Election Year or Fear!

[swaledale]

Without wanting to kick off last weeks ruckus again, my comment about deference to elders definitely wouldn't apply to 'betters' (people in high public or private office) these days. I'm prepared to give elders benefit of the doubt that they're good people, 'betters', including politicians, I assume to be as you describe, and thats a shame for the few who aren't

Odd why you should give someone the benefit of the doubt purely because of age, personally I give anyone the benefit of the doubt, trouble is most **** it up by their words or deeds.

I would take issue that the majority of politicians are scum or only in it for themselves, we see only a small sample, we hardly ever hear of those that are good, look after their constituents and are genuinely motivated to serve the country.

But then by and large the public aren't enamoured with those that do have principles and follow them, Corbyn is a good example, whilst one can take odds with some of his views, he is at least consistent and by all accounts is a good constituency MP, trouble is those who disagree with his world view don't take this into account. His leadership skills were lacking, but then you come to an age old problem, these days quiet competent leaders are overlooked or scorned by the public at large who want charisma, promises that can't be kept and fairy tales about life - hence Farage's attraction to some - good communication skills no substance and certainly self serving.

[swaledale]

Despite having an inherent right to vote, I most assuredly won't be arsed to walk to the polling station to put an X next to someone's name that I have no faith in.

It sad that such an historically hard fought right is simply ignored due to the antics of the bunch of schoolboys putting themselves forward for high office.

As I was growing up I was taught that those who govern us deserved huge respect and were top of the tree. Now all of them are self serving scum....

Hardly, but then again its rather clear that by and large voters or in your case non voters get the politicians they deserve!

[Andy_Faber]

Odd why you should give someone the benefit of the doubt purely because of age, personally I give anyone the benefit of the doubt, trouble is most **** it up by their words or deeds.

I would take issue that the majority of politicians are scum or only in it for themselves, we see only a small sample, we hardly ever hear of those that are good, look after their constituents and are genuinely motivated to serve the country.

But then by and large the public aren't enamoured with those that do have principles and follow them, Corbyn is a good example, whilst one can take odds with some of his views, he is at least consistent and by all accounts is a good constituency MP, trouble is those who disagree with his world view don't take this into account. His leadership skills were lacking, but then you come to an age old problem, these days quiet competent leaders are overlooked or scorned by the public at large who want charisma, promises that can't be kept and fairy tales about life - hence Farage's attraction to some - good communication skills no substance and certainly self serving.

you may be surprised to find I agree with what you say about Corbyn (purely from what I've read) although your own words suggest that he would have been better fighting hard for his own constituency and aggitating for specific causes rather than becoming leader

My comment wasn't intended to be just, or even mainly, about politicians, few of which I've come across, more the 'captains of industry', many of which don't wear their 'seniority' and associated wealth particularly well and IMO could be replaced in their roles by any one of hundreds of less fortunate folk

[swaledale]

you may be surprised to find I agree with what you say about Corbyn (purely from what I've read) although your own words suggest that he would have been better fighting hard for his own constituency and aggitating for specific causes rather than becoming leader

My comment wasn't intended to be just, or even mainly, about politicians, few of which I've come across, more the 'captains of industry', many of which don't wear their 'seniority' and associated wealth particularly well and IMO could be replaced in their roles by any one of hundreds of less fortunate folk

You'll be even more surprised to learn I agree with most of this!

[MadAmster]

The end is nigh! Swale and AF agreeing

[ramAnag]

The end is nigh! Swale and AF agreeing

It is indeed…especially as I find myself agreeing with both of them.
Swale is right imo, there are many decent MP’s but they get tarred by association with the more newsworthy wrongdoers, and I agree with AF about the so called ‘captains of industry’.
The problem I think is possibly that we have moved from parliamentary dodginess being confined to a small minority eg, John Profumo, Jeremy Thorpe, Cyril Smith…to a perceived normalisation of bad behaviour amongst the ‘elite’ from Blair’s lies to Boris’ bus, ‘oven ready’ Brexit, virtually all Trump’s behaviour, ‘party gate’, Hancock’s dodgy dealings, Covid ‘racketeers’, Farage’s misleading poster, the Post Office debacle etc etc.
I don’t know if this is because more things are exposed now, possibly because of the influence of social media, or whether we’ve just reached a state of moral vacuum where anything goes…tell whatever lies you like, someone will believe them if they’re repeated often enough.

[MadAmster]

It is indeed…especially as I find myself agreeing with both of them.
Swale is right imo, there are many decent MP’s but they get tarred by association with the more newsworthy wrongdoers, and I agree with AF about the so called ‘captains of industry’.
The problem I think is possibly that we have moved from parliamentary dodginess being confined to a small minority eg, John Profumo, Jeremy Thorpe, Cyril Smith…to a perceived normalisation of bad behaviour amongst the ‘elite’ from Blair’s lies to Boris’ bus, ‘oven ready’ Brexit, virtually all Trump’s behaviour, ‘party gate’, Hancock’s dodgy dealings, Covid ‘racketeers’, Farage’s misleading poster, the Post Office debacle etc etc.
I don’t know if this is because more things are exposed now, possibly because of the influence of social media, or whether we’ve just reached a state of moral vacuum where anything goes…tell whatever lies you like, someone will believe them if they’re repeated often enough.

It's often "who says whatever first on a subject is perceived to be the truth teller". Especially if you say it often and loud enough. Everything after that is a lie, even the truth.

[swaledale]

And the current Government seem to repeat half truths and lies, especially regarding Labour's tax plans but it goes back to Johnson and then Truss, who even now seems incapable of accepting that her bat**** ideas might have led to her downfall, rather than the "left wing" establishment" !!

Isn't the saying a lie is half way round the world, before the truth has got it trousers on?

[MadAmster]

And the current Government seem to repeat half truths and lies, especially regarding Labour's tax plans but it goes back to Johnson and then Truss, who even now seems incapable of accepting that her bat**** ideas might have led to her downfall, rather than the "left wing" establishment" !!

Isn't the saying a lie is half way round the world, before the truth has got it trousers on?

That saying is so true, however, strange things can happen. I was running a project at IBM in Amsterdam. Had 2 other Brits on the team and we noticed how many rumours flew about the place and wondered how long it took for one to get back to the initiator. We came up with one. There was one of the senior managers who, in the previous 20 years had been seconded out to various IBM offices worldwide but predominantly in the States. He'd been back in NL for about 6 months. His wife had said that she no longer wished to globe trot and if he was sent abroad again, he'd be going off on his own. Perfect bait we thought and, so, the rumour was launched. It only took a couple of hours for someone to tell us the rumour we'd started. We now knew how quickly rumours took to circulate.

There was a sting in the tail. A week later, said senior manager was put on a 3 month secondment to the States... he went alone.

[Geoff Parkstone]

I used to work in an office with a dominant spreader of anything vaguely confidential. We all knew it, yet she didn't seem to realize. If you wanted something to "become public knowledge" you just had to tell her something in confidence. Worked a treat.

And she was quick...I told her a foma at the coffee machine one day and before I got back to my desk those sat around me knew! Ride the Lightning ....