The day after tomorrow you’re going to vote to change the Government, or not. 

Joseph Muscat, simply gagging for it, has been asking, nay demanding that you do that for the last Heaven only knows how many months, and in the blog before this, I gave you a number of reasons why, with due respect, your Honour, the request should be given short shrift. 

The plethora of Lil’Elves and Peculiar Pundits who rocked up right on cue to tell me why I should consider myself an enemy of the people and be cast into the Outer Darkness should be further proof positive of why Muscat should be kept away from Castille, his own supporters and the way they look at things are enough.  And don’t forget the anonymous letters, slung mud and worse, will you?

But simply saying why the other bunch shouldn’t be allowed to play with our country isn’t enough, really, is it?  Otherwise, it’s a plague on both your houses and don’t vote, or vote for AD, which is just about the same thing, although their current leader didn’t seem to think that back in 2008, when he voted Labour although he was an AD activist.  That particular story has been around for a couple of days now and no-one has denied it.

So, why take the positive decision to vote to keep the PN in Government?  

Yes, I mean that very same PN which, in Government, made so many mistakes and annoyed so many people.

It’s only when you’re in a position to do something that you are in a position to make mistakes, unless you have super-human powers, so let’s stop with the finger pointing all the time, shall we?  

And another thing, what is it about some people, whenever the PN make a proposal or say that something is going to be done, they respond “about time too”, for all the world as if any Government has ever managed to do everything in one fell swoop?   Check out Genesis, even there it took seven days to get things done.

Back to the question, then, why would it be unfair for the PN to be voted out?

How about their record in foreign policy, for instance?       

We have a Government that is respected by its peers world-wide, that handled the North African crisis with a deft touch, rather than opportunistically making a grab for tourism revenue as soon as clouds gathered over Tunisia.  

The Mintoff-era cynicism and bluster was replaced by a mature approach to foreign policy which won us friends and respect, rather than exasperated looks and pained expressions.

Let’s talk about the economy, shall we?   There’s a recession going on in Europe, did you notice?  We’ve not been left unscathed, to be sure, but we’ve come through it, at least so far.   Don’t tell me it was more by luck than by judgment, we’re not that lucky, we got through it so far and Dr Gonzi was at the helm, so he and his Ministers deserve the credit.   

Shall we talk about law and order?  

Some scandals have hit the headlines recently, but were they covered up? Was a friendly copper suddenly finding himself with a heavy arm draped across his shoulders, asking him, just for the moment, to look the other way?  Were drug dealers given a few moments to flush their stash down the drain, it being preferable to hush things up rather than have any bad publicity attach to the party?   

The answer, to the PN’s credit, is no.

What about the public image of the PN Leader and Deputy-Leader?  Compare them with Muscat and his side-kicks, it’s like comparing U2 with the Ukranian Eurovision entrant - and that is merely a bit of levity, I’ve no idea what the Ukranian Eurovision entry is like, but I do know that U2 are Gods in their sphere.      

Not to put too fine a point on it, though, over the last couple of weeks it’s become crystal clear that Gonzi and Busuttil are up to the mark, while Muscat is fine with sound-bites and prepared speeches, especially if his teleprompter is on song, but when he has to think on his feet, he has a bit of a problem and then some.   And let’s not talk about his deputies, shall we?

And then there was the campaign itself.  

Labour’s was slick, expensive and far-reaching, the main problem being that slick is so last millennium.  Nice shiny electronic billboards are only impressive for just so much, especially when the message that keeps blinking at you consists in smug pseudo-switchers whose own words are patently empty if you push them to their actual meaning.  

I mean, believing in meritocracy in a country where it’s clear as daylight that people of every political hue, or without any such hue, have go on in life, because there’s an environment which allows it.  It’s only the incapable and the bitter who allow their own egoistical whims cloud their judgment.     

And really, was the campaign that slick and confidence inspiring?   Leave aside the way they used the renegades and the deserters, what about the cringe-making videos and off-key messages?   Do they really think that people of “a certain class” think and talk that way?  

The PN campaign, on the other hand, was based on the realities of the situation: it pointed out certain home truths, though to be honest, driving around Malta you’d sometimes think that Joseph Muscat was the only politician standing.  

That’s until you read the message, which was not one that should get you to vote for him, by a long shot.   It would have been easy for the PN to use Christopher Wren’s motto: just look around you, because the country is in good nick, you have to admit it.  Well, you would if you weren’t a Lil’Elf or a Peculiar Pundit, but you’re not, so you will.  They didn’t stop there, though.  The PM and Simon Busuttil have been indefatigable, on the micro as well as on the macro level.  At every public meeting, on every forum, during every TV debate, they were clear, concise and honest.    

Comparisons are odious, so don’t make them, but really, is there a comparison?

And there you have it, a swift gallop through the sort of things you should be reflecting on while you take a rest from the constant bombardment of the last few weeks, in no order of importance and with no pretence at the list being exhaustive.  

At the end of the day, probably sometime on Sunday early afternoon, the result will be out and we’ll start getting back to normal.  Which version of normality is up to the people, bless the people and you know what they say, you get the Government you deserve.

I think we deserve a good one. Oh, and by the way, ignore fools like that twerp Ferguson, if he's the best Man U have, well, what can I say?