Friday, February 10, 2012

On A Rant Again... (Yes a political one ~ but it isn't a bad one!!!)

Firstly, I’d like to wholehearted congratulate Chris Lofts and  Lisa Samiotis; our new County Council Councillors for Towcester. What a great result and in my opinion, something that we all needed… Well done to all; especially Jane Hollis & Scott Collins, for all the hard work that went into such a great end result.
Now can we in the Northampton part of the party all look towards the future and the NCC (Northamptonshire County Council) election?

What happened to our party at the Borough election was horrible, as a party member who had helped out & worked her butt off; as well as a human being who saw many a good person (yes even you Mister Woods) lose their seats ~ it hurt like crap. We are all (including me) licking our wounds, yes still. To be so soundly defeated may have been what many thought we deserved, I am not here to question that.

What I do want to bring up is the fact that we seemed to have just stalled and come to a halt when it comes to Borough matters. I can understand why, and can see that with only four councillors (one of whom is Deputy Mayor) it is very hard to be an effective opposition when it comes to council matters. However, my big fear is that those good people that we had with us; will just give up and essentially let “them” win. Such a huge amount of experience and passion will be lost to this town, and that can never be a good thing!

There is an old saying, which I feel is most apt here… “When you fall, you don’t give up. You pick yourself up; dust yourself off and start again…”

I can see why many feel that this is not an option open to them. Pride (or ego, you call it whatever you like) is one of those things that; once it takes a beating, it takes a hell of a lot to make things better. Some may feel too old or past it, I get that feeling too. Believe me, I totally understand why many have the feelings they do; I cannot say that I would not feel the same if it was me.

But here is where I think I might differ slightly, and I am not preaching or anything at people that are better than me! If it was me, sure I would be devastated; but I hope that sooner rather than later I would pick myself up again. I am sure that someone; probably my parents, would kick me up the butt and tell me to pull myself together and get on with it. And they would be completely right to do that, after all that is what political life is partly about isn’t it?

I know that I am not a Councillor, and have not been in politics that long; I admit I do not know all the ins and outs of the local political world. However, what I do know it that s*it happens! One minute you are the best thing since sliced bread, the next you can be clinging on by your fingernails. That is just the way things are, you are damned if you do; and damned if you don’t… in short; when you enter into the political field, you must understand and except that you are not always going to get things right ~ and you are not always going to be liked by everyone! Again this old saying seems to fit; “you can please some of the people some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time!”

I am sure than many councillors (and not just in my party) understand this, I understand this; and should I take that step to try become a councillor I’d like to think I would never forget that either. It must be so hard to continue to fight with passion and fire as strong as it was when something like this happens; when you lose so heavily, I imagine that it makes you question everything… up to and including the belief that those who vote must hate you so much that what is the point in fighting again.

But my point to end is that you simply must keep going. I know that it is hard, and I am sure that I underestimate just how hard it would be. But I feel that you just cannot let “them” win, you cannot just give up and let whatever party it is sell the people of your ward and town down the river. People can be fickle, (I am no different) we sometimes vote without thinking things through fully. We as voters want the best we can for ourselves and family, we want the best for our town. We use blind faith sometimes in the hope that those courting for our vote really do care, and really will do their best for us and our town/community. Sometimes the vote will not go our way as politicians, but that does not mean we should give up on the fight or wanting to do our best for the town or its people…

At the end of the day, we are all voters too. We all belong to this town and we all want our best for our families and our town don’t we?

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