Politics

Whilst i was on the subject of global warming issues over on the pistonheads website, it got me thinking about bureaucracy in Britain and the current political situation which we are facing.

We have a government which is not governing, failing to address so many key issues whilst pushing taxes up to levels not seen since the 1970s (stealthy)

We have an opposition who fails to oppose, has no particular policies on key issues and is not reaping the failure of government at the opinion polls.

Why is it in the 21st Century, we cant have a government which protects the rights of British people, standing up to Europe against things like regulations & human rights. The government needs to focus less on foreign policy and more on the real issues which are not being taken care of on our own soil

Rant over

Originally Posted by robchester

Why is it in the 21st Century, we cant have a government which protects the rights of British people, standing up to Europe against things like regulations & human rights. The government needs to focus less on foreign policy and more on the real issues which are not being taken care of on our own soil

Rant over

Sounds like you're advocating a return for Mrs Thatcher

Actually, I'd rather that than the present lot; at least when they were screwing us they told us they were doing it, and why.

Originally Posted by robchester

Whilst i was on the subject of global warming issues over on the pistonheads website, it got me thinking about bureaucracy in Britain and the current political situation which we are facing.

We have a government which is not governing, failing to address so many key issues

tony blair is a lame duck.....ministers are more interested in jockeying for future positions under brown. blair has waning authority with his cabinet. he will go shortly after the local elections, especially if labour get a trouncing.

Originally Posted by robchester

whilst pushing taxes up to levels not seen since the 1970s (stealthy)

the current regime may be branded 'new labour' but they are still labour underneath whose results are always tax and spend (not a bad thing occasionally...). i suppose the new labour aspect is shown through the use of stealthy taxes rather than simple, up front, transparent taxes.

Originally Posted by robchester

We have an opposition who fails to oppose, has no particular policies on key issues and is not reaping the failure of government at the opinion polls.

the conservatives are keeping their powder dry for the moment - some more policy detail would be good but they are waiting for a snap election once brown takes over. they know blair is finished and will be gone soon. although they would probably like it if blair dug his heels in.....don't believe the opinion polls other than giving a rough flavour - i think we should adopt the french method and ban such polls within 2 weeks of an election.

Originally Posted by robchester

Why is it in the 21st Century, we cant have a government which protects the rights of British people, standing up to Europe against things like regulations & human rights. The government needs to focus less on foreign policy and more on the real issues which are not being taken care of on our own soil

Rant over

i'm sure we can have a government in the 21st century that does those things - new labour could have (i had high hopes for them in '97) but they've been a tad distracted for the past few years - they had a shed load of money to wee away on foreign adventures.....

We have the government we do because it's what the electorate want.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

We have the government we do because it's what the electorate want.

Sad but true.

(But also the election system is flawed.)

We have become an apathetic nation in this regard and I guess I'm as guilty as many. I'm alright jack? perhaps more uncomfortable in one area but better in another, with another party offering just the opposite in comfort value - overall little in it. What can other parties really offer. Tories started the destruction of the railways and NHS and Education - Labour have failed to put it right. With the Tory attitude will they reverse their previous actions?

But please don't bring back Thatcher. I agree that Blair and his Gov't have lost their way so badly I doubt they could ever recover. Cameron is such a wet - could he instil any confidence? The Libs? So what as a voter do we do? Apathy coming on again...

Ooooh my head. This is way too heavy

Originally Posted by Triumphumphumph

Sad but true.

(But also the election system is flawed.)

We have become an apathetic nation in this regard and I guess I'm as guilty as many.

The election system isn't flawed, people are just idiots. Most people don't see the government as the necessary evil it really is. They see it as a benevolent force, that can be trusted to deal with every aspect of our lives, and to spend our money wisely.

Our current government is dogmatic, hypocritical, greedy, has no understanding of liberty, and has a false sense of morality (whatever morality is) - which I think reflects the UK population as a whole.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

The election system isn't flawed, people are just idiots. Most people don't see the government as the necessary evil it really is. They see it as a benevolent force, that can be trusted to deal with every aspect of our lives, and to spend our money wisely.

Our current government is dogmatic, hypocritical, greedy, has no understanding of liberty, and has a false sense of morality (whatever morality is) - which I think reflects the UK population as a whole.

Compared to which other Gov't? I feel similar but perhaps not quite as strongly - why? Because I can remember vivdly Thatcher and the damage her Gov't did to me - NHS management, Transport, Child Support Agency, Poll Tax/Community Tax/Council Tax, Right to Buy (so no more houses for less fortunate!) though the intent was probably just as sound as that of the current or any other Gov't. Her saving grace - the Falklands war which in actual fact had many flaws but we felt differently at the time - would we accept it now?