The Political Thread

[Jim_Campbell]

Thank you, Butch, for your comments, done without insult. I appreciate it.

Why do you assume I was talking to, or about, you? We've long-since established that no rational argument will sway you on this matter, so discussing it with you is literally an exercise in futility.

[Old Tankie]

Bye bye, Jim, have a lovely evening.

[Hawkmumbler]

Welcome to question time and the debate for the night is, is Old Tankie an elaborate troll or just a right wing fool?

[TordelBack]

Ah he's no troll - just a man with strong convictions. Wrong convictions, but that's by the by.

[Old Tankie]

Thanks TB l think!  So I am a fool and a troll because  I have a different view to other people on here, wow!

[The Legendary Shark]

For me, the problem with nation states and the EU is the problem of power - the power to force people to do what they don't want to do or to punish anyone who disagrees or fails in their "duties."

If all "governments" did was administer the public mechanisms, provide the facilities and services we all need and generally work for society as a whole without showing grace and favour to a vanishingly small few, then I'd be for them, on the whole. Unfortunately, "government officials" at all levels see themselves as rulers, with  rights and privileges denied to the rest of us, like modern feudalists, and so I cannot and will not willingly support or bow down before any of them.

A body of people who can funnel untold millions into the coffers of a few lackeys whilst at the same time grinding the majority into the dust just don't deserve my loyalty, obedience or respect.

[ZenArcade]

You're not a troll or a fool OT. You have strongly held views which a lot of us on the forum politically don't agree with. You are.entitled to postulate these views and indeed comment on views contrary to your own. The downside is that you'll get a barrage.of rebuttals and alternate points of view. The joys of Internet discussion forums. Z

[Old Tankie]

Thanks Z, I am more then happy to have a debate and for people to disagree with me, they may even be right! I just don't understand some people's rudeness.

[GordonR]

On a side note - and the terminology I'm about to question has already been used in this discussion - why are Brits living abroad 'ex-pats' while foreigners living here are immigrants?  Shouldn't ex-pats be termed immigrants too?  (Or, from our point of view, emigrants.)

[Old Tankie]

Yes.

[The Legendary Shark]

It's all down to the people who frame the arguments. Linguistic precision is not generally welcome in propaganda.

[Hawkmumbler]

On a side note - and the terminology I'm about to question has already been used in this discussion - why are Brits living abroad 'ex-pats' while foreigners living here are immigrants?  Shouldn't ex-pats be termed immigrants too?  (Or, from our point of view, emigrants.)

I'm not an expert but my personal view is that they are the same thing. So just call brits living abroad immigrants for all I care.

[The Legendary Shark]

Whenever you read a headline with a word like "immigrant," "homosexual," "Conservative" or "terrorist" (for example) in it, replace it with "human being" and see if it still makes sense.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

If you take all the Brit's out of the area of Spain that they live in, then that area would collapse financially. It's been mentioned by the Spanish leaders of those areas, in a few interviews on the radio that I've heard.

As for the EU, it wastes money hand over fist and hasn't had the books passed fit, since it started. If this was a company, I would expect to see all the leaders on trial and in jail.

It has its good points and it has its bad points. You choose which side you would prefer.

Personally I'd like to see it ripped apart at the seams and rebuilt with the people's wishes and not in the nest feathering politicians way.

I mean what fucking company up sticks, with everything they've got and moves up the road every month for a few days and does the same to go back. Every month, sheesh!

[Professor Bear]

TTIP is the EU's future, not open and accountable democratic processes.