What Democracy is not
I know, there has been much talk of democracy
over these years and a lot of muddying the waters
redefining it with invented conventions
propagated by the Brexit pushers;
cleaving in two our perception
of the state of our democracy
and therefore our nation.
Allow me to explain myself in the form of a question,
because democracy is about the people giving their answer.
What is to stop this from happening again?
What is the stop the next bunch of millionaires
using their wealth, selfishness and willingness
to break the only laws that protect
our already scant democracy
to advance this political project
that will benefit them at the expense -
of everyone else?
Fucking nothing.
Why would they hesitate?
Not only did those responsible get away with it
some were elected into sodding government!
Not only was there no punishment,
the prize was bigger. I ask,
don’t you want a deterrent?
“A mandate is only as strong as the integrity of a democracy.
Once compromised, respect for it becomes hypocrisy”
I wrote that couple years ago
and, yeah, yeah, I know
I have used this phrase a lot. I have trawled the thesaurus but there is no synonym adequate;
- integrity.
is the only thing that matters.
After all, surely,
we can agree that democracy is not
just lining up,
walking into a booth
and ticking a box.
It is knowing that your ballot will be counted
and the process was lawful.
To see the absence of this integrity,
look to sham democracies
like that of Vladimir Putin.
The people line up, just like us,
they, too, walk in-
to a booth,
they tick a box.
They engage
in these Potemkin elections
despite, surely, knowing the truth.
Now, it is indeed, too late
to stop us from leaving.
Too late to save us from the pain;
another crash in our currency,
another short for some of those that funded
this astroturf political project
to bring about such profitable circumstances.
Another bet
- against the country.
another morning
with the taste of gold in the mouth of greed.