Thoughts on politics and life from a liberal perspective

Friday 11 July 2014

Which of these is more likely to be true?

1) Nick Clegg is totally spineless

2) Politics is inherently very difficult. Those in leadership positions often have to balance many competing interests both within and without their party and at the same time attempt to try and ensure they can maximise their vote in upcoming elections within the constraints they are faced with at any one time.

Discuss.

4 comments:

Jennie Rigg said...

Both? In my experience a difficult thing tends to put off competent people, whereas the overconfident (generally posh) idiot will say "yeah, I could do that!"

OfC in many professions it's easy to tell if you've got an overconfident idiot. In politics? I think less easy

Mark Taylor said...

Well, clearly number 2 is more likely to be true, but that really has no bearing on whether number 1 is true. What you do when you have to balance competing interests and maximise your vote is surely the measure of your backbone.

Tom Mein said...

Maybe a third?
That he is promoting the EU to ensure that he has a position within the EU when he is rejected by the British public.
Seemed to work for Barusso, van Rumpoy, the Kinnocks, etc.

Voter said...

Politicians will often say "it is difficult" when they actually mean, I am too scared/something-else to stand on principle.

The problem for us is how to attract principled people to politics, when it seems that generally dishonest people get through the process