Off Topic Politics Thread

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Government & Society are not seperate. So many people say they aren't interested in politics these days and yet it runs our lives, tells us what we can and can't do, gives us opportunities and takes them away. It sets an environment. It responds to society as well so each influence each other

There is an argument that totalitaian states have to allow some small freedoms at some point to maintain control and yet these small freedoms start its inevitable downfall as they inevitably have to grow

I used the word 'ordinary' because I believe the phrase 'working class' isn't clear anymore. We have the non-working class and we have the expanded middle class. I believe that 'working class' is a state of mind and values and that mine haven't fundamentally changed from when I lived in a Council House and my Dad worked at the local factory to when I was working in IT and bought a house, to now when I work for a lot less money. I think telling working people they are middle class is a way of messing with their heads and their values. This is not me being anti middle class, they're just different

Oh I agree about the working class phrase - got lost years ago did that. I think many people aspired to move up a level, and in doing so it created a few more creases in the page.

Gov and society your are right aren’t separate, but it is up to us as individuals an collectives as to how this affects us. Individually, I dont feel particularly affected by politics, but understand that policies etc affect my available income, how much policing, education funding etc is arrived at.

I guess for me, i dont really let it bother me - them rules is the rules and I’m ****ed if I’m gonna spend my time worrying about **** that is gonna happen anyhow. People can say that by not getting involved I’m part of the problem, for me it is all ****, just a different stink, depending on who is in charge.

My wife’s grandfather has a saying - **** only stinks when it is poked. Then again, he is Russian :emoticon-0136-giggl
 
Government & Society are not seperate. So many people say they aren't interested in politics these days and yet it runs our lives, tells us what we can and can't do, gives us opportunities and takes them away. It sets an environment. It responds to society as well so each influence each other

There is an argument that totalitaian states have to allow some small freedoms at some point to maintain control and yet these small freedoms start its inevitable downfall as they inevitably have to grow

I used the word 'ordinary' because I believe the phrase 'working class' isn't clear anymore. We have the non-working class and we have the expanded middle class. I believe that 'working class' is a state of mind and values and that mine haven't fundamentally changed from when I lived in a Council House and my Dad worked at the local factory to when I was working in IT and bought a house, to now when I work for a lot less money. I think telling working people they are middle class is a way of messing with their heads and their values. This is not me being anti middle class, they're just different
The working class can kiss my arse,
I've got the foreman's' job at last.
I'm out of work and on the dole,
You can stuff the red flag up your hole.
The working class can kiss my arse,
I've got the foreman's' job at last.

'Twas on Gibraltors rocks so fair,
I saw a maiden lying there,
Whoops, better stop, non PC lyrics alert
 

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The working class can kiss my arse,
I've got the foreman's' job at last.
I'm out of work and on the dole,
You can stuff the red flag up your hole.
The working class can kiss my arse,
I've got the foreman's' job at last.

'Twas on Gibraltors rocks so fair,
I saw a maiden lying there,
Whoops, better stop, non PC lyrics alert


My old dad used to sing that at the Tooley Street dockers Christmas party every year. Got a rousing reception too, or so he claimed...<ok>
 
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Universal Basic Income...so many reasons why it could be a solution to so many problems.


The thing is, it's almost inevitable that most of the developed world - excepting perhaps the USA - will probably get there in the end. But the resistance to it, not least from many of those electors who would stand to benefit, will be immense.
 
Maybe I missed this on MSM news shows.

A far-right extremist has been charged with attempting to launch a terror attack on a solicitors' firm in London.

Cavan Medlock, 28, is accused of planning to murder a lawyer from the firm of Duncan Lewis, because of their work representing migrants.

Medlock arrived at the firm’s offices in Harrow on 7th of September armed with a knife, handcuffs, a Nazi flag and a US Confederate flag. He is charged with preparing for an act of terrorism by researching Duncan Lewis Solicitors and allegedly plotting to kill a lawyer.

He is also charged with threatening a person with a large knife in a public place, assault by beating, making a threat to kill, and two counts of causing racially-aggravated alarm, harassment or distress to different members of staff.
http://news.met.police.uk/news/man-charged-with-terrorism-offence-413566

On the 26th of August, Priti Patel’s Home Office ran the video below across their social media accounts. It ran on the official Home Office channels. A few days later, The Home Office deleted the video after receiving complaints about its tone, but not before it had been viewed by over 1.6 million people.

Cavan Medlock attacked the solicitor’s office two weeks after the video was published.

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Maybe I missed this on MSM news shows.

A far-right extremist has been charged with attempting to launch a terror attack on a solicitors' firm in London.

Cavan Medlock, 28, is accused of planning to murder a lawyer from the firm of Duncan Lewis, because of their work representing migrants.

Medlock arrived at the firm’s offices in Harrow on 7th of September armed with a knife, handcuffs, a Nazi flag and a US Confederate flag. He is charged with preparing for an act of terrorism by researching Duncan Lewis Solicitors and allegedly plotting to kill a lawyer.

He is also charged with threatening a person with a large knife in a public place, assault by beating, making a threat to kill, and two counts of causing racially-aggravated alarm, harassment or distress to different members of staff.
http://news.met.police.uk/news/man-charged-with-terrorism-offence-413566

On the 26th of August, Priti Patel’s Home Office ran the video below across their social media accounts. It ran on the official Home Office channels. A few days later, The Home Office deleted the video after receiving complaints about its tone, but not before it had been viewed by over 1.6 million people.

Cavan Medlock attacked the solicitor’s office two weeks after the video was published.

You must log in or register to see media
You must log in or register to see images
 
Chris McGlade, a gentleman from my area, in the north east, delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street today, nowt startling with that, until you consider that he walked from his house in Redcar to deliver it. Took him 10 days. Whatever his political motive is, or reason behind it, a bloody good effort.
 
Oh I agree about the working class phrase - got lost years ago did that. I think many people aspired to move up a level, and in doing so it created a few more creases in the page.
Gov and society your are right aren’t separate, but it is up to us as individuals an collectives as to how this affects us. Individually, I dont feel particularly affected by politics, but understand that policies etc affect my available income, how much policing, education funding etc is arrived at.
I guess for me, i dont really let it bother me - them rules is the rules and I’m ****ed if I’m gonna spend my time worrying about **** that is gonna happen anyhow. People can say that by not getting involved I’m part of the problem, for me it is all ****, just a different stink, depending on who is in charge.
My wife’s grandfather has a saying - **** only stinks when it is poked. Then again, he is Russian :emoticon-0136-giggl

Well, in a democracy, taking part is essential, so its difficult to argue with the fact that you are part of A problem
However, you stress your individuality a lot which is great and I'm not going to argue with that, yet I think you are part of a very collective feeling that they are all rubbish, so its not worth trying

Two things here ...
The totalitarian regimes which you mention weren't overthrown by people who thought it wasn't worth worrying about and
There are some very rich people who don't want you to worry and go voting for the wrong people, so they are very happy that so many people think all politicians are ****. The thing is we're genereally told this by the media who we don't actually trust, so isn't that a bit bonkers

I can understand you don't want to waste your time worrying about something which won't change things, but some politicians are better than others and that's why we need to vote. You don't need to spend all your time on it but a little time deciding who you trust most might end up with us getting better politicians and thats a similar small step towards a better country

Nice one from the granddad, I need to think aboout a witty riposte to that
I think that's how Russia opeartes though, which is of course a pretty totalitarian regime
 
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One for the brexiteers who didn’t realise the impact leaving the EU would have on ease of travel. You wait until they find out about the EHIC ending and maybe needing a special pass to drive abroad.


https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/p...vOdgMxdM7aufquWao_YMAYZ-MJ_LY2n669jSUB9_HP8tA

I had this argument with a (now ex) friend of mine who voted for Brexit. I was shouted down as being a “loser” who “didn’t understand that the EU needs us more than we need them” and that it was project fear and would never happen.
I wish I could be a fly on the wall next year when she wants to take her motor home on her annual trip to France to stock up on wine :emoticon-0102-bigsm
 
I have been fascinated by the reaction to the murder of the French school teacher a couple of weeks ago which was hugely shocking. The reaction it provoked from the public has been a marked contrast with what I would have expected to have happened here and I am not convinced that Macron's comments about Islam being a religion in crisis would have been tolerated in the UK. Had Boris made those remarks, the calls for him to have stepped down would not have been unreasonable. I see that they have now caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and France with Erdogan questioning Macron's sanity. In fact, Macron has a track record of hostility towards Islam that would make a political life impossible in the UK which I feel is still racist although more tolerant than in France.

I appreciate why France has battled over the last couple of hundred years to keep the church out of the running of the state and to keep places like schools secular. This is a reflection of the machinations of the Catholic church in the 18 and 19th century and I just feel it has no bearing in the 21st century. One sixth of the French population is Muslim and I just feel that the secular nature of education is hugely confrontational when dealing with people whose religious expression is being repressed.

The matter of freedom of speech is well understood yet this seems not to apply to Muslims wishing to adhere to the tenets of their religion. Instead, they expected to reject these in favour of those of a secular State. I would also have to say that the issue with the Charlie Hebdo magazine was also abominable yet the magazine should have been closed down the moment it started to publish racist and offensive cartoons. Those people arguing that they are defending freedom of speech do not understand that this magazine was propagating the kind of "humour" and stereotypes used by Nazis. For me, it is hugely disappointing that the French are unable to recognise that , in these changing times where Islam is emerging as the most significant and fastest growing religion in the world, that the need to remain secular and promote freedom of speech is actually now acting contrary to the benefit of a large swathe of the country's population. The violence meted out by the animals against the school teacher can in no way be condoned. However, if the secular society is something that allows a teacher to cause racial and religious offence, the laws must be amended for the benefit of society.

It is a fascinating scenario yet I feel one in which French society is unequivocally in the wrong and Macron must be called out for the racist that he is.
 
No, it isn’t relevant to mention Tories, or Labour - for me anyway. They are the Government. People only label things when it suits them.

Has one of you ever commented that the Conservative Government were the first to fund kids meals over the summer? Didn’t think so :emoticon-0145-shake And that is my point.

Like I’ve said sooooo many times before, i dont support the tories or labour, my views are therefore not really swayed by any sense of loyalty to one part over another. So many peoples are though...

So let me get this straight, you don’t know much about politics, don’t take much interest in it and don’t believe it affects you but believe you are far more able to offer an unbiased (and informed?) view on it because your views aren’t clouded by some perceived loyalty to a party. You think my political views are due to loyalty to a party just like my football views are by my loyalty to Saints?

Excuse me but <laugh><laugh><laugh>

‘Socialist Workers in Coal Miners knickers’?
That’s you trying to build consensus is it <laugh>
 
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Chris McGlade, a gentleman from my area, in the north east, delivered a letter to 10 Downing Street today, nowt startling with that, until you consider that he walked from his house in Redcar to deliver it. Took him 10 days. Whatever his political motive is, or reason behind it, a bloody good effort.


In the footsteps of the Jarrow Marchers <ok>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jarrow_March
 
I have been fascinated by the reaction to the murder of the French school teacher a couple of weeks ago which was hugely shocking. The reaction it provoked from the public has been a marked contrast with what I would have expected to have happened here and I am not convinced that Macron's comments about Islam being a religion in crisis would have been tolerated in the UK. Had Boris made those remarks, the calls for him to have stepped down would not have been unreasonable. I see that they have now caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and France with Erdogan questioning Macron's sanity. In fact, Macron has a track record of hostility towards Islam that would make a political life impossible in the UK which I feel is still racist although more tolerant than in France.

I appreciate why France has battled over the last couple of hundred years to keep the church out of the running of the state and to keep places like schools secular. This is a reflection of the machinations of the Catholic church in the 18 and 19th century and I just feel it has no bearing in the 21st century. One sixth of the French population is Muslim and I just feel that the secular nature of education is hugely confrontational when dealing with people whose religious expression is being repressed.

The matter of freedom of speech is well understood yet this seems not to apply to Muslims wishing to adhere to the tenets of their religion. Instead, they expected to reject these in favour of those of a secular State. I would also have to say that the issue with the Charlie Hebdo magazine was also abominable yet the magazine should have been closed down the moment it started to publish racist and offensive cartoons. Those people arguing that they are defending freedom of speech do not understand that this magazine was propagating the kind of "humour" and stereotypes used by Nazis. For me, it is hugely disappointing that the French are unable to recognise that , in these changing times where Islam is emerging as the most significant and fastest growing religion in the world, that the need to remain secular and promote freedom of speech is actually now acting contrary to the benefit of a large swathe of the country's population. The violence meted out by the animals against the school teacher can in no way be condoned. However, if the secular society is something that allows a teacher to cause racial and religious offence, the laws must be amended for the benefit of society.

It is a fascinating scenario yet I feel one in which French society is unequivocally in the wrong and Macron must be called out for the racist that he is.


The separation of Church and State, and of religion from public life, is a fundamental founding principle of the French Republic. You acknowledge this in your third paragraph, but then appear to dismiss it as an irrelevant historical aberration. I think you fail to recognise it’s significance as one of the pillars of Liberty, Equality and Fraternity to which the Republic aspires.

There is no doubt that this secular principle has caused strains within French society, particularly in regard to it’s large North African population; but this is not discrimination against Islam; it’s a culture clash, but on an issue considered fundamental to Republican values.