David Cameron

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

Why does nobody vote Lib Dem?

Originally Posted by Sean_C

If only you could vote for "none of the above"..

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Crikey chaps, see what a pickle the state school system is in, the rabble don't even know how to spell Eton! That settles it, little Tarquin is not to set one foot in a state school, he might catch something.

Maybe it was a consequence of the pizza I was cooking as I typed!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u6lCBnRoHQ

Originally Posted by Sean_C

The question I keep pondering is this: Is it worth voting for Mr Cameron, even though I don't like him, purely because he says that they'll scrap ID cards if they get into power? I'm not sure.. Chances are they'd say that until they're elected and then forget about it, then what can you do?

My initial impression was "ponce" when he became tory leader. That hasn't changed..

He has voted the right way (no pun intended) on a number of occasions, wanting liberty over prying governments. But I'm not totally convinced, I think he voted against the labour party rather than against ID cards.

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

Why does nobody vote Lib Dem?

Because they're totally unrealistic.

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Spoil your ballet paper, they get counted seperately as spoilt ballets. Ok so it's not counted as to the reason why it's been spoiled but it's better than staying at home. I go through this around every election, our democracy sure as hell ain't perfect but people died for it and there's a steady stream of kids coming back home in body bags who continue to protect it.

Cameron must be uber-poncy if he's issuing 'ballet' papers The ol' ballot did the trick nicely before

You asked for that!

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

I always feel uneasy about 'career politicians'. This boyo hasn't held a single job outside of politics in his life, was educated at Eaton, and has been a millionaire from birth.

Now I don't want suggest that a privileged background should make you exempt from, or inhibit your political career in any way. But this man has never had to make a wage, ever! I don't think you should even run for MP until you've spent considerable time living abroad!

It's a tricky one. You don't want politicians who're detached from the rest of the country, but alternatively, you don't want their own personal situations to influence their policy decisions.

Brought up with a silver spoon in their mouth, or someone who pulled themselves out of the gutter - ultimately, I don't think there's any point in trying to second guess a leaders ability from their back ground. Either is capable of completely ballsing up the country.

Originally Posted by MiniMatt

Spoil your ballet paper, they get counted seperately as spoilt ballets. Ok so it's not counted as to the reason why it's been spoiled but it's better than staying at home.

Hmmm, not sure this is a good idea. You're not thinking about it from a politicians view. What do they care about? Power. Votes for or against them, that's all that's important. They won't care if you're disaffected.

[northwind]

It's just modern politics... Britain's Got Political Talent, pick the person whose smile you like best and press the red button to make them PM.

Cameron's an absolutely first class presenter, he plays the game better than anyone else in the UK. In opposition he's a machine. He's the master of looking good, giving good soundbites, while actually saying nothing, committing to nothing and proposing nothing. But at the same time, he's not so drastically negative as to be offputting- no Labour Isn't Working here, he's too clever for that.

The problem is that nobody has the slightest idea what he'll be like in power, or what he really stands for other than getting elected. And being a populist candidate is all very well til you realise that populists look at the voter reaction for everything before they decide what they think.

So, well, he could be great in power. He's very smart, very subtle too, and he could get a lot done. He's proved he can get a bit away from the old fashioned blue/red divide just like Blair did, and that's powerful. But equally, he might be a disaster. He's just done nothing of substance to let us decide which is more likely. You can only judge a man by his actions, not his words... And, well, what actions?

Originally Posted by northwind

It's just modern politics... Britain's Got Political Talent, pick the person whose smile you like best and press the red button to make them PM.

Cameron's an absolutely first class presenter, he plays the game better than anyone else in the UK. In opposition he's a machine. He's the master of looking good, giving good soundbites, while actually saying nothing, committing to nothing and proposing nothing. But at the same time, he's not so drastically negative as to be offputting- no Labour Isn't Working here, he's too clever for that.

The problem is that nobody has the slightest idea what he'll be like in power, or what he really stands for other than getting elected. And being a populist candidate is all very well til you realise that populists look at the voter reaction for everything before they decide what they think.

So, well, he could be great in power. He's very smart, very subtle too, and he could get a lot done. He's proved he can get a bit away from the old fashioned blue/red divide just like Blair did, and that's powerful. But equally, he might be a disaster. He's just done nothing of substance to let us decide which is more likely. You can only judge a man by his actions, not his words... And, well, what actions?

Yep, well said. He's just playing the game, in other words.

I've said it many times - while people are swayed by bland pleasantries and indecision, can we really blame the appalling standards of politicians in power on anyone but ourselves?

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

It's a tricky one. You don't want politicians who're detached from the rest of the country, but alternatively, you don't want their own personal situations to influence their policy decisions.

Brought up with a silver spoon in their mouth, or someone who pulled themselves out of the gutter - ultimately, I don't think there's any point in trying to second guess a leaders ability from their back ground. Either is capable of completely ballsing up the country.

The silver spoon I have no problem with. It's the complete lack of any experience of the real world whatsoever. It's like Sarah Palins response when asked
"What is your foreign policy?"
"I can see Russia from my window"

She's a woman who only got a passport last year! I feel Cameron is in the same camp, with this weaknesses stretching across every aspect of politics.

Originally Posted by northwind

He's very smart

remember?

David Cameron has appealed for the return of his bicycle after a thief stole it from outside a supermarket in west London.
The Tory leader, who regularly rode the bike to the House of Commons, had chained it to a bollard while he popped into a Tesco store in Portobello Road to buy some groceries yesterday evening, close to his home in Notting Hill.
The thieves had apparently lifted the bike - and the chain - over the bollard and vanished.
“Someone must have just picked it up and walked off with it,” he told reporters.

A frickin' 3 1/2 ft high bollard?!

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

can we really blame the appalling standards of politicians in power on anyone but ourselves?

Our parents

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

You asked for that!

Bugger! Yep, fair play, you got me there