Labour is a clear choice
April 25, 2005 ~ 5:38 p.m.
The general election�the vote in which a Prime Minister and Parliamentarians (MPs) alike are elected, and a political party is granted the reigns of power�takes place on May 5.
Charles Kennedy, the Liberal Democrat leader, opposes the ID card scheme that the current Labour government wants to enact. They argue that this is a violation of civil rights and individual liberties, and that the details of this proposal haven't been discussed in enough detail to be able to trust. In this, the Lib Dems are right, and I share the same concerns.
However, the Lib Dems are too far to the Left to appeal to most of the electorate. Even though Kennedy and his party will likely reap the most votes ever in their history due to their opposition to the War in Iraq, and Labour MPs may be ousted in favor of Liberal Democrat ones in some constituencies, they are still left struggling to explain their big-government policies effectively. And Kennedy just isn't credible as someone who will steadfastly protect Britain from terror as a Prime Minister. Effectively, only hard-Left diehards will be voting Liberal Democrat. Therefore, I never considered them an option.
The Conservatives�also known as the Tories�are talking tough on immigration and crime, issues in dire need of positive action. And my sympathies were extended to Conservative leader Michael Howard after the indefensible smear campaign launched by Labour in which Howard's Jewishness was mockingly referred to.
But, the Tories don't realistically stand a chance. They are still seen by many as the party that will slash and burn the progressive programs made possible by Labour over the past eight years�the raising of the minimum wage, the doubling of National Health System spending, winter fuel allowances and childcare for working parents�and the public would never allow that.
Next we have Labour itself, which has problems:
� That they propose to "understand the roots of crime," as I heard Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott say, is easy to scoff at. Violent crime is up (only petty crimes have gone down). Too much emphasis is placed on "human rights," where criminals and law-breakers have the edge over victims and normal citizens.
� Tony Blair does not have even a remote idea on how many illegal immigrants there are in the U.K. Even worse, he doesn't seem bothered about trying to find out.
� They have allowed travelers to set up slums next to quiet villages, under antiquated "right to trespass" laws, effectively ghettoizing rural areas.
� If tackling crime is taken seriously by this Government, why the hell have they proposed granting licenses to pubs to serve alcohol all twenty-four hours of the day?
� Teenage abortions have skyrocketed, a crisis that prompted Church of England leaders to speak out against Labour's abortion policy.
� The proposed ID card scheme, already mentioned here, cannot be justified by the violation of individual liberty and the government power-trip that this might well create; in the wrong hands, a tracking scheme could easily spiral into an Orwellian scenario.
� The insensitivity behind the effort to smear the Tory leader was infuriating.
� Worst and the most worrying of all, Tony Blair has been adamant about signing Britain up to the European Constitution, so that we can be dictated to by unelected, unimpeachable, bureaucratic ministers in Brussels.
But now we shall examine all the good that has come about under eight years of Labour thus far:
� Two million jobs have been created, NHS waiting lists slashed, and inflation has been at the lowest point for 30 years and mortgage interest rates at the lowest point for forty. Anytime inflation is so low and job creation so high, the true legacy of any successful government, fosters a powerful argument as to why the party deserves a third term.
� Blair showed that he took the threat and possibility of terrorist attacks seriously by proposing a tough anti-terror bill. Although the bill got defeated by the House of Lords over civil liberties concerns (apparently, house arrest violates the Magna Carta), it proved that Blair is willing to act to protect citizens.
� The unpopular top-up fees for universities, which even shocked me, at least displayed New Labour's willingness to admit that there is no such thing as a free lunch.
� Last year, Labour successfully got cannabis downgraded from a Class B to a Class C drug.
� Labour has successfully passed bills banning landmines and fox hunting.
� Most importantly, he has promoted a strong role for Britain in foreign affairs and the democratization of the Balkans and the Middle East. During Blair's reign, both Slobodan Milosevic and Saddam Hussein have been overthrown. He has stood four-square with the United States under both the Clinton and Bush administrations. Under Blair, the United States has a very strong, trusted ally.
The issue of trust has dogged Blair throughout his second term, but can you trust any politician? Nobody running for office, Left, Right or Center, can be completely trusted. By its very nature, politics is a dirty business.
The three major parties in Britain have good and bad points. But proven leadership usually leads to the return to office of incumbents. And Tony Blair has proven himself to be a strong leader who not only knows what he wants, but usually knows how to triumphantly get it. Although many Labour MPs rebelled against the Iraq War, the top-up fees and pensions reform, Blair still enjoys majority support from his party. And while Labour tend toward big government, the present government is nowhere as big as it could potentially be�and I trust, won't be.
Nightdragon endorses TONY BLAIR and Labour for a successful third term, commencing next Thursday.
� M.E.M.
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Copyright � 2001-2007 by M.E. Manning. All material is written by me, unless explicitly stated otherwise by use of footnotes or bylines. Do not copy or redistribute without my permission.
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