Scorched Earth bloggers
Have you ever had a Jaws moment? Like that scene in the movie where the camera does that focal length/aperture trick? The focusing changes, the background falls away and you come into sharp focus, with your mouth agape and your eyes wide open? It happened to me while reading this sublime blog posting by Iain Dale. In it he remarks:
Cameron knows what the right knows. If the price of getting the extra two million votes needed to win an election is to lose a few thousand “scorched earthers” on the right, it’s a price he’s only too happy to pay. So far, he’s managed to keep the right on board despite trying its patience with his failure to deliver on withdrawing from the European People’s Party…
I thought blimey, that’s me. I’m a Scorched Earther. I’m the kind of person who has no more capacity left for this kind of politics. I am the kind of person who is fed up with being lied to, mislead, and expected to believe that principle is secondary to power. In short I am the kind of person who expects more from my public servants.
Then I began to wonder how this relates to some thinking I’ve been doing about the rise in popularity of political blogging. You know the kind of thing; why people decide to start blogging and why so much of it is a diatribe against politicians in general. I see what looks like kindred spirits everywhere. People who are fed up with being taken for a ride. People left cold by the quality of our public figures. People who are fed up with mainstream media portrayals of public figures as consummate politicians like it was a good thing. People who think being a good politician is not the same as being a good public figure. People who cannot and will not stomach another lie or slight of hand by the politically adept who pass themselves off as our servants these days. People, in other words, who are Scorched Earthers.
You want to know why the voter turnout at general elections is so low? A politician lies…woosh, another patch of earth is consumed. A politician blabbers on the radio, refusing to answer a simple question……woosh, a forest blazes uncontrollably. Another announces a tough new policy in response to public outrage only to drop it quietly a few months later….woosh, there goes another village. A party announces that they support ID cards in principle only to spin that they are actually against ID cards….woosh, a smallholding in Berkshire bursts into flames. Politicians criticise people for being Scorched Earthers without realising that it is they who are handing out the kerosene.
So here it is. A new blogging club much in the same style as the dormant 1952 Committee. A simple list of members who blog in the smoke and flames of a landscape created by the poor quality of our consummate public figures.
Scorched Earth bloggers see it as their civic duty to highlight the poor quality of our public figures. The tools they choose to do this with are their voices, their blogs, their votes and their absolute belief that any public servant who is a hypocrite, who lies, misleads, obfuscates and generally plays us for fools cannot and should not be trusted with public office.
There is no middle ground, just Scorched Earth.
Clearly such a group will be greeted with much derision. Flying below the radar is an attractive proposition but, sooner or later, someone might notice. Guardianistas might write that this is no way to further the debate or to improve things. They might surmise that abstinence from voting for a liar is a bizarre way of improving the political landscape. They will probably bleat that it is everyone’s civic duty to vote for the least offensive person that they can find. They would like us, in short, to be consummate voters.
To them I say……no.
You don’t have to be politically non-aligned to be a Scorched Earth blogger but if you are some way down the road on your own personal journey to the realisation that, actually, none of the political parties are quite good enough for you then please consider joining. If you are a party person but don’t like the direction your party is going in and you suspect that it is all really just a play for power and nothing to do with actual, you know, principle then this could be the place for you. If you are just sick and tired of it all and want to stick it to them until they get the point that truth and straight talking are what you expect from your representatives then please consider joining.
All I ask is that you continue to do what you are no doubt doing. Take no prisoners in your blogging. Make no excuses for any of them, whether they are on your team or not. If they fail the Scorched Earth test then say so. If they are in a position of some power, say party leader, then don’t support them in that position. If they hand you a can of kerosene it is your public duty to use it and to remind them of it when they think everyone has forgotten.
To join just drop me an email. I’ll add you to the blogroll and email you the code which you can use to display the blogroll. You don’t have to display the roll if you don’t want to. Many blogs are drowning in these things. If you want to just display the image then do so. Mine is linked to this blog entry but you can link yours anywhere you want.
UPDATE: The member roll:
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Nice concept. I may join, when I get my blog up and running again.
For some reason it seems like the comment I made on this has disappeared…
I agree with the idea of scorched earth for those politicians at all levels who fail the electorate and that includes candidates as well.
I spoiled my ballot paper for the last local election, the conservative candidate failed completely, I believe that politicians have to earn our votes and not be handed them, he failed to earn mine.
“A few thousand scorched earthers on the right.”
Like the 11,962 they lost at the 2006 Bromley & Chislehurst By-Election, say?
Or the 3,512 who voted UKIP in my constituency at the last election, which Labour then won with a 2,438 majority?
Interestingly enough, the same problems are occuring in the US. Most Republicans are pro-war, low taxes, low spending. The Republicans have not delivered on these issues, and the Democrats are even worse with a vacuum where their policies used to be.
It seems the two countries need some kind of political renaissance in order to bring back level headedness.
Scorched Earth is right where I am politically.
Can I join pur-leese?
Thanks for signing me up. I am wearing my fiery badge with pride.
Ah burning the fields – now that was a past-time for the harvest time..
Oh and for politicians – count me in!
Finally. A worthy blogging alternative to “this is a picture of my me, my family, my dog…” blah blah blah. Let me at ‘em?
Miss H
Count me in as well if you dont mind.
You can add me to the members roll!
Just added the graphic to Samizdata… consider me a ‘Scorched Earth Blogger’!
Goodbye to my England, so long my old friend
Your days are numbered, being brought to an end
To be Scottish, Irish or Welsh that’s fine
But don’t say you’re English, that’s way out of line.
The French and the Germans may call themselves such
As may Norwegians, the Swedes and also the Dutch
You can say you are Russian or maybe a Dane
But don’t say you’re English ever again.
At Broadcasting House the word is Taboo
In Brussels it’s scrapped, in Parliament too
Even Schools are affected, staff do as their told
They must not teach children about England of old
Writers like Shakespeare, Milton and Shaw
Pupils don’t learn about them any more
How about D Day, Dunkirk, Arnhem or Mons
Where England lost thousands of her very brave sons
We aren’t Europeans, how can we be?
Europe is miles away, way over the sea
We’re the English from England, let’s all be proud
Stand up and be counted- SHOUT IT OUT LOUD!
Let’s tell our Government and Brussels too
We’re proud of our heritage, the red white and blue
Fly the flag of St George or the Union Jack
Let the world know – we want OUR ENGLAND BACK.
THIS IS IN SUPPORT OF THE ENGLAND FOOTBALL
SUPPORTER WHO WAS ORDERED TO TAKE DOWN HIS ENGLAND FLAG-IT IS OFFENSIVE SAY HIS COUNCIL.
Hear hear, I’d love to join (email en route) but the image is a little big for my taste and doesn’t fit well with my blog layout. I could knock up one of those ubiquitous 80×15 buttons for you If you like.
Thanks John,
I’ve added the graphic and blogroll.
Regards
Steve
Came to the UK, as a young kid along with my family from the Sub Continent, back in the late sixties.
We were economic migrants.
Yes, we came to the UK because we were looking for better opportunities.
Back then, you did not pretend to have been persecuted by the Government back in your home country, so that you could ask for “shelter” as an Asylum Seeker.
I am grateful for all that this country has given to my family.
I may not always be very Politically Correct, but am a well wisher of England and of the Great Britain.
How do I join? Just include the graphic in the blog?
Phil,
Yes. I will also mail you with the javascript code for the blogroll. It is entirely up to you if you wish to display the roll and up to you where you link the graphic to, though I link it to this posting.
You hit the nail. Count me in! I am a Scorched Earth Blogger!
I am not a blogger, but as a conservative NOT a republican here in Texas, I at least know that I am not alone in feeling my little peice of Earth has been scortched.
-God bless Texas
Can I join scorched earth please?
Im fed up with Labour pissed off with the conmerchants the tories and the twofaced liars the libdems, why cant we have a scorched earth party?
Henry
That’s exactly what I am up to. I’m with you
Shout it from the rooftops!
Yep, guess I’m a scorched earther and am more than willing to support the cause.
Politicians do nothing more than turn my stomach these days.
Yeah, I respect your strait talking man..we know its all wrong..
The war, the arms dealing with our money..they make the profit..
I watch them all the time..im discusted..maybe when the kids have grown ill get more active..but for now all i can do is blog : ))
While I consider myself politically middle conservative, I am appalled at what the system has wrought this time around. I see a media that is more concerned with BEING the story than REPORTING the story. I see celebrities held up as icons of vision and men and women of real importance being shoved aside so that tabloids can get a better view of Britney Spears getting out of a car. What have we become? We are so deluded by the stuff we own that we have crowned ourselves the Grand High Belly Buttons of the Collective Universe. And in doing so we have demanded all of the accolades, trappings and “stuff” to which we believe we are entitled. Is it any wonder that the banks have failed?
And what of our political system? You can go to opensecrets.org or muckety.net and see the various incestuous alliances that have made governing more of an exercise of influence rather than one of honesty and fairness. I believe that there are factors at work beyond the pale in this election season to insure a victory by one of the candidates-both of whom were largely selected by the media. Our representative are far more interested in garnering and keeping power than in using power to represent the people that send them to Washington. I have discussed a program where we vote out all incumbents regardless of party in order to begin anew. But it’s funny how some people will cling to even a drone like Barney Frank or Chris Dodds rather than lose their pork filled leverage.
I didn’t realize that I was a Scorched Earther until now. Thanks for clearing this up.
Can you print this in bigger type, my eyes are bad?
Excellent Manifesto, discriptor and assesment!
This American Political Malcontent recognized herself in every word. ” Take no prisoners in your blogging. Make no excuses for any of them, whether they are on your team or not. If they fail the Scorched Earth test then say so. If they are in a position of some power, say party leader, then don’t support them in that position. If they hand you a can of kerosene it is your public duty to use it and to remind them of it when they think everyone has forgotten.”
I have no choice but to proceed exactly as prescribed but will certainly take comfort in knowing that I am in good company.
Best,
AxXiom
Would like to join and wear the emblem proudly – all politicians must be held accountable – it’s like I always teach my government students on the first day – what is politics? and then I explain when you’re not sure of something, always break it down in bite size pieces for easier digestion. What is “poli” – meaning “many; what is “tics” – meaning “blood-sucking parasites.” So “politics” means “many blood sucking parasites.” If you understand that, you understand how our system works. Usually, a nervous laugh, and then silence (helps with the digestion).
Count the Wabbit in!
Yes, please!
‘Scorched Earth bloggers see it as their civic duty to highlight the poor quality of our public figures. The tools they choose to do this with are their voices, their blogs, their votes and their absolute belief that any public servant who is a hypocrite, who lies, misleads, obfuscates and generally plays us for fools cannot and should not be trusted with public office.’
I feel an overpowering urge to perform such civic duties.
Count me in!
Oswald, Wabbit, PM of NZ, your in. Email me if you want the blogrolling code or just take the graphic and use it (or both).
Cheers!
And why not. Add me in.
John, have just used graphic and linked.
Cheers
Technomist, have added you. Cheers!
can you please join me up! wiiicked… we take no prisoners.