Jasbar wrote:
What I do know is that we need someone working on the council, who can ignore the powerful lobbies and put the interests of the public first.
And our politicians are not doing this, so the answer doesn't lie with them.
Take Cardownie for instance. An elected member of the council, he allegedly owns private hire interests, how can he possibly be objective?
Now, when it comes to a vote, like whether the restriction policy should be maintained, he does not have a vote and he withdraws. But we all know his value to the lobby is in being able to influence, not vote.
So, how can he possibly influence against his own vested interest? You can't remove his prejudice and commercial interest from the equation. It's not going to happen.
Private Hire interests picking up the fone and having cosy chats with council officials? City and Central officials doing the same. Whether because of some long standing cosy relationship, or some evil pervasive Masonic influence. And we do know that the taxi companies that would deny democratic right and control are riddled with the cancer.
How can this be right?
I'm not saying that council officials pay any heed to them, we're in a different ball game now that Inch has gone and Millar appears to have been sidelined.
But as long as my interests are being denied, and those of the public interest, and the owner trade lobby appears to hold sway, then it is jermaine to ask the question.
And I am pledged to keep asking the question until the inherent evil in our trade is swept away.

The political system is designed to operate through corporate entities, lobbying to serve their own interests. You scratch my back... The contrived reality sold to the public is, every decision they take, has the public interest in mind, when on most occasions, the opposite is true.
Depending on how successful as a writer you become, they will either seek to bring you onside or to radicalize you, as some sort of nut job, who doesn't understand how the political system works.
Tea and scones... serve their interests, but if your writing, were to reach beyond the political hierarchy and expose, the machinations of politicians to the public, you could become a real problem.
If I were you, I would let my writing do the talking, so to speak. Your first book has given you a platform and a voice. It is now up to you, to make yourself heard.
Oh and I wouldn't be surprised, if that's why Donald, found himself playing a conciliatory role at your last meeting, he recognises the potential for things to blow up in their face. Time is now working against the council, especially with a new SUD, in the offing.
I think it's now a question of appeasement and taking back control, before once again, things become messy.
