The Political Thread

[Emperor]

Irony is dead, David Cameron has stood on its head.

First he applauds protesters in the Middle East while keeping his boot on the throat of those doing so at home and then goes on an arms-dealing jaunt around the Middle East, selling weapons and military vehicles to regimes currently suppressing protest in their own countries (and even exporting it as Saudi Arabia did with Bahrain).

Now this:

He said the Pakistan was simply "not raising the resources necessary to pay for things that a modern state and people require".

The Pakistani fiscal position was a serious one because "too few people pay tax. Too many of your richest people are getting away without paying much tax at all – and that's not fair".

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/apr/05/david-cameron-pakistan-raise-taxes-rich

Best summary is from China Mieville.

[Old Tankie]

Surely in the case just described, irony is alive and kicking!!?  Maybe it's me, I don't pretend to be "ejumacated."

[The Legendary Shark]

Blame the international banking system, not the people.

If Pakistan could create and control its own money supply virtually for free instead of borrowing privately created money at interest, it wouldn't need aid. No country would.

[House of Usher]

Irony is dead, David Cameron has stood on its head.

Surely in the case just described, irony is alive and kicking!!?

You're both right. What David Cameron said was ironic, but the irony is surely lost on him. What Emperor said was sarcastic, because the irony is surely lost on Dave Cameron.

Blame the international banking system, not the people. If Pakistan could create and control its own money supply virtually for free instead of borrowing privately created money at interest, it wouldn't need aid. No country would.

Is the Netherlands free of the international banking system, then, and does it create and supply its own money? If not, how come they were able to impose a retrospective 100% tax on bank bonuses, backdated to 2008? Why can't we do that here?

[SMOKESCREEN:ED:9]

Talking about going full circle. Anyone remember, David Cameron and the rest of his moist dishevelled and most likely wrinkled foreskin cronies promising to not only stop ALL cuts to the NHS, but to invest heavily in our dilapidating medical dungeons of hope, (And let's not forget, despair.)
INVEST YOU TIGHT WINGERS!

[The Legendary Shark]

No, Ush - taxation comes after creation (basically to pay for the creation).

Michael Meacher is the latest MP to see the light, as he explains on his blog here: http://www.michaelmeacher.info/weblog/2011/03/when-are-the-banks-going-to-be-reformed/

If you'd like to email your own MP about this vitally important issue, yo can find the following form email at  http://action.positivemoney.org.uk/page/speakout/OGC_Tell_Your_MP

(It'll fill in your MP's name and contact details for you.)

"Dear [INSERT YOUR MP's NAME],

I was surprised to discover recently that while the government has apparently run out of money, the high-street banks that caused the crisis are effectively able to create tens of billions of pounds every year. The laws that stop criminals printing their own £5 or £10 notes have never been updated to take account of the fact that most money now is digital. Banks make use of this loophole to create up to £200bn a year, and pump this money into housing bubbles and toxic derivatives.

I'm concerned that no democratic decision has ever been made to allow high-street banks to create money in this way. I'm also concerned that ordinary people are being made to pay the costs of a crisis that was caused by the banks, while the banks are permitted to return to business as usual.

Would you watch this 3 minute video, which explains the issue succinctly:

http://action.positivemoney.org.uk/one-good-cut

Your sincerely,

[INSERT YOUR NAME HERE]"

I'd love to hear your views on this subject!

[The Legendary Shark]

Would you work for nothing just to keep your CV padded out? Just to say that you have a job? Kelly Fallis, chief executive of Remote Stylist, a Toronto and New York-based startup that provides Web-based interior design services, thinks so. "Ten years from now, this is going to be the norm," she says.

http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2011/03/25/unpaid-jobs-the-new-normal/

[The Legendary Shark]

Wow - this thread will be one year old on Saturday! A whole year of Twoothy politics and not one expense fiddled, corporation sucked-off or war started!

We rock!

[TordelBack]

Would you work for nothing just to keep your CV padded out?

That's called 'academia', isn't it?

[The Legendary Shark]

Heh - and politics (at least initially). Work as an intern for nothing - thus ensuring that only the people who can afford it get the political experience needed to get ahead in Westminster. And they say there's no such thing as conspiracies...

[Dandontdare]

Have you seen Klegg banging on today about improving internships and apprenticeships so that career prospects don't depend on "who your father's friends are" (He got his first work experience at a Finnish bank because his dad, who was the chairman of the United Trust Bank, 'had a word' with a friend)

The man has no shame at all does he?

[vzzbux]

Would you work for nothing just to keep your CV padded out?

That's called 'academia', isn't it?

At the moment my missus is doing quite a bit of voluntary work for the local sure start at the moment and has been doing for some time now so yes it does happen occasionally. I begrudgingly accept it as she has a foot in the door to hopefully start in that line of work when Sophie starts school full time.



V

[The Legendary Shark]

We sometimes talk politics in the Yap Shop. (Sometimes...)

Oh look - it's Yap Shop night tonight. What a coincidence...

(Shameless Publicity Dept.)

[chilipenguin]

I am seriously considering the idea of making a bid for local council next year (in Scotland). I'm fed up of politicians serving their own interests before those of the local community, or indeed the country. I think that given the same opportunity, I would do my utmost to serve not only those who might elect me, but also those groups who are most vulnerable.

Now, I'm a reasonably intelligent guy, I have a degree and I believe I have the passion that's needed, but I have little to no experience or knowledge of how to even contemplate going about this.

Does anyone have any experience or insight on working for local government or suggestions as to where to start? I'm obviously using the Google for the interwebby side of things...

Cheers for any and all help/suggestions.

[The Legendary Shark]

Start by getting onto your local Parish Council or similar.