The Political Thread

[Colin YNWA]

I am still undecided, do I vote with the Greens who have a lot of good policies but some I don't agree with, or do I chuck it at one of the main parties and hope it helps with aiming towards a majority.

Depends how safe the seat is. If it's knife-edge, I'd go Labour; if it's unlikely to swing towards Conservative, go Green if you think the party largely aligns with your own beliefs. (Having read the manifestos, I'd say the Green one has some issues but was broadly impressive. Labour's was comparatively meek and disappointing, but I'd sooner have Miliband in #10 than Cameron.)

This was broadly the tack I was going for. I was going to vote Green in the belief (however misguided) that the greater their percentage of the vote the more chance they'd push Labour back towards the left a little. In the way UKIP have dragged the Tories further right. As it happens I live in Cleggies constituency (posh Yorkshire!) and its looking too much of a close thing and so voted Labour.

[The Legendary Shark]

Yes, Tips, that's what I meant.
.
I.P., like the collective decision the voters made to bomb Iraq?

[JayzusB.Christ]

.
I.P., like the collective decision the voters made to bomb Iraq?

Point.  </Preacher>

Doesn't change my views about voting, though.

[Hawkmumbler]

Just and FYI, Shark, as a straight cis-man you don't get a say in matters related in sexual or gender identity. The 'it's OK to be gay' mantra spouted by straight people, ignoring bi, pan or aro orientations, is so disgusstingly self gratifying and arrogant. We know it's OK, it's straight people who need to learn it's OK.

[IndigoPrime]

.
I.P., like the collective decision the voters made to bomb Iraq?

Point.  </Preacher>

Not really, unless I somehow missed a referendum on the decision to invade Iraq.

[The Legendary Shark]

Hawks, I know that. Other people's sexual orientation is none of my concern or anyone else's.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

There was a big sign in our polling station that said no photos to be taken inside! Looked like the normal turnout, from looking at the names crossed out on the pad, as we passed over our cards.

It's gonna be extremely close in my town between the Tories and the Liberal Democrats. I'm wondering if the Liberals have done enough to squeeze the Tories out. Pity I'm not at work, as I enjoy listening to the results come in but not enough to stay up on my time off

[Dark Jimbo]

The 'it's OK to be gay' mantra spouted by straight people... is so disgusstingly self gratifying and arrogant. We know it's OK, it's straight people who need to learn it's OK.

Surely it isn't the 'gay' community who are being targeted by those well-meaning folk who say 'It's alright to be gay', but those people who don't think it's okay?

Just and FYI, Shark, as a straight cis-man you don't get a say in matters related in sexual or gender identity...

Hmm... Not so sure about that, Hawk. Isn't it a bit like saying I'm not allowed to have an opinion on whether the Holocaust was bad because I'm not Jewish? Or the recently-reported anti-racism rally at a UK University that white males were asked not to attend in a stupefying bit of irony that it must have delighted the Daily Mail no end to report on.

If you only have equality for some, or even say that only certain demographics are allowed an opinion on equality... well, by definition it's not equality, surely? 'All animals are equal but some are more equal than others', to quote Animal Farm.

[JamesC]

Just and FYI, Shark, as a straight cis-man you don't get a say in matters related in sexual or gender identity. The 'it's OK to be gay' mantra spouted by straight people, ignoring bi, pan or aro orientations, is so disgusstingly self gratifying and arrogant. We know it's OK, it's straight people who need to learn it's OK.

This may be a thread I shouldn't pull at and I may be getting the wrong end of the stick but I don't think that this kind of aggressive ring-fencing of a social issue is at all helpful.
There are plenty of places in the world where any kind of sexual activity (or preference) that isn't between a married man and woman will put you in extreme personal danger. I think the more people that are spreading a message of acceptance, the better. Certainly better than saying what amounts to 'you're straight, so fuck off and mind your own business'.

Apologies if I've misunderstood. 

[The Legendary Shark]

Appeal to support the Resisting Greek
people and its truth Commission on Public
Debt

[The Legendary Shark]

Appeal to support the Resisting Greek
people and its truth Commission on Public
Debt

[JayzusB.Christ]

.
I.P., like the collective decision the voters made to bomb Iraq?

Point.  </Preacher>

Not really, unless I somehow missed a referendum on the decision to invade Iraq.

I think that was the Shark's point, no? If I'm not mistaken, he was being ironic. Not every governmental decision is democratic.

[Grugz]

Just and FYI, Shark, as a straight cis-man you don't get a say in matters related in sexual or gender identity. The 'it's OK to be gay' mantra spouted by straight people, ignoring bi, pan or aro orientations, is so disgusstingly self gratifying and arrogant. We know it's OK, it's straight people who need to learn it's OK.

i'm old and naïve (obvs) but pan and aro?  do I have to keep you from inappropritness with my wok and bubbly chocolate?

[CrazyFoxMachine]

This may be a thread I shouldn't pull at and I may be getting the wrong end of the stick but I don't think that this kind of aggressive ring-fencing of a social issue is at all helpful.
There are plenty of places in the world where any kind of sexual activity (or preference) that isn't between a married man and woman will put you in extreme personal danger. I think the more people that are spreading a message of acceptance, the better. Certainly better than saying what amounts to 'you're straight, so fuck off and mind your own business'.

Good, good. There's a bigger enemy to gay/human rights here. One who might be in a coalition government soon as well. Yay.

[Grey M@a]

I am still undecided, do I vote with the Greens who have a lot of good policies but some I don't agree with, or do I chuck it at one of the main parties and hope it helps with aiming towards a majority.

Depends how safe the seat is. If it's knife-edge, I'd go Labour; if it's unlikely to swing towards Conservative, go Green if you think the party largely aligns with your own beliefs. (Having read the manifestos, I'd say the Green one has some issues but was broadly impressive. Labour's was comparatively meek and disappointing, but I'd sooner have Miliband in #10 than Cameron.)

What the voter is doing is begging the people who believe themselves to be the final arbiters of which rights we can and cannot have for more.

It's collective decision-making, but said decisions are made purely by those who vote.

It's not knife edge in my constituency, it's firmly a Labour seat and has been for years, cons got it several years back but that was short lived.

I think I know who I am voting for and it will be the manifesto I agree with most.