On your last post you are wrong. Very wrong. I apologise if i seem so adamant, and contrary, on this point but, this is how I approach it.
To say that:
It is in defiance of the facts. Many parties have made promises AND kept them. I could argue the same point you make with equal vigor and with as much certainty. Neither of us are right because parties both keep and don;t keep their policies pre gov't and when in gov't. Such are the constrictions on the power they wield, which is not ultimate, no matter what idealists would have you believe.
No party is promising this because it is not in their best interest. We need to make it in their best interest. It is not, regardless of how we feel, it is not on top of their agenda, and we can't make it so.
They do, and they do not. Not all is for short term goals. Remember, cigarettes bring in a serious amount of money to the treasury, it IS in their best interests to protect that, regardless of morals. We need to argue the morals!!!! The reason behind the taxes is NOT money. It is thought of as such...but that is not the reason...shine a light on that, and we win!!
They know it wont have any major effect on the final result of an election...why should they care? They will understand it...but quite simply we don't have the numbers!! No matter what we think.
I can't even begin to decode this argument. It is the argument of terrorists all over the world to defend their actions and is wrong. Just wrong. We argue based on facts and scientific evidence. To say, they wont care regardless so let's not bother, is perhaps the most harmful thing you could possibly say. It leaves non-understanders in the position where they can denounce us simply because we look like smoking. Why should they care? The arguments are redundant because it looks like smoking. EVIDENCE! That's what we need. Not rhetoric. The people we need to engage are the people who actually want the best for society. Call me simple, idiotic, and a victim of blue eyed naivety, but I HONESTLY believe that MOST politicians actually want to do good for the country, not bad. Not all, some are in it for the money/gain...but MOST want the best for the country. For them to be careful is a good thing!!! I do not want a reckless taxi driver any more than I want a reckless politician.
DO BOTH!!! It is NOT a one or the other event. Please don't focus on the extremes, it radicalises a moderate group of individuals.
You are wrong. The true position of strength comes from doing what is right, not from doing what the represented majority have decided upon. They are different things, although not always in conflict. Our strength lies in that we know what we do can save health problems, and ultimately add years to lives of, on the whole, less well off people. Big money IS involved, and where that happens vested interest a stake. We need to argue from the moral high ground, not allow ourselves to be dragged down to, the lowest common denominator of, an argument like "government is bad....mmmkay" because it makes us sound stupid. We need to work WITH these people, educate them. Not antagonise them.
I hope that there can be a political solution that would allow an effective future for vaping, but I by no means expect there to be. There are too many vested interests with too much profit at stake for the powers that be to just back down and accept vaping on
our terms.
Because I by no means expect a political solution, I have prepared myself to be independent and put myself in a position where I can effectively, choose to ignore any ban. To not do so is foolish to my mind and to say that this doesn't give me a position of strength is totally and utterly wrong, ergo, you are totally and utterly wrong in your assertion that I am wrong.. if you follow what I mean.
I think your belief that most politicians want to do good for the country is also wrong..and naive. Most people probably have good intentions when they first enter politics, but to survive the cut and thrust, backstabbing and skullduggery inherent to the political machine, they quickly have to learn to stoop as low as those around them if they want to survive and progress their careers.
It may have escaped you notice, but vapers
HAVE been trying to engage and educate politicians, but apparently, the ones who have the 'clout' have no interest in engaging with us. They do not and will never see us as being on an equal footing and thus, worthy of approaching to discuss workable solutions. (Did they consult us before drafting their proposed regulations?)
As far as they are concerned, we are just smokers who have found a clever way to subvert the smoking ban. They have gotten used to being able to hold the moral high ground against smokers and demonise them, whilst at the same time imposing heavy taxation on them without a possibility of viable contradiction. Anyone or anything that threatens this position of power is fair game in their eyes, and make no mistake... these people make
NO distinction between vapers and smokers.. we are all just there to be vilified and taxed and to even think that we might be worthy of engaging in discussion to learn anything from us is absolutely out of the question for them.
As far as they are concerned, they know what's best for us and it is
US that need to be educated, by whatever means.
You need to recognise this and then perhaps you may begin to understand where you're going wrong.
You may well deem yourself to be moderate, but please don't automatically assume that you speak for me.. you don't.
I've seen this develop over the last few years and have seen how vapers have been talked
AT, not with, how scientific 'evidence' has been misrepresented and manipulated to try and discredit vaping and how desperate the powers that be have become to preserve income streams and control, that they have blinded themselves to the fact that millions of people have abstained from tobacco smoking
WITHOUT official sanction or guidance
AND at zero cost to the taxpayer. That's more than you can say for 'traditional' NRT.
Believe that 'they' can persuaded and are trustworthy if you wish, but I'd advise giving yourself a few years to actually view the processes in action.. you may find that you become increasingly cynical as time passes.
