Believe me, it never crossed my mind to think that your are anything but sensible. Your grasp of the English language is one of the reasons I keep coming back to this blog. The fact that you took the time to explain yourself with regards to my post, rather than disregard it completely, speaks volumes about your ability to engage in a form of dialogue which is lacking in the PL.

Should the opposition be able to bring forward someone with the same sort of eloquence, rhetoric and investigative nature as yourself, it would definitely attract that niche of people which are fed up with the status quo yet they don’t see an alternative with the other half of the spectrum.

[Daphne – Richard, the essential point, which you appear to miss, is this: the political parties are not equal in terms of quality or ability. They are equal only in size and electoral support. The Labour Party, try as it might, is never going to get the vote, still less the public support, of somebody like me – once we’re talking about me, which I hate – because the qualities that you find admirable in somebody like me are the very ones which make me see Labour for what it is.

I keep reminding people of the fact that I did not grow up in a Nationalist family – both my mother’s family and my father’s supported the Strickland party – because it is important to consider my political views and opinions in the salient context of my HAVING MADE A CONSCIOUS AND CONSIDERED CHOICE, which few people in Malta actually make because the parties their parents supported are still around. I speak with conviction because I chose with conviction. Even the thought of voting for the Labour Party is laughable to me. I really would have to have no self respect at all. It would be like buying a badly made dress at 20 times the cost of a far better one, just for kicks and a change.]

President Obama was all for change, and he had me hoping that the US could maybe, just maybe have a chance at being a country which is respected for its political decisions. This was done by his rhetoric, his mannerisms and his speeches. However this has changed. His stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict shows that he too is a puppet of the Jewish US. I believe it was Time magazine which portrayed him as being the first Afro American Jewish President. The fact is that, even though the US is facing another recession with Bernanke deciding to inject the economy with 400 Billion dollars, I would hate to see Perry becoming the next US president. I believe that you see the same situation happening here. The choice is not whether we should have a competent government, it is based solely on the fact of keeping the incumbent party because of a lack of alternatives.

I hope that as the election looms closer, both parties will provide for electoral manifestos which give the people choice, rather than the lack thereof.

I meant silly and shallow. (Must have been a Freudian slip with the ‘stupid’ part as you obviously think that anyone who does not vote PN is stupid)

Pity you chose the last paragraph to brand me as being silly and stupid. In any case, your prejudice needs to be taken lightly in view of the fact that, until a couple of months ago, you thought that Mr Engerer would be the start of the liberal faction in the NP.

[Daphne – Shallow, not stupid. And ever so…Malta Today-ish. As for prejudice, my decisions are taken clinically, aided by the fact that I’m fairly sensible and, I suppose, moderately bright. I see a bunch of incompetent arseholes with a terrible track record on one side and I see a bunch of terribly unglamorous, rather boring people with a good track record and a pretty high level of competence on the other, and I will vote for the latter bunch because politics isn’t entertainment and boredom and glamour don’t enter the equation. My reassessment of Cyrus Engerer has nothing to do with prejudice and everything to do with common sense. Sensible people reappraise situations (and people) as the evidence changes. Given new evidence (to me, at least) that Mr Engerer is a total prick, my appraisal of him has changed. That evidence – to me – is not his switch to another party but entering an ex-lover’s home, filching personal pictures from his computer, and emailing them to his boss and colleagues in an attempt at getting him fired or into some form of trouble. That is evidence of a deeply insecure, vengeful, unstable and unreliable personality. Consequently, I no longer think that Cyrus Engerer is suitable politician material, despite his ability to speak well in public.]

The impression Labour are giving is that leadership is something to be avoided at all costs, and that Joseph is only the scapegoat to blame as soon as the going gets tough.

The fact that he has to portray himself as a Mintoff, whilst at the same time emphasising how nice he is, has to be the greatest contradiction in their philosophy.

That could be why they insist on revising history, then glorifying Lorry Sant in a relatively low key affair.

And also why policymaking is sorely lacking in tangible proposals.

What the Nationalists need is to set their mind to it, and to hell with those who won’t commit to it. Whoever didn’t was rejected by the whole electorate anyway.

It’s the one characteristic which keeps the Maltese afloat and convinces the undecided.

The question is, where do the Maltese want to go in 2013? I doubt whether Karmenu Vella, the FZL, the Ideat thingy and the multitude of secretaries have any clue. All I see is regimentation.

Concepts are hard to verbalise and crystallise if the language is poor.

You’re right up to a point.

Carping about core values without actually subscribing to their abstract nature denotes hesitation to the design possibilities of the former.

The PN’s reluctance to lead the divorce debate one example.

If it had to be a question of conscience, it shouldn’t have been allowed to overshadow their commitment to policymaking, which is their product.

It’s the style which was sacrificed, albeit to confirm the product itself. Call it a recall.

Lawrence Gonzi was against divorce but always said he would respect the result of the referendum, which he did.

Joseph Muscat was against the EU, said he wouldn’t respect the result and to this day doesn’t acknowledge it.

On the other hand, it’s the very definition of modern business.

It’s the other lot that’s out of touch. A circle jerk of Fehmiet Bazici nostalgics carping on about core values.

Wrong decisions like in their choice of leader.

The British Labour Party chose the wrong Milliband.

The Malta Labour Party have been choosing the wrong leader for as long as I can remember.

Do anybody remember the names or titles that the ministers of finance during Mintoff’s regime used to give to the budget; this includes Lino Spiteri’s?

“Unfortunately, your last sentence reveals your true sentiments” – and these are?

[Daphne – Silly and shallow. And VERY Malta Today-ish.]