We now have a coalition government.  To achieve this both parties had to compromise.

Compromise is one of those interesting words that can be both positive and negative, mostly depending on the person viewing or making the compromise’s opinion.  It can be a noun and a verb.

Compromise means:

a settlement of differences by mutual concessions; an agreement reached by adjustment of conflicting or opposing claims, principles

something intermediate between different things

an endangering

In some ways those definitions are a little odd.  The word comes from the joining of ‘com’, which means together, and ‘promise’.

A joint promise.

When I first heard that the Liberal Democrats had made a deal with the Tories I was angry.  When I heard that the Lib Dems had given up on some of their key policies I was even more angry.  What I didn’t see was that the Conservatives made the same moves.  They gave up some of their key policies too.

It would be easy to be cynical while watching David Cameron and Nick Clegg during their joint press conference today.  There were jokes about it looking like a wedding.  Cameron was asked about something harsh he had said about Clegg.  Clegg had to defend his party’s very involvement.  And all the time they stood together talking about hope, about change, about realising that working together means putting other people first.

I sneered.

But what if they are serious?

What if they really mean it?

What if they really do want to put the country before party politics?  What if they really will find a middle way?

Isn’t that at least worth giving a chance?

But then that would mean I’d have to compromise…

I was watching the BBC News this morning and the head guy from IPSOS Mori was on talking about the election polls.  For the first time I heard anyone mention margin of error which is actually pretty important with this kind of 1000 people snap sample stuff.

The margin of error is + or – 3%.

That means that the polls could be as much as 3% out either way.

He also talked about as many as 4 in 10 people (40%) in marginal seats still being undecided.

That also means that no-one has any idea who will win.

He also mentioned how the current polls would translate into seats:

• Conservatives on around 43% would get around 260 seats
• Labour on around 28% would get around 260 seats
• Liberal Democrats on 29% would get around 90 seats.

Is it just me or is there something very wrong with our electoral system?

America lived up to the promise of the Declaration of Independence last night.  This was the day that America grew up.  This was the day that the promise that all men are created equal was realised.

Change was the message, but I think in the end that people voted for Hope.  They voted for the hope of a positive outlook, the hope of a positive world view and the hope America was built on and is embodied in Barack Obama.

This election has shown that people are ready to embrace a future which embraces all.  People are hungry for leaders who will rise above the tit for tat of party politics and grasp higher ideals.  The world is ready for hope.

Sarah Palin could be the President of the world’s biggest superpower if McCain gets elected and then dies or is incapacitated.  Given her performance in this interview we’re in safe hands!!!