I've been reading the food fights and not been much impressed, I've seen some people I like TTFN; or just quietly leave. I suppose it is often the need to be noticed that leads to some of the excesses in a few diaries, and a few ill advised comments. Sometimes it is easy to join in the pie fights but the results are always the same, they change nothing.
I have made a conscious effort to try and stick to writing about what I consider to be important, this may fly in the face of either party. I don't actually regard this as a fundamental problem. What I find amusing is that any thought I have must conform to a political imperative. Hell, I don't always agree with my partner why should I agree with the political nuance of the day? Quite frankly my views and diaries are not going to change the world just because I post them on Kos; no matter how much they are wrecked or not.
So I ask myself each time I sit down to write I consider, what interests me, will I enjoy actually writing it, and will the comments be fun? Its the comment section that makes or breaks a diary for me, does it make people think or better still laugh.
Equality.
Its not a question of how or when colored by a political need, its a simple black or white issue, are you equal or not, if not why not. I'm afraid the argument for equality is not dependent on some electoral timetable, its a fact of life some are equal others are not. Is inequality justifiable under any circumstance? My answer would have to be, No.
Unemployment
Millions have no job nor the prospect of having one anytime soon, we can keep looking at the past and placing the blame, sometimes with complete justification, but it does not change the reality. Unemployment on this scale lowers wages and standards of living for those that have work over the long run, it does benefit a few in that they can reap better dividends.
Corporate takeover of Politics
This is so blindingly obvious, even for some of the lowest elected offices where everyone should be able to participate are financially onerous, national politics is purely the playing field of the rich and sponsored. You need financial backers who one day will ask for recompense. I would argue that this often excludes many of the best and the brightest from ever holding office, instead we get empty shells with few pearls.
Climate Change/Environment
No matter how much you wish it is not going away, merely denying wont change the facts. Just as dumping our waste and industrial discharges into the earth, sea and sky wont just simply disappear because we hope it will.
Human rights
These include the right not to be bombed or occupied; nor to be used as slave labor. Great rhetoric is often used to justify the most basic crimes, economic imperative is often used when allowing atrocities to occur.
Politics
Politicians of all stripes need to be held up to the litmus test; are they serving our best interests? If not, why not. They should not be excused criticism just because they are serving their own needs to be elected/re-elected. So please don't tell me just how bad the other lot are, its not enough; I know where my interests lie.