Politics, the economy and bringing in the votes/money

Shuggy, as reliably ever, makes an excellent case about who has been most politically damaged by the current economic situation in the UK.

Are we heading to a hung parliament in the ever-approaching UK election? I really do not know. But the economy is clearly screwed and our options are limited.

Loved Shuggy's proposed election slogan (lots more on the Guardian site) and the call to drop some of the shit that Labour are proposing.

Regarding the forthcoming election, I think the turnout will be interesting - both nationally and in specific seats/regions. Additionally, as yet none of the parties really seem to have nailed what will actually pull in the votes - as opposed to what policies they should adopt because they are just good/morally right, or the fairy-tale beliefs some have of what pushes voters buttons.

And to do anything, there still needs to be money. Money being spent (the government can't just stop spending) and money being generated (yes, that does mean taxes). I'm still hooting/despairing of the weekend proposal that shares in the 'state-owned banks' would be made available to the public at a cut down price to buy. Really?! We've paid once (collectively) by bailing out capitalism's finest attempt to screw-over the global economy and to make it work we get the chance to pay again (individually) to potentially - but maybe not - make a personal profit out of that collective payment. I honestly do not get that sort of crap.*

And I still do not get the public (and government) obsession with benefit 'cheats'. Most on benefits struggle to have enough to exist on, plenty goes unclaimed, and at the top various forms of tax avoidance take far too much 'benefit' out of the system and government income.

Everyone needs to get their act together on these points.


Sorry. I may be rambling. Could be the codeine. Could be the pain. Could be I'm just politically incoherent.



*then again I'm the person who warned and railed against the 1980s penchant for share-buying in utilities etc, including vociferously challenging my BTEC Business Studies tutors who were actively advising the students to borrow on creditcards to pay for shares and then sell them immediately on for profit (undermining even the semblance of the share sales being about giving individual ownership to users). I laughed like a drain when the BP share fiasco happened.