OPINION: That’s democracy, like it or not

I’M a great believer in democracy and the fact that majority rules. We may not like the outcome of elections, and we may not agree with those elected, but that’s the way democracy works. I certainly don’t like what democracy delivers here in Ireland, but that’s life.
If the majority of people are happy to live in a state where the health service is under-staffed, under-resourced and always under extreme pressure, that’s their prerogative. If the majority of people are happy to live in a state where we cannot provide affordable and appropriate housing for our citizens, that’s their right. If the majority of people are happy to live in a state where many of our finest young people have to move to other countries in order to find well-paid jobs and decent housing, that’s absolutely fine.
I don’t agree with them. I think our country is being governed woefully. I believe our island could be a thriving, wonderful, exciting entity if we were governed by people with more foresight and a sense of nationhood… but I’m in the minority, and that’s fine, because democracy decrees that majority rules.
Of course, it makes me smile to listen to people all around me complain vociferously about the state of our nation but never do anything about it. There’s no point in them roaring at the sky because that makes absolutely no difference, it just annoys everyone, including themselves. The only way to change things is through the democratic process and that’s the way it should be.
Therefore, those happy with the current state of our nation should vote for the current government, and those who aren’t happy with them should vote for the opposition. Of course, in my view, if one votes for an Independent, it’s not really a vote for the opposition, because if the Government needs a few extra TDs to hold onto power they will throw favours to a couple of Independents to guarantee they remain ruling the roost.
The upcoming election will probably see the current government returned, no doubt about that. Personally, I find it hard to believe the majority of Irish people support parties which have guided our country to the state it’s in, but that’s life, that’s the way democracy works.
It’s the same in America. Democracy decrees that Donald Trump will rule that part of the planet for the next four years, and that’s fine. That’s what the voters decided. That’s the way the numbers fell. Interestingly, I know some people who actually voted for Mr Trump yet they’re now disgusted that he’s going back to The White House. I don’t understand their thinking, and it seems that they don’t understand the way democracy works.
It’s the same here. I know numerous people here in Mayo who are driven to distraction by the lack of services, but they support government parties because they know a candidate personally or think the candidate is ‘nice’. That’s fine. That’s their absolute right, but like my American friends, I’m not sure they see the bigger political picture.
Of course, many of our Irish citizens are denied their democratic right. Our citizens in other parts of the world are denied a vote, which is an absolute disgrace. Numerous countries across the world allow their exiles to vote in national elections, but the Irish Constitution prevents our people from doing so, and I don’t think any of our government parties will be too interested in changing that any time soon.
As I said, I’m a great believer in democracy. Exercising one’s right to vote is a priceless privilege that was hard-earned by those who came before some of us. We may not always like the outcome of elections, we may not always agree with those chosen by the majority, but that’s the way it works.
Democracy gives us the politicians the majority of voters deserve, and long may it remain so.