In the last few weeks, the media has gotten hold of something, it can smell blood, and like a shark it is going in for the kill (although this shark is a little slow on the uptake). A few weeks ago, there were a couple of stories in the papers regarding MP's and their expenses. In short, these MP's were using their parlimentary expenses to pay for anything from second homes to porn, and every time a story surfaced, the same response could be heard across the nation, "I haven't broken any rules". Unfortunately, the sanctimonious tabloid media decided to focus on the porn allegations rather than the fact that these people were (in my opinion) stealing money from the public. Jeremy Vine (a man who really needs to be beaten badly) dedicated an entire hour of his BBC radio 2 show to the effects of pornography on a relationship rather than the real story. Once again the politicians skulked away, knowing that the media had let go of a story that 20 years ago would have cost someone their job.
That last sentence is symptomatic of the media and governments parasitic relationship. Neither want to fight each other in case of ruining any decent biography serialisation contracts down the road. What happened to the journalists who would chase down a story to ensure the public knew what was going on? Why don't politicians now resign when they have done something wrong or illegal? Why doesn't anyone care anymore? If Watergate happened today, there would be a big headline calling it 'Watergate-gate' and it would drop off to page seven after we have been told about Lily Allen getting drunk and some other bollocks. Within a day the story would have disappeared to be replaced by Ashley Cole cheating on his very lovely wife again. This is why no one cares about politics anymore, there is no follow through from the media when they are investigating a story, and no delivery on their promises by politicians. If the electorate could see people get their just deserts when they have cheated, take a demotion when their departments fail miserably, or push forward a real life changing idea, more people would vote. More people would care how they voted, and people wouldn't feel so much apathy to the corrupt system that bears no resemblance to the ideas of parliment that so many men died to achieve.
What we need in this country are politicians to stand by their principles and the media to bring them to account. I have heard politicians for too long now say "sorry" when caught with their hands in the cookie jar, or when they have wasted billions of taxpayers' money. Generally it's half hearted, and you know they wouldn't say anything if they hadn't been caught, and we don't need to hear them say sorry anymore, we need them to realise they are wrong and fuck off. No pension, no expenses, no severence pay, no backbench career to come back 5 years later, no more.
My blog is going to continue in this political vein for a while. Mainly because I'm angry and I find it cathartic. Don't worry though, soon enough I'll go back to something fun like how my daughter is the coolest baby on the planet, or the impending zombie apocalypse, or reviewing some cool bands that no one has heard of or just musing about nothing.
Laters people.
