we all feeling so uninspired? Where is the poll surge?
I suspect it will arrive at the last minute, when we can all gather up enough unenthusiasm to get out and vote. The problem is that it’s all so disappointing. Voting for a different party just unravels everything that’s been put in place – nothing actually ever seems to progress – I think we need to totally change our entire constitution and parliament.
Not that I’m offering to do that – I really haven’t got a clue how to put it right – it just REALLY ANNOYS me that nobody will address the failing NHS because that would displease the voters – IT’S A DISASTER. Something needs to be done. Some of us need to start paying to see our GP’s and maybe even for things like blood tests – do you know they charge £100 for a blood test if you have to have one done privately? None of us appreciate the costs involved and we can no longer afford it. Drug companies are raking it in and not sharing the profits – they are focused on research that generates massive financial rewards instead of finding a cure for new antibiotics that can deal with antibiotic-resistant blood infections. Apparently no new antibiotics have been developed for many years now – there is just no money in it for the drug companies when drugs for diseases such as cancers can be sold for huge amounts. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS. And THEN what about the situation with our teeth? Nobody can afford to go to the dentist anymore because they’ve all gone private and charge a million pounds for a filling. THAT IS OUTRAGEOUS as well.
OK I’m going to stop now. I need to go away and read things and try and make some informed decisions based on facts. I must not look at any photo opportunities of shoes, food consumption or haircuts.
I must try harder to be a lot less shallow.
