Normal Service Resumes

[caddyman]

Now that the US election is over for another 18 months or so, we can look forward, I hope, to getting back to business as usual and deploring the state of the world and humanity in general and any one of dozens of pet annoyances in particular.

When all is said and done, the question of who governs a country is pretty esoteric. Unless the government is bent on radical reform,there is little beyond semantics to distinguish them. Even radical reform is only noticeable in certain areas. Other than being intellectually messy and operationally lazy, Labour's so-called constitutional reforms in the UK have made very little day-to-day difference for most people. The Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish now have additional tiers of government to pay for and complain about, but on a daily basis, what has changed? Similarly, at a National level, the 'I'll sort it out one day' approach to Lords' reform has stalled at a point that focusses more power and patronage in the hands of the Prime Minister, so don't hold your breath on that one. But then that has little if any day to day impact upon Fred Bloggs now, does it?

No, we're all buffeted by forces beyond our control, including politicians. The only difference is that they do it on telly and in the newspapers, like celebrities, but without the moral authority.

Ah, cynicism my old friend. You're back and you're well.

Comments

[anubisgrrl.livejournal.com]

I used to think very similarly, but 8 years of the current administration has had a definate and negative effect on my day to day life and that of others. I am surprised that one person, or one administration could do so much damage, but it really can. I felt this year that my vote choice was vital to the future, which is the first time I have truly felt that way.

[pauln.livejournal.com]

I'd say the capacity for an administration to do so much damage is higher in your system. The checks and balances seem to me to be all in the various parts of the electoral system and the political appointments that those elected can make Presidents of whatever political persuasion appointing Supreme Court Justices who agree with their politics comes to mind, along with political appointments to head the various government departments.

Over here, it's a lot harder for ministers to overcome the inertia of the Civil Service. That can have it's drawbacks as well of course.

[davidt3001.livejournal.com]

Not under normal circumstances; Bush and Cheyney were exceptionally mendacious. There's a summary from a very irked neo-con here:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/11/barack-obama-fo.html

Of course they also had the benefit of both the Senate and Congress being solidly Christian-right nutter for the first six years of their misrule ...