On 15-1-2011 1:57, Darren New wrote:
> Do you believe your government is working in the best interests of the
> people of the country? If you answer, what country are you in?


You have to split this question in three
1) Do politicians *think* they are doing the best for their country?
2) Are they?
3) Are they controlling the government and the legislative process?

To start with the simplest one: I am Dutch, but you knew that

ad 1) In my country many of them are convinced they know best what 
direction the country should go. A small minority is in it solely as a 
job, a way to make money. The only one I have doubts about is Geert 
Wilders. I think he is intelligent enough to see that to expand his 
influence he is actually harming the cohesion of the country. Yet even 
he might be seriously thinking that his way is the only way to save the 
country in the long run. So either he or me is badly informed.

ad 2) Often it does not matter much what direction you take as long as 
you are consistent for some time. Changing direction every few years 
might actually be better than following one path too long. In that sense 
I don't mind it if the party that I support does not get a part in the 
government. As long as it happens in a democratic way.*

ad 3) mostly not. Which might explain a lot of the frustration of the 
people.

> The reason I ask is that there seems here often to be confusion about
> stuff going down in the USA. Like how some people whose judicial system
> doesn't include juries think that professional juries or judges would be
> a better answer than a group of random uneducated people off the street.
>
> I think a lot of what happens in the USA, a lot of what Americans
> complain about, is that it's pretty obvious that in spite of what the
> people want, and in spite of what would be good for the country as a
> whole, it just keeps not happening, regardless of who gets elected. How
> many people want the wars to continue? How many people think the TSA is
> doing a good job? How many people think the tax situation can't be made
> far better?
>
> So, do you folks in Europe or Africa or South America or wherever you
> may live trust your government to be trying to do well for you?
> (Obviously, not perfect, or government wouldn't have to enforce the
> laws.) Or do you think your government is out to get you?

The government is not out to get me. That concept strikes me as rather 
American.


*) Which given the current situation means that I think this government 
should not have happened. They don't have a majority in the country and 
only half plus one** support in parliament. Plus too many people in it 
that are solely in it for themselves. We used to have governments with 
better ethics. Though I might be biased.

**) There is an interesting reason why this happened and why I think our 
queen needs more power to prevent this, but in order to keep this post 
within bounds I won't bother you with that.

Post a reply to this message