A new democracy must emerge from this mire

[Blue_Tires]

The worst conclusion to draw from the parliamentary expenses scandal would be, as the cliche has it, that "politicians are all the same". The opposite is clearly proven. MPs come in a wide range of flavours: honest, lazy, greedy, diligent, clever, stupid. The problem is knowing which is which.

Instead of being a crucible where elected representatives prove their mettle, Parliament has been a closet for their inadequacy. Rotten MPs have coasted through mediocre careers unchallenged.

How has this happened? A case can be made linking the decline of MPs' performance to everything from the power of the whips to the weakness of the speaker to usurpation of Parliament by the EU. It is then tempting, given the scale of public anger, to seek epic reform, renegotiating every clause of our unwritten constitution.

But there is a danger in responding to a big political crisis with too much ambition, if it is not focused. There is plenty of imperfection in the way Britain is run, but the immediate object of rage is specific: MPs serving themselves instead of their constituents. Voters want redress. Other democratic deficiencies - the Lords and royal prerogatives - need fixing, but not with the same urgency.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/may/24/editorial-mps-democratic-reform

[Mind_your_head]

1. Can we do away with the lazy, greedy, stupid ones right from the 'get go' eom

[Blue_Tires]

2. ttt