John Kampfner, suggests politicians fail to really deal with problems because:
'They worry about the markets (with reason); they fret about conventional media & social media (with less reason). They wait for bad things to happen, trying to anticipate what their critics might say of them in case they put a foot out of line. It’s a self-fulfilling spiral'!
There's more to it than this, but this seem to capture an important aspect of our political problem(s)!
#politics
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/may/14/europe-big-problems-japan-taiwan-care-systems
@ChrisMayLA6 I’ve said this before and will no doubt say it again: you can’t become a doctor or a surgeon without qualifications and training, same goes for lawyers but any idiot can become a politician - zero training or even experience is required and we wonder why our countries are so badly run?!
@alex_p_roe @ChrisMayLA6 Ah, the wonders of democracy.
Some steps that could be taken to improve democracy is to only allow votes to people who pay into the system. If you don't pay tax, you cannot vote, and you cannot become a politician.
When it comes to politicians, there can be IQ requirements, requirements for an academic degree, they must pass language tests, they must have worked in the private sector for at least 20 years, we want no life time public leeches.
@alex_p_roe @ChrisMayLA6 Then the term limit of 1 term, for life, must be imposed. We cannot have people make careers out of being politicians, this harms democracy.
Oh, and the salaries have to come down. It should not be possible to become rich by being a politician, and if salaries are lowered and important class of people, who are only doing it for the money, will hopefully be blocked.
@ChrisMayLA6 @alex_p_roe Aha! A sweet convergence across the ideological spectrum for term limits!
But shouldn't we strive for politicians who are not ruled by envy? What they feel like, when compared with the captains of industry, and old wealthy family, should certainly not, in my opinion be used to set their salaries.
After all, in my business, if an employee would say they want a higher salary because they will envious of another, I'd laugh them out of the room.
@ChrisMayLA6 @alex_p_roe But what about salaries coupled to the national average salary? Let's say they can get 2x the national average. If, due to competent economic policies, the economy and salaries expands, the politicians get increased salaries, if the economy contracts, they get lowered salaries. When the people suffer, they suffer, and when the people prosper, they prosper. Sounds very democratic to my ears.
Indeed, this (or another multiple) has been suggested before on exactly that basis... I'm not just twice would be enough, but the logic of the tie & its impact on decision making is compelling
@ChrisMayLA6 @alex_p_roe Aha! another convergence. We're on a roll tonight! ;)
Could you please forward to Starmer? ;)
@h4890 @alex_p_roe
Yes, term limits seem to me to be a good way of limiting the corruption.... however the issue of salaries is almost the opposite; too low pay means they are amenable to 'other payments' because in the elite in which they mix, they feel themselves to be poor - rather higher salaries bit no second jobs or other income would be a better option - pay them well, but don't allow them (for their limited terms) any other income