A Real Leader, Perhaps Forseeing the Turkey of Today

[Ray1951]

Ataturk was a real visionary, a man of and for his people.  Sadly politicians today seem to be fixated with their own importance and control. Control being the operative word. Having watched the documentary about the Ottoman Empire, modern day Turkey is taking a step backward.  I maintain that people from other countries should keep their noses out of other countries politics but we are ALL entitled to our opinions, just a pity that freedom of speech is currently being denied to Turkish and particularly, young Turkish people.  Turkey has so much to offer, it is one of and maybe the only country that could profess to not needing to import many things from outside the country, they 'could' be self sufficient.  Tourism contributes to the Turkish economy and yet new rules, regulations and laws could greatly affect this situation.  They should be promoting and encouraging tourism more.  Ataturk said that "politics and religion should never mix", how shameful that modern day politicians are not prepared to go along with this good advice.

[GordonA]

How about this one Colwyn.

All the way from suburban Surrey.


http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/elections-not-been-true-fair-6838266

Thank you Madmart. I rest my case.

[JohnF]

I've been trying to find out what percentage of all votes are postal but without success so far.

15.3% according to: Electoral Commision

JF

[kevin3]

A few years ago a High Court Judge declared that the electoral system in Birmingham
at that time had "sunken to the level of a banana republic" whilst presiding over a
vote rigging case.
 I will not mention which section of the community he was referring to.!!

[villain]

[Colwyn]

15.3% according to: Electoral Commision

Yes, that fits with what I found. It is more than I thought and at that level it is probably capable of effecting results in relatively close run races if the postal vote diverges significantly from the physical ballot. Gordon can keep resting his case.

[panick]

 
Gordon I agree with Colwyns questioning of your use of "naïve" to describe his and others views on the UK electoral process. I'm afraid to say that naïve comes nowhere near describing the level of lack of understanding about how undemocratic our system is. If the system ever worked it's certainly broken now. I won't start on how effective our "democratic" government runs the country, but if anyone believes that the electoral process is as fair and open as it should be then  they are seriously deluded.
The postal vote debacle has already been touched on, but the corruption is not exclusive to one section of our society,  I have personal experience of it happening in an area that could only be described traditionally English.
A large percentage of the pathetically small number of the electorate that can be bothered to vote at local, European and general elections are influenced by what they read or hear in the media, which is controlled by a mega-rich elite who also control the majority of our career politicians. There is little opportunity or desire for open debate about the issues. Political parties have become  exclusive  cliques, pushing a narrow and increasingly homogenised agenda.
Before we decry the inadequacies of the Turkish system can we honestly say that we are happy with our own.

[GordonA]

Gordon I agree with Colwyns questioning of your use of "naïve" to describe his and others views on the UK electoral process.

Panick, I believe that the interpretation of the extremely erudite Gentleman that is Colwyn, of my use of the word "naive", differs somewhat from your own, in relation to the context in which it was used.
As most regular Members of this fantastic Forum will know, I am one of those persons who ALWAYS says what I feel, and I have no qualms at all regarding airing my opinions.
This reply is not designed to be critical of your own opinions, any opinions have been, are, and always will be , welcome on The Forum.

Anyway, cut me SOME slack, I'm only 9 !!

[peter16]

Panick...GordonA is in case you doubt : otherwise is stating to his mental age