A Quick Word On The Most Recent Democratic Debate - The Populist Question

Criticism from someone here in the UK.

So, I'm currently watching the most recent Democratic debate on YouTube between Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Martin O'Malley. I'm watching it as a keen Politics enthusiast and, I have to be honest, I'm disappointed.

Now, to highlight my own political leaning for a moment. I consider myself to the left of centre and tend to go for more socialist policies. However, if I could have voted in 2010 I would've voted Liberal Democrat. I voted Green Party in last year's election and I'm likely to join the Labour Party this year. So that's where I lean. However, I'm open to all party's policies when they are released. So I went into the Charleston debate with open eyes even though I do have a preference. As I'm not American, my opinion doesn't matter. But here's my own personal view on the debate.

Bernie Sanders
On the surface, Bernie seems like a pretty nice guy. He seems to be passionate about the little guy in society and has definitely brought up the class divide in America with some force. However, what I found about Sanders is that he continually makes the same point over and over again. While the point may well be correct, it comes up again and again. Even for someone who identifies as left-wing, it does get a bit bored after a while. While he makes some good points about Wall Street, campaign funding by the business bosses and the Republican thinking behind climate change but his continual spiel about the class system in the US and how we need to take down the big banks does become a little dry and repetitive. Which is a shame, really, as it is a good point to make.

I also find Bernie a bit difficult to relate to. Doing some outside research, it seems to be someone from the post-war generation who wants one more stab at the limelight. I don't for a moment question his experience but it does feel like he's desperately trying to relive the glory days one last time. This bothers me. I agree with him on some points but the majority of his stuff seems rather populist among young people. Which I'm not against but it does appear to me to be buying off youth voters with promises of things he cannot really guarantee.


Hillary Clinton
I'm wary of Hillary Clinton. Not because she's a woman, I'm not misogynist like that. But I find her quite scary actually. While I will admit she's very good at PR and does say the right things, I still firmly believe she is the populist vote. People were giving Hillary a lot of attention when figures in the party were announcing their candidacy and I firmly believe that she decided to run on the back of this renewed attention. While I'm not going to criticise much of what she did as Secretary of State in the first Obama administration but I do feel that she's in it for the glory. And I think that comes through during the debates.

I also find Hillary very arrogant. I just don't like her as a person. If I was more aware of what happened in the 1990s I might've been a bit more sympathetic to her during Monicagate but I don't like her now. I find her very arrogant and I think that she's definitely the candidate out of the three who's majorly bank-rolled. Which is an issue. Especially compared to Bernie who prides himself on not being bank-rolled as much. I also think she's riding off the back of her husband. Which is likely to be a sore topic in the Clinton household I'm sure.

Martin O'Malley
If I was in America, I would definitely want O'Malley to be the candidate. There's my bias. I just think he's a well-spoken, well-read and interesting man. And, personally, I think he had the best arguments of the debate. Being critical of national policy while giving some interesting anecdotes of where he succeeded in his own state of Maryland when he was Governor. However, what annoyed me most about the whole debate was how, when Sanders and O'Malley were vying to speak in order to counteract a point, Sanders was usually chosen to speak instead. This annoyed me as it seemed like they NBC were deliberately not giving him more of a platform to express his views and plans for the United States. Hence why I've just been clapping for a couple of minutes after his jibe about wanting "30 seconds" to talk about national security.

I think what's charming about O'Malley is that he knows he's not going to get nominated because of the slightly more high profile candidates of Sanders and Clinton. This means he can get away with saying a lot more meaningful stuff with less consequences. This is what I love about him. He can be slightly more cheeky yet still say the things that should in most circumstances ring true with many people.

But as I say, he knows he won't get the nomination so he can get away with more.


So, yeah. That's my take. Just my opinion. ONLY my own opinion.

It's Ok...

The power of music...

So, this blog post is a bit different today. I want to share some lyrics that I wrote today. And there's a story behind them.

I saw a video today from YouTuber TomSka who talked about an abusive relationship he'd been in when he was younger. Now, I've never been in a relationship that's abusive, but it did get me thinking. I ended up lost in my own thoughts and memories and I remembered some times when I'd felt really down. I had a bad spell a few years ago and I didn't enjoy it. But I managed to get out of that bad spot while others remain stuck there. So, I sat up to the piano I was next to and wrote out this song in 30 minutes. 

This song is for anyone who has/has had/still suffering from depression or any other kind of mental illness. While there's still stigma, I'm sure there's light on the other side. There has to be.

'It's Ok' written by Joshua Frampton.

"Dear past self, I forgive you

For all the things that you have done

And I accept how you're feeling

You were not the only one

And maybe it's ok

For us to carry on this way

And I can never judge another

Knowing what you're going through

And that's ok

I'm sorry you were made to feel that way

I promise that the feeling goes away

It's only one more dragon left to slay

So pick up that sword

And make it go away

Dear past self, can you hear me?

These aren't the worst days of your life

So let go of the handle

This can can be solved without a knife

And maybe it's ok

To make sure you're not astray

And I can never judge another

Remembering what you're going thorough

And that's ok

I'm sorry you were made to feel this way

I promise that the feeling goes away

It's only one more dragon left to slay

So pick up that sword

And make it go away

If I could travel back in time

I'd tell you it would be ok

So hear this from your future

You will find that sunny day...

It's not that far away...

Dear past self, I forgive you

Because it looks like no one will

And I accept how you're feeling

You're still not the only one

I promise it's ok

Helping others not to feel this way

And say that it's ok

I'm sorry you were made to feel this way

I promise that the feeling goes away

It's only one more dragon left to slay

So pick up that sword

And make it go away

And make it go away..."

I intend to record this at some stage. So, hopefully, next time you see/hear these lyrics they'll be through some speakers or something.

Thanks for reading. 

The Power Of Writing Music

We all have a story to tell.

At age 13; while messing around on my friend's guitar, I wrote a song called 'Love Is (The Hardest Word To Say)'. A shitty little song about the general perception of being in love.

Also, at age 13, I co-wrote a song called 'Black Thunder'. Originally about an assassin that later evolved to become one about the apocalypse.

At age 14; I wrote a song called 'Too Young' about how the teenage stereotype at that point was a lie.

Also, at age 14, I wrote a song called 'Say Goodbye'. For no reason in particular.

I then went on to write more songs over the years. Including:

1. 'Within Me' about a break-up I underwent. (2011)
2. 'No Stranger To Controversy' about the Chilcott Enquiry into Hacking in the Media. (2012)
3. 'Signals' about a girl who I was in love with at the time. (2011)
4. 'The Art Of Self-Destruction', designed to be an intro song for my band, Against The Tide. (2011)
5. 'A Losing Battle' about drug addiction and how it can affect a person's mental state. (2015)
6. 'The Mind Is A Powerful Place' about my own battle with paranoia and hypochondria. (2015)
7. 'Eccentric Circles' about how we've affected the world and how people like my cousin's baby daughter will judge us in the future. (2015)
8. 'To The Ends Of The Earth', a sequel to Signals. (2016)
9. 'Empty' about a man with Dementia. (2014)
10. 'Each Night Of My Life' about my two friends who are about to get married. (2015)
11. 'Girl In The Library' about a girl I met a number of times at uni who always seemed sad. (2014)
12. 'Field Of Starlight' about my friend, Sammy. (2009)
13. 'Killer Affair' about a man who finds his girlfriend with his oldest friend and kills them both. (2014)
14. 'The Last Charade' about the leader of a fictional country during the Arab Spring. (2012)
15. 'In My Mind' about another break-up I underwent. (2012)
16. 'Oh, Hometown' about my hometown. (2015)
17. 'Burned By The Ashes' about the apocalypse. (Co-wrote). (2010)
18. 'Accident' about various relationships I was aware of at the time. (2013)
19. 'New' about a crush I once had. (2015)
20. 'Cinta Sejati' about true love. (2015)
21. 'I Don't Care About My Heart' about relationships that often seem one-sided but not always. (2015)
22. 'Keep Calm...' about the prospect of a nuclear attack on the UK (Co-wrote with my cousin). (2015)
23. 'I Don't Know Yet' about a relationship the guy doesn't want to be in anymore. (Co-wrote with my cousin). (2015)
24. 'The Veteran' about the final veteran of the Second World War, (2015)
25. 'Enemy Eyes' about a man who goes hunting for a target. (Co-wrote). (2014)
26. 'Cariad' about my friend, Elin. (2011)
27. 'I Knew Jesus Before He Was Cool' about the policies of the current Government and protesting against them. (2014)
28. 'I Come With A Warning Sign' about a relationship I nearly entered and wrote to try and explain to the young lady how much of a mess I am. (2015)
29. 'Molly's Lullaby' about a future daughter I dreamed about who wouldn't go to sleep unless I played her this song. (2013)

These are just a small selection of songs I've written in the past. And why have I written them?

Because I can?

Because I want to?

No.

It's because they were all stories I felt needed to be shared.

Being creative is the best thing there is because there's never an end and there's never a dull moment. Though it can also sometimes bring frustration when the ideas don't come when they're either meant to or supposed to.

But here's something to remember. Creativity cannot and should not be rushed. And if you're a creative person and that idea you're looking for isn't coming then stop worrying about it. And stop panicking. Because, I promise you, that will hinder the creative process.

If you try and force something it won't be good. I've discovered this recently. I tried to create an entire album called 'Dancing With The Enemy' which was going to be about a journey through addiction, pain and paranoia. But nothing came but for 2 songs. And that's not an album is it.

I've laid my music to a moratorium recently. Though I have a couple of projects this year that I'm super-excited about that includes a new original song and a cover version for a CD project. But, beyond that, music will be something I will return to. But I have other priorities right now. But just because something doesn't come to you now it doesn't mean that you should stop or give up. Yes, it sucks, but what you write next might just be the best thing you've ever written.

I felt the same about 3 years ago and then I wrote Molly's Lullaby. I didn't like it when I wrote it because I wasn't myself at the time and I wrote it for a gig I really didn't want to play. But people loved it. And, trust me, it's saved gigs from going really bad by playing it. I now love the song because of the reaction it invokes in people. (Grown men cried when I first played it!)

I love writing music and sharing my stories. I also write superhero stories with the intention of one day writing and publishing a graphic novel. But being creative has saved my skin more times than I care to mention and music is one of the best things there is. Because everyone has one song that invokes a certain memory. And to write songs and have people tell me that it invokes certain things in them is one of the best things you can hear as a musician.

So please don't give up. And don't get angry about it. Just remember that the next thing you write could be the best thing you'll ever do. It'll come to you eventually.

Right, Aimo?