The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Coach]

I can’t help but feel that immigration is the choice of discussion that is being pushed by the right-wing media and many politicians to mask what for me are the most important issues facing Britain right now - true levels of unemployment, the widening pay gap, tax avoidance, shortage of housing for first-time buyers, rental costs going through the roof, utility bills going through the roof and public transport prices going through the roof.

All of which could be solved by a strong Government which cared about the majority of people its meant to represent, instead of the very few.

Summed as widening inequality.

Add to that:

- privatising everything in sight in order to line their own pockets

- removal of rights (human, legal and free speech)

- removal of services

- demonisation of the poor, disabled and disadvantaged

A pretty nasty cocktail.

Get off your arses, greed is good apparently.

 

[chicoazul]

17 posts max.

 

[bluemangroup]

 

[Garrick]

So, forgive a Yank who doesn't know.

Would the SNP ever form a coalition with anybody (presumably, Labour, but that seems like strange bedfellows given recent history)? Would anybody ever form a coalition with them? Or, is that "politically toxic?"

Parliaments are weird, but I kind of wish we had one across the pond.

A German parliamentary system which makes more sense, though. Not the British system, which has a lot of the same problems we do.

 

[chicoazul]

Vote whatever you want folks. And good luck.

 

[bluemangroup]

 

[rascal]

Vote whatever you want folks. And good luck.

I'm not voting -reasons why have been explained far better than I could by George Carlin

 

[chicoazul]

I'm not voting -reasons why have been explained far better than I could by George Carlin

You piss in the eye of all that died for dis country. U make me sick.

 

[Goat]

WTF??

126 pages?

VOTE LABOUR

 

[bluemangroup]

You piss in the eye of all that died for dis country. U make me sick.

Berry dusnt even wer a poppy four ar brave boys.

 

[tsubaki]

A German parliamentary system which makes more sense, though. Not the British system, which has a lot of the same problems we do.

The German system is terrible. The British system on the other hand is the best system there is, its just that ever since the Tamworth Manifesto we have somehow become entralled to a system of political parties which inevitably have become more important at Westminster than the interests of the country. There are countless decisions taken in which political concerns override those of the country as a whole.

Perhaps the best example of this is of course the Norway debate over the direction of the war, in which a majority of MPs after two days of expert, detailed and damning testimony backed Neville Chamberlain instead of reality.

 

[Garrick]

The German system is terrible. The British system on the other hand is the best system there is, its just that ever since the Tamworth Manifesto we have somehow become entralled to a system of political parties which inevitably have become more important at Westminster than the interests of the country. There are countless decisions taken in which political concerns override those of the country as a whole.

Perhaps the best example of this is of course the Norway debate over the direction of the war, in which a majority of MPs after two days of expert, detailed and damning testimony backed Neville Chamberlain instead of reality.

Mmmmmm nah. It's one of the few systems that accepts the fact that parties will be a part of the political process, so we may as accept the fact and use the system to maximize choice and representation. You still hold your nose and vote for the least evil local MP, but can also choose the party that actually most closely suits your views as opposed to not having your ideology not represented at all.

The British system, on the other hand... First past the post in action, baby.

 

[tsubaki]

Mmmmmm nah. It's one of the few systems that accepts the fact that parties will be a part of the political process, so we may as accept the fact and use the system to maximize choice and representation. You still hold your nose and vote for the least evil local MP, but can also choose the party that actually most closely suits your views as opposed to not having your ideology not represented at all.

The British system, on the other hand... First past the post in action, baby.

What that graph fails to recognize though is that the majority - probably the vast majority - of Lib Dem votes are more about beating whichever of the two main parties are dominant locally, rathe than an endorsement of Lib Dem policies. FPTP also has the decided advantage that the person you as a constituent hold to account is someone who has faced election, rather than someone who has faced a party list.

 

[Pienaar's gloves]

I would be interested to know why those who have chosen Labour have chosen so.

They haven't really illustrated what they stand for over the last four and a half years. They've merely played adversarial politics most of the time.

I would still choose them as my realistic best case scenario winners, but they've lost my vote because I don't have any faith in any sort of proactive policy plan.

 

[chicoazul]

I would be interested to know why those who have chosen Labour have chosen so.

They haven't really illustrated what they stand for over the last four and a half years. They've merely played adversarial politics most of the time.

I would still choose them as my realistic best case scenario winners, but they've lost my vote because I don't have any faith in any sort of proactive policy plan.

Mainly because 1) they're not the Tories and 2) if they get enough votes they can prevent the Tories winning power again.

Agreed on them being hardly inspiring stuff right now but they're the least of the damaging options.