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off subject I daniel blake

Discussion in 'Newcastle United' started by leez, Jan 16, 2017.

  1. leez

    leez Well-Known Member

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    watched this last night very powerful movie ... and very truthful .apparently


    get the impression this movie is being hush hush ...

    this country has to have a hard look at itself ... disgusted .. mr osbourne , cameron etc ..

    how did they get away with this treatment ... dont know if its still policy hard hitting film
     
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    Last edited: Jan 16, 2017
  2. Albert's Chip Shop

    Albert's Chip Shop Top Grafter
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    Will have to look that one up mate
     
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  3. Warmir Pouchov

    Warmir Pouchov Better than JPF

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    I've been wanting to catch this.

    It created a lot of debate about its truthfulness. Typically government figures (with the exception of Corbyn) found it a very unfair portrayal. Generally others supported it. I think the problem is we have struggled to balance the welfare system. If you loosen the grip too much, wasters take a lend. I've said this before amongst friends and been told I'm being unfair. But I know loads of people who were completely taking the piss. Particularly in construction. They were claiming benefit but then doing jobs through the week and at a weekend to supplement. The government went the other way and then you get cases like the one the film is describing. How do you find a happy medium? There simply isn't enough money to spend on people performing the relevant thorough checks - you need people on the ground. Of course in the case described (which I only know a little about), its because the relevant checks were not carried out with doctors.

    I think we need to invest money in the welfare system to have a proper checking process (with failsafe measures). Where you find the money I'm not sure. Perhaps the politicians wages :biggrin:
     
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  4. General Lee Speaking

    General Lee Speaking Well-Known Member

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    The film is about how people can fall through the cracks in the benefit system, which they can and do. Also it's about how bureaucracy is used as weapon against the poor, which it has been under the Cameron/Osbourne/Duncan-Smith government. The portrayal of the way the system treats people and in particular sanctioning people for the smallest things is pretty accurate from what I hear from people in the system. People forced into using food banks to survive does happen a lot.

    I think the film can perhaps be criticised on the basis that it doesn't look at the other side of the benefits system where people are taking the piss but Ken Loach didn't choose to do that for whatever reason. Its not about people on a bit of fiddle work either as the system as it is still doesn't prevent that. As a film though it is excellent and we'll worth a watch. Parts of it were as intense an experience as I've ever had watching a film at the cinema.
     
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  5. Captainchaos.

    Captainchaos. Well-Known Member

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    Is he dead yet?
     
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  6. Warmir Pouchov

    Warmir Pouchov Better than JPF

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    To be fair to Loach you can see why. It could lessen the impact and wouldn't create debate in the same way - he obviously felt strongly enough about it to make a film, and also felt it would make a good film. So from that perspective I sympathise. Also being slightly cynical, it wouldn't sell as well if he had.

    From an artistic perspective I don't think you have a responsibility to cover all angles. The responsibility lies with the viewer to take the film and educate yourself about the wider angles of the issue. If the film stimulates people to do that its been a success.

    Interesting comments, makes me want to watch it even more now.
     
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  7. Freddd

    Freddd Well-Known Member

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    I had a bit of experience with the medical review system that was introduced to cut down the number of people claiming disability benefits, which exemplified what was wrong with both sides of the system. A number (no one knows exactly, or even approximately, what) of claimants were abusing the system. The goverment hired a private contractor to "re-assess" and reject as many claims as possible, often on entirely spurious grounds. I recall one person had there claim that they were unable to sit for more than half an hour rejected on the basis that they had sat for 20 minutes during the interview.

    The result was that the people whose claims were rejected bore no particular resemblance to the people who were abusing the system. Thousands of the rejected claims were successfully appealed but not before the claimants had had to go for months with no income and, in several cases, committed suicide.

    Tea leaves to the left of us, arseholes on the right - - here we are, stuck in the middle with you.
     
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  8. Warmir Pouchov

    Warmir Pouchov Better than JPF

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    The issue is real but clearly the process for dealing with the issue was ill thought out at best. You can understand why those who felt the pain of their approach would be angry and think its a lazy. You really do have to question why as a taxpayer we are paying such buffoons to hold these consultations and meetings to formulate a policy if this is what they come up with.

    I'm not suggesting for a minute its easy within budgetary constraints but its clearly been a very poor effort.
     
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  9. General Lee Speaking

    General Lee Speaking Well-Known Member

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    Yes, the health assessment was part of the film too I recall. What you have experienced is in line with what a tenant of mine is going through. She was rejected for disability benefits in a reassessment a few months ago and is still waiting for an appeal to be processed. I don't know whether she should or shouldn't qualify for disability (she is not very mobile and has some learning difficulties I think, although I've not asked too much about it) but it certainly should not take 3 months or more to get a decision on an appeal. She is lucky that her mother has helped her out in the meantime but many people wouldn't have that support.

    I've also heard a few stories from tenants about what I would consider unreasonable sanctioning by the DWP. Phoning on the day of an interview at the job centre to cancel because the tenant's daughter was ill and needed taking to the doctors and being told tough, you're having your JSA stopped. I've had a couple of tenants in the past few years say they have used food banks but I bet there are more who have used them but wouldn't want to admit it.
     
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  10. leez

    leez Well-Known Member

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    the story of the young lass , aswell divent want to spoil it for people like ... i did not know that was happening today . i was shocked with that story...
    just made me angry
     
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  11. General Lee Speaking

    General Lee Speaking Well-Known Member

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    Apparently what happened in that scene actually happened. Loach was researching the film and was told the story by someone who worked there and witnessed it.
     
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  12. leez

    leez Well-Known Member

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    shocking pal ..heartless ..makes me blood boil , when you look the day at that health minister ..selling his shares in a company for 13 mil ..this world just not right ..
     
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  13. leez

    leez Well-Known Member

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    well said sir
     
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