As per my stated intention , I deliberately spoiled my two ballot papers today , Friday 5th June 2009 : there was no candidate whom I considered to be principled enough to deserve my support and rather than simply not bother claiming my two ballot papers - one for the local council elections and one for the European Gravy-Train election - I claimed both and purposely spoiled both.

I had no hesitation or second thoughts regarding this : it is career politicians and wanna-be career politicians like those who contested seats in my area that have this State corrupted and have the majority of people here either living on the bread-line - if they're 'lucky' enough to have a job in the first place - or having to borrow from money lenders for day-to-day living expenses. Over 400,000 people are now signing-on for State benefits and I for one will not be rewarding one or more of the morally bankrupt politicians responsible by voting for them.

To those that will say something along the lines of "Irish men and women fought hard to get you the vote in the first place..." I say - No , they didn't . Those people struggled as they did to obtain democracy , fair play and justice : no man or woman that I respect sought to obtain for me or others a vote in a morally and politically corrupt Statelet , where the 'leaders' reward themselves financially with outlandish salaries and pension 'rights' while those that they beg , plead and bribe to vote for them are practically financially destitute.

If you haven't already been to your polling station , you could do worse than to do as I have done today - actually , you could do two things worse : vote for a candidate you believe to be 'the best of a bad bunch' and not bothering at all to visit the polling station . Do visit your polling station , do claim your ballot papers , and do purposely spoil it if you are faced with the same political 'choice' that I was faced with today . A 'NONE OF THE ABOVE!' mark on those ballot papers will serve you , and the economy , much better than a vote for those you consider to be 'the best of a bad bunch' .
Thanks for reading!
Sharon.