False Dawn or Brave New World?

Yesterday I listened to the launch of the Labour manifesto and today I have heard the Conservative version. At last! A choice. Whether or not people choose to vote Tory or not is up to them. However, one thing has emerged loud and clear. We can either have a continuation of the politically correct Nanny State with New Labour continuing to spoon feed us what they deem to be best for us or we can start to engage and become involved. For me it has to be the latter. I do not want to still be moaning and whinging about waste, corruption and broken promises. If I have a say and an involvement in local and national issues, I will feel more included.In simple terms, to copy a well known saying: "Give a man a fish and you feed a man for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for life". I don't want to become dependent on political masters deciding what is best for me. However, the only way I can hope to effect change in policies to which I don't subscribe is to become involved. Apathy is the biggest cop out and always will be. Do nothing and nothing gets done. Guaranteed. Get involved and you might play a role in change. We all have to be in it to win it and it amazes me that millions of people venture out religiously every week to buy their lottery ticket but millions don't vote or become engaged in the very system which dictates the quality of their lives. I want a say. I didn't want my country to go to war in Iraq or in Afghanistan. Nobody asked me. I don't want to be a part of the European Union. Nobody asked me. I don't want a Prime Minister who has not been democratically elected. Nobody asked me. I didn't want Welsh devolution but at least I was asked. The latter is the exception. I want it to become the norm. When I hear people express themselves as being fed up of hearing about the Election, I wonder if they have ever really stopped to think of the potential outcomes. Imagine a BNP MP. Well, I wouldn't bet against it unless people start to put their feelings into the ballot box. A hung Parliament will only be a reflection of the views of those who have voted - not those who haven't. This is criminal. For God's sake everybody, get out, get involved, engage, join the debate but most importantly, VOTE! I know it was J.F.Kennedy who first said it, but David Cameron was quite right to say it again: Think not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. Six hundred MPs in Westminster will not make this country great again but sixty million people nationwide will. That choice belongs to each of us.