RE: Boris Johnson for President!
September 11, 2012 at 11:12 am
(This post was last modified: September 11, 2012 at 11:18 am by Napoléon.)
(September 11, 2012 at 11:00 am)Red Celt Wrote: It is the policies that matter in a representative democracy, nothing else.
If that was actually reality I'd agree with you. But it's simply not. Any successful political leaders of any country rely on more than just policies.
Quote:Do you ever watch a BBC show called Who Do You Think You Are? A season or 2 back, Boris Johnson was one of the celebrities. When being shown around the homes of his recent ancestors, he was given a tour of some of the palaces of Europe. His background is one of immense wealth. Portraying him as some lower-class oik who got lucky... that is such a misrepresentation of the truth.
Nice straw man.
I wasn't portraying him as a lower class oik who got lucky, I was pointing out the fact that he got his education through merit not wealth.
I mean, what the fuck is lucky about multiple scholarships? Are you serious?
Quote:The bikes are called "Boris Bikes", but it was Ken Livingstone who set them up.
Ken Livingston did not set them up. He had the original ideas but didn't put them into action (perhaps he didn't get chance I'll give you that).
Quote: As for plans for more buildings... there's a big difference between "plans" and actualities.
The actualities are out there if you care to look them up, but hey, I'm not going to labour it, like I said, everything in politics is relative and they all do a similar job no matter who's in power (in this current system we call democracy anyway). At least in my opinion I see no real discernible features of any political party that would greatly impact my existence. One is slightly right wing, the other slightly more central, and another left wing party that doesn't really have a chance of being in power. My personal political ideologies don't fit with any of them particularly well, so it makes no difference to me who's in power.
Quote:He's popular because of his personality. He's hard to dislike. Using that as a premise for his abilities as a leader is a quantum leap too far.
Again you're trying to limit my argument to merely being "he's good because he's got a good personality". I'm not saying that.
I'm saying he would be successful (and is) because he's got a good personality and does a good job on top of it.
As I said, do you think Livingstone would be doing any better of a job? I find it far more likely he would be doing a worse one.
No one is saying Boris Johnson is superman, but do I think he's a competent enough politician to be a political leader? Absolutely. Would I vote for him? He's the only politician I would vote for, and yes, that's because I like his personality. That doesn't mean to say it's the sole reason I would vote for him however, which is the point you seem to miss.
*edited certain points for better clarity*
