The Political Thread

[Frank]

It's not just the U.S. - it's everywhere.

Sad to see him succumbing to the usual Republican lies about Obama's economic impact (PO has actually extended tax cuts for businesses started by Dubya and yet still massively reduced the national debt) because now Schneider's many fans will oh wait never mind.

I'm not sure the red party have the monopoly on lies, half-truths, and insinuations, but I was baffled by the contradiction Schneider apparently found in the fact his POTUS studied at Harvard at no cost to himself and now promotes the idea of free public education for everyone. Don't worry, Sharky; I'm pretty sure Schneider's concerns regarding the power the state enjoys over the individual will disappear sometime in late 2016/early 2017.

[Proudhuff]

http://www.golemxiv.co.uk/2014/03/ukraine-some-thoughts-on-who-is-playing-for-what/

interesting...

[TordelBack]

http://www.golemxiv.co.uk/2014/03/ukraine-some-thoughts-on-who-is-playing-for-what/

interesting...

It's an interesting piece, but I'm always dubious about the fact-checking process of someone who can't be bothered with spell-checking...

[Frank]

http://www.golemxiv.co.uk/2014/03/ukraine-some-thoughts-on-who-is-playing-for-what/

Probably, but there's no law against egging someone else on, and both the US and Russia have done so. Slavoy Zizek explains why.

[JayzusB.Christ]

I'm not a UK resident and am not the best at following the news, so I've only heard of the Tories' Big Society policy recently.  On paper, it seems pretty close to how I'd like to see  my own country run: Giving more power to local government; making government data transparent; encouraging community mindedness.

But... there's something about it that doesn't add up.  That is not how Conservative governments work; and elitism and privilege still seem to be encouraged and community-mindedness thrown aside, following the legacy of Maggie herself.

But I don't have the facts, and admittedly I am biased against the Tories, because I am bitterly opposed to how they ran the UK in the past.  Would anyone care to fill me in about the workings of the Big Society?  Arguments from both sides are more than welcome.

[The Legendary Shark]

Big Society? Let me tell you about Big Society...

Today's the day; 12 noon - B-Day.

If things unfold as they did last time, the initial attack will come from Council agents at around 11:30, to soften me up for the deployment of the big gun (the bailiff) at precisely 12 noon.

As prepared as I can be, I sit and wait to defend my home and my person from the wolves unleashed by Big Society.

By 1pm the answer to that age-old conundrum should be known; who would win in a fight between a pack of wolves and a shark? One thing's for dead sure, the winner won't be society, big or otherwise. Society will only have won when it isn't in conflict with its own systems any more.

[Proudhuff]

best o luck Shark, keep your cool and keep the cameras running

[TordelBack]

By 1pm the answer to that age-old conundrum should be known; who would win in a fight between a pack of wolves and a shark? One thing's for dead sure, the winner won't be society, big or otherwise. Society will only have won when it isn't in conflict with its own systems any more.

Rooting for you Sharky, keep calm, safe and well during the op. 

[The Legendary Shark]

Thanks, guys. I'll file an ops-rep this afternoon - Great Spirit willing!

[Mikey]

Would anyone care to fill me in about the workings of the Big Society? 

My take is: you can vote (or not) for us to form a government, but we will absolve ourselves of any responsibility for the welfare of the society we wish to govern, so if your area's a shithole it's your own fault and there'll be none of that government interference to improve your lot. It's couching the removal of centrally and socially funded public services in terms that appeal to an idea of self governance and determination.

M.

[Professor Bear]

It's a soundbite with as much practical meaning as "we're in this together," meant to imply notions of a paradigm shift in methods of governance when things will actually continue on just as they have: expenses fiddling and benefit fraud is fine if you're rich but you're going to jail if you're poor, money meant for children will be stolen raided and used to fund the illusion that failed policies are working, underclasses such as immigrants, the poor and the sick will be scapegoated as a drain on resources, and fuck you, Joe Serf.

Thanks, guys. I'll file an ops-rep this afternoon - Great Spirit willing!

Fingers crossed for you, Sharky.  I wouldn't have the balls for what you're doing, no matter how confrontational I like to appear through the anonymity filter of the web that puts brass ones on me and many other dickless web warriors.  I'd fold like a bitch and assume the position in a matter of microseconds, and even though I'm worried for you, I'm pulling for you and your act of civil disobedience.

[TordelBack]

I'd fold like a bitch and assume the position in a matter of microseconds, and even though I'm worried for you, I'm pulling for you and your act of civil disobedience.

What he said, although imagine I said 'paper airplane' instead of 'bitch', 'cos I'm an even bigger wuss..

[Bolt-01]

Oh, dear. Thought you'd gotten this all sorted after last time? Either way- best of British Shark!

[Frank]

I'm not a UK resident and am not the best at following the news, so I've only heard of the Tories' Big Society policy recently.  On paper, it seems pretty close to how I'd like to see  my own country run: Giving more power to local government; making government data transparent; encouraging community mindedness

It's not a policy, and no-one in the UK would associate the phrase with the virtues listed above. I've certainly never seen or heard freedom of information lumped in with hopes that pensioners will provide free babysitting services. Nobody I know in real life has ever used the phrase or could tell you what it means, and one year before the end of the coalition's term in office I've yet to read of a single example of it in practice in my area.

Cuts to public services have to be made because of Blair/Brown's financial mismanagement, the collapse of Western capitalism in 2008, and Tory ideology. The coalition's response is to hope that everyone will just rally round and replace essential services by volunteering in their own time and at their own expense. It's not a policy, but when Cameron's asked how social work departments are going to manage on less than half the budgets they had in previous years he can't say it'll all just sort itself out somehow, even if that's what it amounts to.

[Professor Bear]

The coalition's response is to hope that everyone will just rally round and replace essential services by volunteering in their own time and at their own expense.

Actually, no - Lord Tebbit is on record as saying that food banks just encourage people to buy more junkfood with benefit money seeing as they don't have to spend it on essentials, and Ian Duncan Smith is on record attacking food banks as statistics-manipulating self-promotional egotists appealing to the base impulses and fears of the populace.  The Daily Mail has made its feelings known on the matter, too, so clearly charity and pulling together has never been part of the Tory agenda.