the electorate are berated for not being interested in the democratic process

 a 'totally written in the morning' blogpost. outside it is a beautifully sunny morning (that won't last).

'we are now required to provide photo ID in order to vote... a candidate does not actually have to  produce photo ID in order to stand...' -  professor tim wilson.

such are the anomalies that accidentally happen when ideas are implemented in a hurry (no blame). 

something like 400,000 people may have been denied their legitimate right to vote in the last election by the requirement to show photo ID.  

'ethnic minorities were disproportionately affected, and were twice as likely to be turned away than white people.' - more in common.

unsurprisingly fewer people voted in this election than in previous elections (and the electorate are berated for not being interested in the democratic process). 

voter suppression on grounds of race is alive and well (we will see if labour have the courage to remove it). 

beyond those on the electoral register who did not vote there are the millions not registered to vote, those denied their vote as a result of brexit and immigration changes,  those unable to physically get out and vote. those marginalised from politics by the unwillingness of political authorities make election materials available in the language they use (horsemouth is thinking of the sign-language deaf community here but  it apples to many other linguistic minorities), prisoners in jail etc. 

and then (of course) there is the extent to which the votes themselves under the first passed the post process do not produce parliamentary seats in the proportion for which the people voted for the parties (as measured by the gallagher index). 

above all there is the extent to which the levers of power are not actually present in parliament but elsewhere. 

anyway the election is over - those of us that were allowed to drop our 'X' we can now go back to political sleep while our betters get on with running the country. 

horsemouth is still reading anna neima's the utopians - currently they are with gurdjieff and his institute for the harmonious development of man. democracy is less of a problem here (gurdjieff is an old style guru). 

horsemouth listened to wadada leo smith (trumpet) and amina claudine myers (piano)'s central park's mosaics of reservoir, lake, paths and gardens (recorded: november 8 & 9, 2021 sear sound, new york) and the  popul vuh piece shown above. 

last night fireworks over the military base (or perhaps beyond).

horsemouth likes talking (he'll talk to anyone). horsemouth likes writing (similarly).