half hearted election brain splurge

Today is the day. Before I start on my half-hearted election brain splurge I must confess that I am not intelligent nor know as much as I should about politics. But I am keen, keen enough to give up a night's sleep to work on it. So the thoughts running round my head follow as such.

I like a lot of what the Conservatives stand for. As far as I can tell they value the sanctity of life, the importance of marriage and the need to instill work ethic. However, I don't believe that a Conservative government is likely to encourage these things in the mind of the population.
I believe in marriage and the family because of my faith and the example of my parents, not because it would help me financially. My fear is that promoting marriage through tax breaks will lead to unions for the wrong reasons and consequently an increased spend on divorce.

Same with work ethic. As great as Cameron's Big Society works in principle, it is my opinion that people won't engage, won't run their own youth groups unless someone gives them a reason to. Leaving them in the lurch, as Johann Hari describes in yesterday's Independent, hasn't worked. It's hard enough to get people to volunteer for a coffee rota. So, as positive as these plans seem, I just can't help thinking they are big on idealism and low on compassion. Maybe we've been spoilt by Labour for too long, and if that's the case, who wants to stop being lazy? And if the Conservatives get in, who will remind us to help those who need it? Will the church stand up?

I'm naively excited by the prospect of a hung parliament, so the Lib Dems can get in a bit of practise. We can all see if Clegg is the wunderkid, and if they can deliver on all they promise.
On reflection, Labour haven't done a bad job. Gordon Brown is a servant of this country, trying to make the best decisions he can in an impossibly tricky job. Admittedly he doesn't have the robot-like perfection of Cameron, but this election is fast becoming a case of better the devil we know.

And then there is the problem of the voting system. In truth, both the Conservatives and the Labour candidates would do a pretty good job in my area. Local issues they can deal with. But the tribe they bring in to Parliament with them can be a very different animal. The one thing I never thought I'd be interested in is Electoral Reform, but it's actually been a huge consideration in my vote and has to happen before the next one swings around (my prediction: within the next 2 years.)

So who did I vote for? I'm not saying, but it's easy to guess. I wish the parties were more polarized to make the choice easier, but instead we get a knuckle-biting rollercoaster ride. My main deduction is the simple statement that the government isn't, and will never be, our saviour. Politics is not something to think about once every 4 years as a quick fix solution, but is a life-long, daily commitment.
Policy will not change hearts or behaviour, and will not have the final say.

One thing I know for definite is that I won't know how to feel when the declaration comes - painting this country blue, red or a confused state of brown.