Bread and butter issues must get your votes

FORGET the political posturing, promises and pompous policy speeches: this election is about bread and butter issues, literally.

That hackneyed phrase has been used in elections all over the world to describe matters that make an impact on our daily lives.

This would include, taxes, housing, inflation, healthcare, education, safety and security, roads and transport, and employment.

These are important to most people because, ultimately, they affect us all directly – mostly in terms of our pockets and purses.

Ask yourself: what things do we think and worry about every day?

The answers are not difficult to find.

You battle to pay your bills, including municipal rates and services; the rising cost of grocery shopping; money to put fuel in your car and pay the monthly instalment; being able to properly feed and clothe your family; outstanding debt; and a host of other moneyrelated concerns, not least of which are your home rental or bond payments.

We should not be battling like this.

We should be a wealthy country, given our natural assets such as mineral and natural resources, arable land availability and tourismfriendly climate, and as a result we as citizens should have a standard of living that gives everyone more than the mere basic necessities of life.

This has everything to do with where we place our cross in the upcoming elections.

The standard and cost of living is directly linked to the management of the country’s wealth, resources and budget.

Translating ideals into action and workable, practical accomplishment requires the commitment of the entire political party to recruiting the best people in the most important positions.

And by ‘best’ we mean best qualified, most honest and disciplined servant-leader types.

One must add a word of caution: it is easy for opposition parties who don’t have the burden of government to take pot-shots at those in power, since their administrative capability is not under the microscope.

Study each party’s manifesto closely and contemplate the outcomes of their proposed policies.

Do they speak to the kind of secure life you would want for you, your family and your future?

Do they promote peace and prosperity?

How you vote may well determine whether you have bread and butter on the table after the elections.