"They know that policies aren’t written with them in mind. That campaign events aren’t held in shelters. That meet-and-greets don’t take place in food queues. They know they are not the target audience for the policy launches and budget splashes, the corporate fundraisers. They know they don’t count..."
Sadly only too true. It is an example of cynical political calculation. Focus groups, reference groups, policy review groups, surveys etc are used to discern what may attract individuals to vote for your party and also to prepare and project policies that may find favour with particular communities of geography or interest.
Or as Groucho Marx put it:
"Those are my principles, and if you don't like them I have others".
Politicians make promises in their manifestos that we doubt they will fulfil. Groucho had this to say about the reality of the political process:
"Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies".
Those of us engaged in campaigning for systemic change, whether as people of faith or not, have lost confidence in the promises and actions of politicians in many areas of poverty, discrimination and marginalisation. But, followers of Jesus must fight on. It may be that we should appeal to the public for support instead of to politicians directly. Until we do, and do so successfully, self-interest will prevail and policies will pander to it. Galbraith was right: we have the means but lack the will as a nation to end the misery inflicted on so many amongst us.
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