OTF (Own Two Feet) Party

Part 1: What are people actually looking for from governments?

Introduction

Why the Own Two Feet Party

In this and following articles (15 in total), I am trying to get to the nub of what people want/need from a government and consider some basic tenants to build policies around from the ground up. I am hoping that in one area or two I can give a different take, some articles are unapologetic flights of fancy. I am not trying to build a political party, I’m not in the position to, but imagining a party called the Own Two Feet Party. The name would represent those that want more autonomy to do as they please, and to take full responsibility for it. The name is actually critical – parties that claim to represent a section of society do better than parties that chase ideas/ideals (e.g. Reform – which could mean anything to anyone), and their lack of progress shows they haven’t managed to engage the public over anything of enough value to them other than Brexit. This name doubles up as its mission statement and should keep policy in the intended direction.

This article is in two parts, looking at what people want to be free to do. The second, what safety nets they feel they need, should life go wrong. The subsequent articles will run the other way round, starting with government (protection) and then followed by freedoms.

I’ve left off freedom of speech and only included a brief article in this series on currency/banking as it has been done to death elsewhere, and far better than I could articulate.

Who is this aimed at

We need to acknowledge that we on Going Postal are an unusual subset of the population, who generally have the confidence to sort out our own lives unencumbered if given the chance, and accept the consequences if we fall short (highly unlikely though). The idea is to try to find a way we and those on the right can present policies, that those in the middle can find aspirational, while not feeling they would be left to starve if all goes wrong. If we cannot make the middle follow then we end in failure.

Problem with even the right

Even on the right, politicians cannot see past social education and health etc. They believe they have a better way of meddling in our lives, rather than leaving us to sort ourselves out. Even Reform & UKIP can be regarded as only slightly less left wing than Labour of the 1920s. That’s how ingrained socialism has become.

The Own Two Feet Party would have the following tenets

Please note this isn’t an exhaustive list.

  • The breakup of central government, to make it small, simple & accountable
  • The breakup of over-large business
  • Freedom of speech, however offensive
  • A hard currency
  • Most people do not have to pay tax to central government – other than a land tax – see article!
  • Therefore to fund their & their dependants lives themselves
  • Welfare to be a minimal stopgap
  • To decimate bureaucracy, not just reform and repeal a law here and there after a lengthy investigation!
  • Protect our country & borders – including electronic
  • Energy policy based on security & price
  • Hold scientific research to proper account

What do people like?

This isn’t about tastes or opinions but freedoms. What rights do the vast majority of people wish to have for themselves? Even if they don’t want it for other people!

Freedom to choose

This is something people get very resentful if taken away from them. Be it a type of ice cream, to partners, to religion, or travel, people want to decide these things for themselves. And mostly they can within reason.

Even in the safety nets below, people want to choose from a set of schools for their children, not just make do with the most local. They will choose where to get their teeth looked at, eyes, and if offered, other medical treatment. Finally in old age, no one wants to end up at the council OAP homes, if they can, they will find a way to stay at home, but if it has to be, on the whole, a lot of mental anguish will go into choosing the best home possible in which to end your days.

Freedom to be

Regardless of how we get there, there are those on the fringes of society that just want to be accepted as normal – such as those that like eating in Wetherspoons! Most people believe they know what is right for them as a lifestyle. If they are not harming others they feel any potential harm they are doing to themselves is up to them.

They want their views to be respected. It doesn’t mean agreeing with them, but unless a threat to others they should be able to air these views without risk of constraint on their liberty or health.

They want to live with who they want, and for those to have security in case of the worst.

What are people fearful of?

The heading doesn’t work. This section is a mixture of responsibilities and protections. It is about how to deal with what can happen to them through life.

Security

Whether from internal (police) or external (defence), people wish to feel safe in their homes and to go about their lives without threats of violence against their person. This has to be the most important thing a government should do.

Not being able to pay your own way in life

For most people, they feel they should contribute to society to a certain value, in order to justify what they get out of it. In most cases paid work.

Children

An extension of paying your own way. People want to ensure their children get the best start possible. And if there is an estate, mostly, they want to ensure that their children get a part of it at least.

Health

Obviously, people are fearful of ill health. Who will look after me if I am ill, how will it be paid for?

Old age

Regardless of paying one’s own way. There comes a point for most where you cannot care for yourself and requires the services of carers. Originally family & community would perform this. As we became civilised, religion often took this role when no others could. Upto the dissolution of the monasteries, an annual fee guaranteed a life of care when it came to it, probably a lot that didn’t pay the fee would have got the care too. Since the dissolution the state has tried to do this job, and hasn’t yet worked out how to get it right.

To End

This is just a quick run-through of the essence of people’s outlook on life. I’ve tried not to muddy the waters with details. The intention is to explore these ideas more when relevant in the upcoming articles.

If there are any fundamental freedoms & fears that cannot be shoehorned into those areas described above that I have missed please let me know. It is important as this is the base on which I build everything else upon.
 

© 2022 Jerry Mandarin