Are today's politicians too young?

[NormanH]

Allan Massie certainly seems to think so in this article in the Telegraph

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/culture/allanmassie/100063581/our-obsession-with-young-politicians-is-damaging-britain/

For my part I reckon that they should have read  Sir Francis Bacon

Young men are fitter to invent, than to judge; fitter

for execution, than for counsel; and fitter for new

projects, than for settled business. Young men, in the conduct and manage of actions,

embrace more than they can hold; stir more than

they can quiet; fly to the end, without consideration of the means and degrees; pursue some

few principles, which they have chanced upon

absurdly; use extreme remedies at

first; and, that which doubleth all errors, will not

acknowledge or retract them; like an unready

horse, that will neither stop nor turn.  Authority followeth old men,

and favor and popularity, youth.

[Rabbie]

What worries me most about the present crop of politicians in all the main parties is their lack of experience in the real world. Too many of them have gone straight from their privileged backgounds to university and then to jobs as political research assistants and then as elected MPs etc. They generally with a few exceptions lack proper experience in business or in the trade unions before getting their cushy jobs in Westminster.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Rabbie"]What worries me most about the present crop of politicians in all the main parties is their lack of experience in the real world. Too many of them have gone straight from their privileged backgounds to university and then to jobs as political research assistants and then as elected MPs etc. They generally with a few exceptions lack proper experience in business or in the trade unions before getting their cushy jobs in Westminster.[/quote]

.....and then talk condescendingly to poor people telling them they know whats it's like to be poor because it was discussed in university and they read a book on poverty there. These are now classed, as Blair called himself, as proffesional politicians, it's seen as a proper job these days. They have no idea about the real wants, needs and aspirations of the British people nor what it's like to be really, and I mean really, be poor. They are in a world of their own. Country going down the pan, I know we can throw insults about the Media Minister around in the HofC to gain brownie points. Talk about Nero and his fiddle, I would shoot the lot of them.

[woolybanana]

Rabbie, I think you need to go further and include those who work for trade unions amongst the bunch too as they are inexperienced when it comes to grafting for a living..

In my view, no person who has not worked in the private sector for at least ten years should ever be elected to parliament.

[Quillan]

I think intelligence testing should be mandatory for both candidates and voters. [;-)]

[idun]

My instant reaction when I saw this title was that Blair is now of an age, whereby using the title of this thread, could mean that he would be more acceptable. And he is talking about going back into politics.

 

However, I wouldn't leave my cat with this man, just my personal view of him, as I wouldn't give him any power over anything apart from his daily ablutions.

 

 

I suppose my problem is that I don't quite trust anyone who wants to go into politics these days.......... young or old. 

[Clarkkent]

[quote user="Rabbie"] ... Too many of them have gone straight from their privileged backgounds to university and then to jobs as political research assistants and then as elected MPs etc ... [/quote]

I think that the situation is even worse than this. They work in the central office of the political party not only as researchers but as policy developers. The policies are often based on a narrow philosophical viewpoint which has little relevence in the real world and then seek election so that they can foist their barmy ideas on to the electorate.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Clarkkent"]

[quote user="Rabbie"] ... Too many of them have gone straight from their privileged backgounds to university and then to jobs as political research assistants and then as elected MPs etc ... [/quote]

I think that the situation is even worse than this. They work in the central office of the political party not only as researchers but as policy developers. The policies are often based on a narrow philosophical viewpoint which has little relevence in the real world and then seek election so that they can foist their barmy ideas on to the electorate.

[/quote]

Or more to the point tell people what they want to hear to get their vote then do something totally different but then nothing changes.