'Pick
me voter, I'm ever so smart', I can almost hear the Ralph Wiggum like
tones similar to those from the Simpsons character who once
proclaimed 'pick me teacher I'm ever so smart'.
The
party election machines are trundling into life and the first salvos
have been fired.
Brand
association & extra value are high on the agenda this election.
Much like your visit to Tesco, election time now sees you overwhelmed
with promises of extra value from the political parties.
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| Courtesy of TWAT |
Wash
with X brand of soap and you too can smell like David Beckham's arse,
vote for me and I'll get your bins emptied...after all I've had my
picture taken beside Gerry Adams or John Hume and it validates my
political position.
Unfortunately
the dimwits you haven't seen since the last election, or their new
protégés will soon be rattling at your door, promising you the
earth for your 1,2 or 3. But regardless of your religious, or
political persuasion I would say take a step back and have a wee look
at what the parties are doing to part you from your vote.
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| Courtesy of TWAT |
Just
look at some of the candidates the parties are fielding. Apart from
the obvious, you have to vote for me because my ma, da, aunt, uncle
etc is/was an established politician brigade. This applies to Elisha
McCallion of $inn Fein, Brian Tierney of the SDLP & Emmet Doyle
of the SDLP, & Jimmy Carr of the SDLP who are all related to
current/former Councillors, and outside of their paid roles have done
nothing for their communities.
And
lets not forget we have the co-opted Councillors who now have to
either stand or fall on their own merits. Eric McGinley of $inn fein
will now be trying to get elected for the third time, having been
co-opted twice and rejected by the electorate.
Brian
Tierney who was co-opted when Shaun Gallagher of the SDLP stood down
faces stiff competition in the shanty area, as does Angela Dobbins
(who's she I hear you ask?) from the Culmore area who got Colm
Eastwoods seat when he got the MLA seat. And not forgetting $inn fein
Councillor Bridget Meehan who was co-opted when the $hinners kicked
Lynn Fleming to the sidelines in the Top of the Hill. And lets not
forget about the Belfast based Derry SDLP candidates!!! The fun and games
are set to begin!
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| Courtesy of TWAT |
One
of the current strategies employed by the parties is the 'extra
value' factor. This is piss poor pathetic bullshit. What this means
is that there are Councillors who hold down day jobs and they don't
claim I work in (insert establishment here) because it provides a
service to community, and I'm doing it for the good of my health and
fair play to them.
Then
there are other Councillors who hold down day jobs and would have you
believe that they are doing it out of the kindness of their hearts.
So these candidates are being sold to the electorate as community
workers/activists and so on and so forth. Rhyming off all their
achievements, wearing their altruism on their chest proudly for all
to see.
I'm
a community worker is the war cry – yes but you are a paid
community worker councillor! Take away the cushy community/party job
and nice salary and see how long they stick around? Even better
advertise the job they have and see if they would actually get it
after an honest and open interview process.
$inn
Fein Councillor Elisha McCallion flits from job to job within
different $inn Fein community groups and has actually been caught
getting a job handed to her with no interview. So think about this,
Elisha McCallion is the type of person who would deny a young person
from her community a fair stab at getting a job but she wants you to
vote for her.
The
sad and simple fact is that all these people standing for election
are selected by their parties because they haven't got a set of balls
between them, they will all toe the party line, they will repeat the
party mantras and when told to jump, they will nearly pish themselves
with excitement as they exuberantly cry how high?
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| Courtesy of TWAT |
If
you do one thing this coming election consider voting an independent
candidate because they only have to account for their actions to the
electorate, they don't have to account to party committees and
structures. They can vote for what's right, not what they're told to
vote for.
Who
would you rather have in your corner some 'monkey see, monkey do'
dimwit or someone who has the integrity to stand on their own two
feet?
I
know how my vote will be cast, and I won't be transferring or giving
a second preference to anyone.
