[Magdalen] Political stance

[Roger Stokes]

On 03/08/2015 04:51, AT&T wrote:
> In the current political climate in the United States, i find myself drawn to extremism toward the left. I'm not sure things is healthy.

I can understand any reasonable person reacting against the comments of 
politicians seeking to boost their conservative credentials and so 
appeal to the Tea Party voters.  Such a reaction is likely to veer in 
the opposite direction, to the more outspoken politicians of the left.

I think I would go further than Jin and say that things are certainly 
not healthy.  Elections are determined by those of us nearer to the 
centre of the political spectrum rather than the party faithful who 
select the candidate.  The candidate needs to be able to appeal to the 
swing voter who is not committed to any particular party if they are to 
be elected (unless they are in a deep red or deep blue constituency).

A healthy democracy requires a credible alternative to those currently 
in power, politicians putting forth views that are appealing enough to 
be electable. This side of the pond we had a period in the 80's when 
Labour was unelectable followed, after a time when both major parties 
were credible, by another period when the Conservatives veered to the right.

Cirrently the Labour Party is seeking a new Leader.  There is a field of 
four candidates, one of them quite inexperienced in Parliamentary 
politics (she was first elected in 2010) while constituency parties and 
trades unions seem to be backing a left-winger (jeremy Corbyn) who is 
not backed by many in the Parliamentary Party.

The actual decision wiull be taken on the basis of one member, one 
single transferable vote.  For the reasons cited above I hope Mr Corbyn 
is not victorious, and that if he is he stands down before the 2015 
General Election.  By then he will be very nearly 71 (his birthday is 
about 3 weeks later) and I don't think he would be seen as a credible 
Prime Minister for that reason as well as his political views.

Roger