If vote buying were right
It would be for the rich,
It could not be for the poor
Some couldn’t buy a stitch.
Remember a time long ago
When the poor couldn’t vote
One had to have land
Or its value in notes.
For me that was vote buying
Money had the say
The poor didn’t have any
So the rich had their way.
Now that has changed
Do we want to go there again?
I say no, not on your life
That would be insane.
But look at what we are doing
My vote for the highest bid,
Of such shameful behavior
I thought we had been rid.
Once corned beef and biscuits
Had held quite a sway
With Mount Gay or Alleyne Arthur
And that made our day.
But from that we’ve graduated
And we ask a higher price
It’s Grantleys: one, two, three, four
Oh, five Grantleys would be nice!
Silly season is upon us
And the promises are rife
Another vote buying strategy
We fell for all our life.
Governments are the best
At the next one I shall tell
Like timing the sweets pot
We all know that well.
During an entire term
Some things cannot be achieved
But on the eve of an election
Tax returns, appointments and title deeds.
Before, the treasury was empty
But now it’s been replenished,
With elections pending
There are things to finish.
So things are looking up
And the joy has returned,
This sophisticated vote buying
Must also be spurned.
Vote buying is an insult
I don’t care who does it,
We as intelligent electorate
Should detest this habit.
Vote selling is unconscionable
For whatever reason we choose,
It cheapens who we are
And it engenders abuse.
It doesn’t matter the level
Or how much we get,
If that’s our mirror image
Then we’ve much to regret.
On each and every life
God has placed infinite value,
Such was demonstrated
When Jesus died for me and for you.
To vote is our civic duty
But to sell our vote is not,
It’s time we tell our leaders
Vote buying must stop.
Treat vote buying and selling
As you would treat any crime
Have the perpetrators arrested
Then fined or confined
Stewart Russell © April 2018
No comments:
Post a Comment