Italians vote for the same old politicians year in year out and that’s why nothing changes. Unemployment in Italy is at record levels. The tax burden is crippling. Life for Italy’s small businesses is a nightmare. Young Italians are running away from Italy in droves to seek appreciation and earnings elsewhere.
Despite all the problems, Italy’s voters will, yet again, place the same ineffectual bottoms on seats in Italy’s parliament once again when elections happen in 2013. The same leopards with the same spots, who, like Italy, never, ever, change.
Italians just do not comprehend how bad the situation is, even if some, a very tiny minority, do. I met two such Italians last night for a pizza and a chat. Both were once right-wing voters. Both have a high level of education, and are very down to earth people. Neither knows who to vote for now. One described Italy as an antiquated “shitty country”. When the citizens of a nation with the potential that Italy has, and it does have huge potential, use such words to describe their country, you know there is a major problem.
One answer is awareness, and this is where Italy’s journalists come in, although I doubt the vast majority of them are brave enough to ask the questions which need asking.
Here are twenty questions Italian, and foreign, journalists should ask each of Italy’s many politicians, more than once, probably:
1. What have you done for Italy? Give 10 examples.
2. What are you doing to prepare Italy for the future? Give 10 examples.
3. Why have you let the tax burden in Italy become crippling?
4. Why have you made it so difficult for businesses to operate in Italy?
5. What have you done to encourage foreign direct investment? Give 10 examples.
6. How are you helping businesses in Italy export their goods? Give 10 examples.
7. How are you promoting Italy abroad? Give 10 examples.
8. Do you think you justify your salary? Give 10 justifications.
9. Why haven’t you reformed the court system?
10. Do you know anybody suspected or convicted of being involved with organised crime?
12. How many salaried positions do you hold?
13. Have you made a public declaration of all your assets and interests?
14. Have you ever helped a family member or friend to obtain a job?
15. What is honesty?
16. Is corruption good?
17. What have you done to change the mentality of the Italian people for the better? Give 10 examples.
18. How much time did you spend in parliament last year? And how much did you earn?
19. Have you ever been convicted of any crime? Are you under investigation for any crime now?
20. Do you think Italy’s electoral system needs reforming?
“You” could be extended to “you or your party”, perhaps.
The responses, should they be forthcoming, will be very revealing. Indeed, many of Italy’s politicians will feel affronted or insulted to be faced by such simple but probing questions and will probably refuse to answer them. Refusal could, of course, be read as being a tacit admission that those concerned really do not have answers which would indicate that they really do not care one jot about Italy. The answers, or lack of them, could help Italians understand who to vote for.
The ROI List
Taking this one step further, on the run up to elections, and perhaps mid-term, each and every politician should be required to complete a simple report entitled: What I have done for my country.
The list of items would be numbered and would have to include supporting facts and figures from independent sources. The report would be voluntary; an example of responsible self-regulation.
Then, Italians could see who is, or is not, doing what. This should help them vote more intelligently. Or, it may encourage the political parties to find new candidates.
Will Italy’s journalists ever ask such questions? Some do try, but few obtain real answers. It’s time to ask the questions again and the remove the “shitty” from Italy.
Journalists in other nations may like to ask the same questions to their countries’ politicians too. Comparing the answers would be very interesting.
If you have suggestions for other questions, please leave them in a comment.
Doug Pederson AKA SpectateSwamp says
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan/random_MLA_VIDEOSmix.TXT
above are some questions for the politicians here.
http://www.telusplanet.net/public/stonedan/mla_questions.htm
Download these 3 files onto a USB stick and click. Away it goes randomly displaying questions and answers. Politicians and their friends ask only easy ones. Should lobbying be considered treason or election fraud?
Peter V. Milan says
It is so right Alex. I am working with intelligent Italians but they have believe/ faith problem I guess. Also they seem cowards or lazy to change. British are go getters and we need to get a bit of that mentality over here. I admire liberty movement in the USA and people like Ron Paul, or Garry Johnson who got tired of both parties, but there are no such people in Italy! I have many Japanese, German or US friends over in Italy and I believe this country will do change when old Italians die and come more immigrants like you Alex. Italy’s birth rate is low anyway good news. 🙂 More power to people like you, because people like Alex can move intelligent Italians in the right direction. 😉 I also believe this country has ability to change very quickly if in collapse.
Paul London says
A great piece Alex – politicians/folk rely of course on people not asking simple questions but instead getting sucked into a debate on their terms – full of political theology.
You don’t address the question of TV and conflict of interest but have done many times elsewhere of course.
>>You” could be extended to “you or your party”, perhaps.
Great point. I seem to remember that when Prodi last came to power, in amongst other stuff, in an opening speech he called on Italians to change. I fear that many were content that “their team” had won and blotted this from their mind.
I also remember a few people who really attacked the ridiculous obscenity of Berlu being criticised as “antipatico” – couldn’t help wondering if Matteotti was often dismissed as antipatico/a stirrer in his time.
Alex Roe says
Thanks, Paul.
No, I did not mention TV and conflicts of interest directly, even a couple of the questions do refer to this.
That Italians need to change has to be hammered home, repeatedly and the words need to be backed up with examples set by leaders.
The crazy thing is that attacking those who denigrated Berlusca did actually work. It’s utterly pathetic, but Italy can be very immature at times.
Another all Italian oddity is that politicians are respected simply for having got to positions of power. What they did to get there does not count. Looks count far more than substance or track record in Italy. This is part of the mentality which needs changing. If it does not, Italy will be left in the dust by the rest of the world and this is happening now and it is why so many young Italians have left or are considering leaving. I meet young Italians who think escape from Italy is the only option. This, to me, demonstrates how messed up the nation is and how appallingly badly it has been run.
Will change happen? Don’t bank on it. At least Moody’s and the others are making it clear that dire political management is a factor which affects the credibility of nations. Italy may wake up when Moody’s demotes the Boot’s status to junk levels.
Best,
Alex
Stef says
Another Q: why don’t journalists ask these questions. I am always surprised by the modesty and politeness of these journalists, they should be much more agressive and take the example of British colleagues eg. But the problem here is probably that most of the journalists are not independent either. Even the newspapers are politicized like almost everything here, which is an underlying cause of much of the trouble
Alex Roe says
Stef, they don’t ask these questions partly because they dare not, and partly because, as you say, few are actually independent.
You would expect left wing journos to attack the right and vice versa. But the truth is, there is no left and there is no right in Italy – it’s one huge sham. Only very, very, very few Italians realize this. The politicians are very happy to maintain the status quo and keep making lots of money and to hell with caring about their lovely nation. Incredible, but very true.
Oh well, where there’s life there’s hope and there is life outside Italy 😉
Cheers,
Alex
Toma says
I was having a chat with a group of people I work with last week about the idiosyncracies of Italy and Italians. It was a very open and candid chat akin to what we might have in private between us expats. They were telling me on the money how Italy is and all of it’s cultural flaws.
At the end of the conversation I asked them one question. I said, “Every Italian I speak to tells me the same thing. You all know exactly how you are as a country and the things that need fixing. Why is it then that nothing changes?”
The response?
“Italians don’t like change.”
Only in Italy.
Alex Roe says
Yes, “only in Italy”.
With that daft attitude, Italy will sink further and further into the mire. I don’t blame the people who think that, I blame the thought leaders, except there aren’t any in Italy – not progressive ones anyway, or very, very few.
Funny country.
Cheers,
Alex