Politics

[Dr Gloom 21760]

9 minutes ago, scoobos said:

I seriously hope they do mutate by the following election though, neoliberal centre  isnt going to fix everything thats been bust.

This country has been pushed to US ideology in the general population for almost a decade - there's so much division, and I dare say hate out there now. Everyone's judging everyone else (me included) by default like we've been conditioned to.  To use a corny US term, its winning peoples "Hearts and minds" back to we are all one country, in it together - that's going to be so difficult cos the Tories were fucking excellent at making a mockery of "we are all in this together" by deliberately gaslighting using the term during May's / Camerons time. I never noticed this Tory trait until Boris came in, as he was so shit at it that everything was obvious - so 1 thing to thank him for.

I really hope there's a long game, and that we can bring back some solidarity and team spirit to the country to reunite us, and then start collectively working on restoring public services.

 

Most major cities, Newcastle in particular, absolutely STINK of piss on a weekend evening - there's not a single public toilet in the entire city centre anymore. We are giving away money in tax cuts to the tune of tens of billions, when it costs less than 0.7bn a year to fund our libraries, after a 60% cut over 10 years. I could go on...

 

 

Truss is trying her hardest to increase the division you speak of. the assorted loonies in “team  growth” taking on the RotW “anti growth coalition”.

 

The difference this time is it won’t stick. It’s not like Brexit. Most voters don’t know what growth is and they don’t understand it’ll take years to generate. They’re shitting it about their mortgage and pension and she’s got no answers other than “growth, growth, growth” 

[Renton 21050]

12 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

Dangerous in different ways: Johnson’s policy making wasn’t anywhere near as dangerous. The problem was how mendacious he was - he pretty much normalised deceit in frontline  politics. Ministers no longer need to resign for things that would previously end careers. He was as damaging to our democracy as Trump was in the US. The problem with this lot is the damage their doing to the economy  

 

Good point.

[scoobos 297]

4 hours ago, Renton said:

 

This extreme liberatarianism she (Truss) is pushing is something else like. We're not the US, it won't work here. 

Edit: I've just let it sink in COffey is the health secretary.

Can you imagine if we had had these nutters two years ago? They actually make Johnson look good. 

I beg to differ, since returning after a decade away the UK is more like the US than I can believe (admittedly the west coast mind).

The arguments and division are very similar

"Freedum" vs "communism"

"Immigrants" vs "us"

De-regulation vs Enemies of the economy

Destroying of empathy and compassion for those less able.. One thing that shocked me in the USA was how veterans, deaf and blind people etc had to BEG and live in hostels , there's no state support that lasts long enough. In the UK today - we are paying foster carers 12 pound a day to look after a child and keep them off the streets - and asking the foster carers to only work part time .. Its not possible, then its just "kids choosing to be homeless" in the news.

Even the NHS is regularly getting attacked now for being "Inefficient, costly, impossible" etc - when the cost per head is a fraction of what people in the US pay.

The NHS is already massively privatised from what I can see - I've had a cancer scare in recent years , was treated overseas then came back to the UK  I paid for an MRI overseas and it was a bill of 200  KYD$ - In the UK every single referral from my endocrinologist to have scans and checks, were performed in big white vans, owned by private health companies but branded with NHS logos , which charged £350 (450-500 KYD$) for the same MRI calling it a "Priority referral")- it sickens me (pardon the pun).* Supplychain.nhs.uk shows the extent, almost all support services are up for grabs.

Then mental health services are the same - VitaHealth now "own" the contract for Newcastle's services at 20% extra cost with probably less quality of service.

*MRI Scanners and Related Services (supplychain.nhs.uk)

 

It's cheesy but I believe that division is the key tool used in the US and our politicians are lobbied by the same people ultimately, because the same people own the same equity funds that essentially own the huge monopolistic multinationals that own everything beneath them. E.g nestle, unilever , coca cola, YUM (Taco bell, KFC and Pizza Hut among others, all essentially the same company).

 

end covid inspired rant

Edited October 11, 2022 by scoobos

[Renton 21050]

26 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

 

Labour did that last time (gain centreground and stick) and still fell away from power in the end. They need to do everything you've outlined here plus PR. I know you're already on board with that but I keep coming back to how important that is to make sure this never happens again. The Tories can never be allowed unchecked power again.

 

It took a global externality and some bad luck though. Of course, these are almost guaranteed in the scheme of things, now more than ever. Other than that I fully agree with both you and Scoobos here. 

[Gemmill 44107]

They're sticking with this anti growth coalition thing. Kwarteng and Andrew Griffiths have both welcomed members on the opposition benches as "fully signed up members of the Anti Growth Coalition" when they've asked questions about his shite economy crashing plan. 

 

They sound completely fucking mental. 

[Renton 21050]

3 minutes ago, scoobos said:

I beg to differ, since returning after a decade away the UK is more like the US than I can believe (admittedly the west coast mind).

The arguments and division are very similar

"Freedum" vs "communism"

"Immigrants" vs "us"

Regulation vs Enemies of the economy

Destroying of empathy and compassion for those less able.. One thing that shocked me in the USA was how veterans, deaf and blind people etc had to BEG and live in hostels , there's no state support that lasts long enough. In the UK today - we are paying foster carers 12 pound a day to look after a child and keep them off the streets - and asking the foster carers to only work part time .. Its not possible, then its just "kids choosing to be homeless" in the news.

Even the NHS is regularly getting attacked now for being "Inefficient, costly, impossible" etc - when the cost per head is a fraction of what people in the US pay.

The NHS is already massively privatised from what I can see - I've had a cancer scare in recent years , was treated overseas then came back to the UK  I paid for my treatment overseas and it was a bill of 200  CAD$ - In the UK every single referral from my endocrinologist to have scans and checks, were performed in big white vans, owned by private health companies but branded with NHS logos , which charge £350 (450-500 CAD$) calling it a "Priority referral")- it sickens me (pardon the pun).* Supplychain.nhs.uk shows the extent, almost all support services are up for grabs.

Then mental health services are the same - VitaHealth now "own" the contract for Newcastle's services at 20% extra cost with probably less quality of service.

*MRI Scanners and Related Services (supplychain.nhs.uk)

 

It's cheesy but I believe that division is the key tool used in the US and our politicians are lobbied by the same people ultimately, because the same people own the same equity funds that essentially own the huge monopolistic multinationals that own everything beneath them. E.g nestle, unilever , coca cola, YUM (Taco bell, KFC and Pizza Hut among others, all essentially the same company).

 

end covid inspired rant

 

Well this is depressing. But in the context I'm talking about (public health messaging) I think you're wrong. Covid showed it. Very little fuss about mask wearing or vaccination other than a few nutters. Wasn't politicised like the US. Maybe we will end up in that particular hell hole but I think our mindset is still different, and most people recognise and want to contribute to the public good. 

[Dr Gloom 21760]

31 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

 

I just keep finding more and more that I agree with you on.

[ewerk 30166]

And don't they look happy together?

 

[Gemmill 44107]

39 minutes ago, Rayvin said:

 

I just keep finding more and more that I agree with you on.

 

[Monkeys Fist 41926]

2 hours ago, ewerk said:

 

I give her a break - she’s had half a dozen wayward chicken nuggets lodged in her guntfolds since the last night of the conference and they’re starting to reanimate. 

[Tom 14011]

There are no glitches...only love ❤️ 

[Rayvin 5151]

I mentioned it only because we have previously been in argument with each other on several occasions  

 

Let's be fair though, this whole place is a huge echo chamber of agreement for the most part. It has to get quite specific for anyone to disagree. We are all:

 

[Renton 21050]

4 minutes ago, Tom said:

There are no glitches...only love ❤️ 

 

That was fast, deleted my post. Gemmill, I gave you 2 like again for your post but I've sorted it out now. 1 like is all you're getting. 

[Gemmill 44107]

I've asked the mods to give me a 3 max per person so you can really amp it up soon. 

[ewerk 30166]

So Truss is going to introduce a windfall tax on energy companies at last. But only on renewable and nuclear power generators. Her paymasters in fossil fuels remain untouched.

[ewerk 30166]

The BoE are going to end their buying of government gilts. It looks like they brought in this plan of action as a temporary measure to allow the government to get their house in order which they’ve absolutely refused to do.

[ewerk 30166]

0.3% contraction in the economy in August.

[Renton 21050]

[ewerk 30166]

I'm just here to bring you all the good news to get you up and excited for the day. See also:

 

 

[Renton 21050]

Well, to add to the cheery news I've heard that the billions lost due to the mini budget fiasco, which the cunts are still doubling down on, might effectively mean we have to work an extra 2 years to receive the same pension. So far, its clear its only getting worse.  

[trophyshy 7066]

Suella Behaveman. 

[ewerk 30166]

10 minutes ago, Renton said:

Well, to add to the cheery news I've heard that the billions lost due to the mini budget fiasco, which the cunts are still doubling down on, might effectively mean we have to work an extra 2 years to receive the same pension. So far, its clear its only getting worse.  

My own pension is down 10% since the mini-budget. Thankfully I have plenty of time for it to recover.

[Howmanheyman 32604]

There's a scary amount of con men and women in this government. (There not even that good at it, I honestly think the most conned are themselves in that some of them actually believe they've got great insight and know what they're doing).

[Alex 34725]

6 minutes ago, Howmanheyman said:

There's a scary amount of con men and women in this government. (There not even that good at it, I honestly think the most conned are themselves in that some of them actually believe they've got great insight and know what they're doing).

Well she’s a Buddhist (presumably a follower of Buddha in the same way the CofE brigade follow Jesus) with Indian heritage who seems to think people in a similar boat should be denied the same opportunities. She’s been promoted waaay beyond her capabilities because she’s prepared to be a massive fucking cunt to get ahead. It’s little wonder people like her are arrogant and detached from reality. I think you’re correct in a lot of them being incompetent. Add in the corruption and lack of any moral compass and you have the perfect storm 

[Holden McGroin 6455]

I think most people that take jobs at this level are high functioning sociopaths/psychopaths,

 

I'd be up all night, stressed out, worried I'd made a wrong decision and people would be poorer off. 

 

She doesn't give a flying a fuck and actively believes that giving rich people more money will help poorer people in the end. Rather than just give poorer people help now.  Astonishing really.