15 feb

Okay, I am convinced. Assuming democracy is the most perfect way to politically organize a society, we have to get rid of the system of equal representation. I have gotten used to the first past the post district system in the UK. And I like it. Different regions feel like they have their own representation in Westminster, which is okay. But the best thing about it that it keeps nuts out of politics. Or better said, it keeps the followers of nuts out of politics.
I am thinking about this because of reading De Telegraaf newspaper, very fast becoming my favourite newspaper, which claims that, when there would be elections now in Holland, The Freedom Party from Geert Wilders (the one who thinks having hair like Mozart is fashionable) would be as large as the two coalition parties, Labour and Conservatives.
Luckily these opinion polls prove useless when things start to matter. It seems to be a way for many people to show the pollsters that they are able to behave foolishly. With real elections, these people act normally again and vote for normal parties.
But still, it is worrying. Wilders and his Freedom party are clueless about politics and think that democracy is the same as burping out clueless opinions from clueless people. Holland is a country with hardly any real problems, at least not compared to history or compared to most other countries. But still Wilders thinks that disaster is looming behind every corner. Caused by Islam or the EU, whatever is the most fashionable clueless cause for anything at the moment.
It disgusts me.
Part of the problem is the unremarkableness of the dutch generation of politicians. I have to think about this at the day that Els Borst is being buried. She was the woman who was responsible for the dutch euthanasia laws, by far the most dignified laws that exist in any country about this very sensitive subject, and one of the reasons that Holland still should be counted as one of the best countries to live in. The dignity she represented is still clear in dutch society, although it seems to have disappeared in politics.
It can come back, and it will come back. But then Wilders will have to disappear first. Democratically disappear I mean. The solution is simple. Divide Holland up in 150 districts, each with around 100.000 people that are allowed to vote I would guess. Whatever politician will get most votes in the district can get a seat in The Hague.
Wilders and his freedom party will be marginalized, I would guess. He might be able to get the most votes in his own district, but the people that now get a seat on his tail will be exposed as the nuts as they are. Just like all those other nonsense political parties that clutter the dutch political landscape will disappear as snow for the sun.
Politicians may go and spend their time and energy again on gradually improving dutch society, just like they have done in the past. In the process the politicians themselves might become remarkable and respectable again. Like Els Borst.