The way I see it is that every political system is flawed in some way and no system is perfect. Reading through many of these posts most, in my opinion have some very valid arguments and some not so. I would consider myself to be, let's say, right of centre with most of my political views but it doesn't stop me agreeing with some of those views expressed by those with a rather more left wing viewpoint. Sadly, in my experience, many of those with that rather more left wing viewpoint do have a more blinkered view and will not even listen to views and beliefs expressed by others, "My father voted Labour so did my Grandfather, I'll always vote Labour". Notwithstanding Mr Carr's tax avoidance, the whole country is in a mess and we're all going to Hell in a hardcart if you ask me and it all started many years ago. For instance, we now unfortunately have no manufacturing industry to speak of and while I'm not blaming it entirely on the trade unions, it's downfall was certainly started by them in the sixties and early seventies, when they were holding the government to ransom. There is a saying, 'what goes around, comes around' and this can most definitely be applied to the trade union movement. Before it's inception, the workers were a downtrodden bunch to say the least with the bosses paying a pittance and forcing them to work in dreadful conditions. The trade union movement was a fantastic idea and finally gave those workers the rights, pay and working conditions they craved and deserved. However, the Unions soon had too much power and expected more pay, for less production and an inferior product to that manufactured abroad. I know that's a somewhat sweeping generalisation, but I'm mainly pointing to the motorcycle and motor car industries here, where we once led the world. While I would never advocate the break-up of the welfare state it does appear to me, that there are those in our society that seem to think they have the God given right to exist on handouts from the taxpayer. I don't doubt in some cases sitting on their backsides watching Sky Sports all day, smoking and drinking themselves to death. Perhaps the long term unemployed should do community work for their benefits, what pray tell me is wrong with that ? Hmm, I doubt the Labour party would ever subscribe to this as it would do severe harm to the vote in their heartlands and infringe human rights ! The welfare state was introduced for those less fortunate who through no fault of their own were unable to work, not for these lazy sods. There are those who desparately want to work but are unable to find it, if the Government wasn't paying out millions in fraudulant benefits perhaps they might have the money to create real jobs? Idealistic perhaps, but you can't help wondering. When you see someone working behind a desk sitting in a wheelchair, you have to ask yourself why so and so with a 'bad back' or a gammy leg, can't do some form of work without relying on state handouts. So many people with no self respect. I work bloody hard for a living and although I earn what I would consider to be a decent wage, I still cannot afford subscription tv, a new car, a holiday abroad, a new PC for the kids and even sometimes take a calculator to the supermarket. The fact that I have a relation on the wife's side who has never worked but seems to have all mod cons makes my blood boil. He was even given a brand new state of the art PC with free broadband for his daughter to use for her school education, yet he's always on it playing blooding computor games ! The system needs a complete overhaul but I know full well that this will never happen, because once in power, all politicians want to do is line their own pockets regardless of their political persuasion. Rant over ! P.S. At least we can all agree on one thing here .............. OTBC ... CTI ... IHWT ...
So he was a communist who didn't believe in the systematic attacks from the ruling class on the working man (AKA 'taxes') which all other commies do advocate? If he did, he wasn't very good at being a red.
t I will tell you what is wrong with community based work for welfare schemes.We have just had an example of it.One of Dave's supporters was implementing just such a scheme on behalf of the Government.It invariably involves creaming off public funds into private companies,the directors of which companies live high on the hog on our money. Were you and I to attempt to run one of these companies we wouldn't get very far for one simple reason: Those empowered to hand out the contracts will ensure that they are awarded to those who are their "friends". Many years ago as a District Councillor I spoke out against an applicant for a Council contract.My objection was this:The bid for the contract,which was parks and gardens was so low that it as quite clear that the applicant could not do the work for the price quoted.I was overruled and the contract awarded.The applicant failed to do the work and made off with a substantial amount of the council's equipment,which was never recovered. These "business" people are very often nothing less than crooks and charlatans and the people they are dealing with not sufficiently bright to work it out,either that or they are in receipt of backhanders,either directly to themselves or to political "funds".I was a councillor for fourteen years and saw many examples of this.
PFI's have turned out to be massive pyramid selling schemes and little more.Just another way that Neo-Liberal financial elites have dreamed up to asset strip the public sector.
What's the difference between community service and community work ? Could they not be run side by side ? Or do you advocate that nothing should be done to curb these scroungers that are cheating the system ? I'll admit that it may well be quite demeaning to do this kind of work but perhaps that's the whole point.
If proper jobs exist to offer them then I would agree.But having three million people without work all you will create is a race to the bottom.Bad employers love it as they hold all the cards.Have no doubt there are people out there looking to exploit the situation to their advantage. I don't often agree with the old weird beard God botherer (Archbishop of Canterbury) but in this case he is spot on.
