Hazel Blears has become one of the first to fall in line with Obama rhetoric, damning career politicians and cynics across the spectrum.

Saying some ministerial colleagues live on "planet politics", Blears complained that their lack of real-life experience - as well as a cynical media and political bloggers - have left politics "in trouble".

ePolitix.co.uk

Well, that's interesting. I'm sure that people like William Wilberforce, and the people that have benefited from his work...and no doubt the work of other career politicians of their time...are in absolute agreement with Hazel. Not that the assertion that being a career politician is a good thing can ring true either, after all we only have to look to Gordon Brown there.

The reality is that career or not, it is BAD politicians that leave politics in trouble. It is politicians that promise things and then don't deliver that leave a sour taste. It is politicians that ignore the mood of the nation that cause disillusionment. Worse still it is politicians that pander the overly vocal minority at the same time that make us cynical.

Perhaps then this is why what Hazel had to say next irked me so much...

political blogs are written by people with disdain for the political system and politicians, who see their function as unearthing scandals, conspiracies and perceived hypocrisy.

"Unless and until political blogging 'adds value' to our political culture, by allowing new and disparate voices, ideas and legitimate protest and challenge, and until the mainstream media reports politics in a calmer, more responsible manner, it will continue to fuel a culture of cynicism and pessimism.

Do we, the bloggers, cause the political system we live with to be in such disarray? Or is it more realistic that a gross incompetence of government and parliamentary checks and balances being left wanting has meant that a vast swathe of people have felt the need to get out there and write about the problems? On one hand we are shrugged off as minor inconveniences that hold no weight in the political arena yet now we are being lambasted as the harbingers of doom? Is it really a chicken and egg situation as it's being, perhaps subconsciously, painted?

I can't help but feel this is the kind of statement made by those looking for praise and ignoring their critics. They are happy for bloggers, and for the media, to "add value" ... no doubt through promoting their own political ideals and generally talking positively about the political system, but they don't wish to take the criticism when they do things wrong.

Ultimately nothing changes if we all get shiny brown noses, simply talking up the good times won't move us forward...simply look at Brown's parliamentary speeches between January and June of this year to see startling evidence of this. Politicians need to accept that you need a critical friend...or even just a critical cohabitant... to fully realise your potential and keep being progressive in yourself. Without bloggers, and the media, highlighting the nasty and the unacceptable it is all too easy to carry on being less than you can be.

Could bloggers do more? Perhaps, but then I think that does a great disservice to those that do sterling work defending their individual parties, and to more independent bloggers that take the time to not only dig deep in to scandal but also to defend when the right decisions are made.

It's a misrepresentation to bundle Bloggers in with the mass media machine. The latter has an agenda of destablisation based on the editorial will and editorial morals, and while I'm not naive enough to believe that blogs don't exist to do the same thing I have great faith that the majority are in this for one reason...we want a better political system and we want it faster than bad politicians, career or otherwise, are willing to currently deliver it.