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Put your money where your mouth is...

Posted by PaulHurst on Thursday, 01 March 2007 21:17:15

Something finally snapped inside today. How can we be better off as a nation when taxes are sky high and public sector workers (such as Nurses) languish over a 1.9% pay rise which is BELOW the rate of inflation?

I don't work in the public sector and I wouldn't consider myself to be a political 'boffin' but enough is enough I say, and instead of just agreeing more and more with the conservative philosophy, today I joined the party.

Now let me say, when I woke up this morning, I didn't feel political. I am no economist with a pin-stripe suit, I live in Wigan and never even went to University but isn't it time that more everyday people got involved with politics? Isn't it time for people to do something positive for their country and community? And isn't it just about time that the failing Labour party bowed out with Tony Blair who may be a nice bloke, but an awful liar?

I don't quite know what to do with my membership. It cost me the same amount of money as a night out around town (less actually if you include the kebab!), I presume I may be able to head off to the seaside this summer for the conference and who knows? I may even appear in the background on BBC Parliament but I think I'm looking for much more.

As a practising Christian (practising being the ideal adjective), I feel duty bound to put something back in to my community and the lives of the less fortunate so although my membership fees may be going into a bank account with more noughts than most, I will be making recompense, or penance by looking to put my faith into action through this new avenue of politics. A road that wasn't open to me when I woke up this morning.

In closing, I will be honest and say that I don't quite know what to expect, but I left the box blank by 'disallow your local Conservative association to contact you' so who knows what may happen?

I may be just an ordinary bloke who's connecting with the Conservative culture, but in for a penny, in for a pound I say.

Paul Hurst

www.paulhurst.blogspot.com

Post edited by PaulHurst on Thursday, 01 March 2007 21:32:39

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Posted by scrubsupwell on Thursday, 01 March 2007 21:54:59

I agree with you Paul in respect of 'putting back in to my community. My idea would be to change our democracy as we know it.

I propose have a 'council of experts' that has power over legislation. The 'experts' would be judges and doctors (who swear an oath) sitting in the Lords instead of life peers etc.

The council would have powers of investigation and powers to amend. They would be assisted by members of the public who volunteered a service for 4 yrs and are elected in the same way as school governors.

To me this seems reasonable after the lies we have been told by this Labour government. It would give more power to the 'man in the street' and reduce corruption especially in local councils where tendering and bidding is open to 'errors'.

This could be a mandate for a next government and would surely win votes. I call on British people to be very cautious in their decision making for future leaders. Electronic voting (on the cards) could easily lead to another loss of 'people power'.

Posted by PaulHurst on Thursday, 01 March 2007 22:11:22

Scrubsupwell, it is interesting that you see a much deeper way of putting something back into our communities. At the expense of turning this post into something not much more significant than a 'back slapping' blog, I agree that change probably does need to be instituted right across the way in which we govern our society.

I don't feel that I can really contribute at that level but what I can do is keep an eye open for local issues of concern and make sure that where something can be done, it is.

The voice of the common person may be quiet, but there's always strength in numbers!

Paul

Posted by canvas on Thursday, 01 March 2007 22:29:50

Teachers and Nurses are so undervalued in this country.

Maybe all the MPs should donate a days pay to Nurses like the Premiership players are going to do?

http://society.guardian.co.uk/health/story/0,,2024432,00.html

I am happy to do the same.

Shame on Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

Posted by PaulHurst on Thursday, 01 March 2007 22:44:46

Money may make the world go around but I honestly don't think that it necessarily makes our communities safer. Its Ironic in a way. It seems that we can't make a difference unless we make sacrifices financially ,yet the money itself does not guarantee anything.

To me, It seems to all boil down to ownership. If supporting projects financially makes us take ownership of our communities then we all need to give more. Not just cash, but time and talent as well.

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