People not losing interest in politics

READ with interest (as always) Ray Fleming's article titled “A Cynical Show” in yesteray's Bulletin, specifically in his closing sentence “No wonder people are losing interest in politics”. But I don't agree with his rationale on why people appear to be losing interest. It is not the fact that Mr. Blair tap danced around Mr. Howard's six questions concerning the personal relationship between Mr. Blair and Mr. Brown, the average person is much brighter than that, the people recognize that the personalities may clash, but on the professional level they are doing a good job. How many of us have worked for or with someone that we didn't like or grated on us, but you still work with them because you are a professional and you rise above this, and do the best work that you are capable of. A second issue concerning the press and the politicians is the current tempest in a teapot concerning the first minister of Scotland and the BBC journalist. The BBC is absolutely correct in supporting the lady. The upper management recognizes that people do have long term family friendships, and on a more cynical note, they realized that so long as the talking head follows the editorial policy of the BBC then they are safe. I think that it is a truism that someone who goes against the editorial policy of the organization is not long for that organization. To a certain degree, I think that both Reuters and the Associated Press try to avoid this. For example, also in yesterday's Bulletin there is an article on the front page no less that the “U.S. SENDS BRITISH AIRWAYS FLIGHT BACK TO BRITAIN, SECURITY SCARE” Now come on that's not exactly true is it. You pulled this story off of the same Reuter report that I did, but it wouldn't be quite so interesting if you had reported it completely and wrote that the U.S. authorities had actually requested that the BA flight divert to Bangor, Maine, and that the decision to return to the UK was made by BA. Much more fun to write what the nasty USA is up to.

The whole problem is that the tail is wagging the dog. The press has a penchant for reporting sensationalism and doesn't appear to understand that the common guy is pretty smart and sees through most of the spin that both politicians and the press throw out. People are not really losing interest in politics they are just finding different sources of information, mainly through the internet. Think about it, I and anyone else on the internet have access to the same sources of information that the press does. Mr. Blair understands it and it is one more reason why I like him. He treated Mr. Howard's questions with all the respect that they deserved.

Dan Hamilton
Valldemossa