The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[The Cowboy]

Pete, we probably have more in common than you think, certainly in terms of personal experience. However I cannot, and never will, accept that the Tory approach to tiered education - private, grammar, comprehensive, benefits the poor as a whole. Sure, one or two individuals will battle through and good luck to them, but for each one that does there's many equally talented but less fortunate that does not.

Surely there's a system that allows all talented kids, regardless of parental income and status, to rise to the top, not just a fortunate few like me, you and @The Cowboy?

But I don't consider myself fortunate. I just followed an educational pathway that is open to all.

 

[The Esk]

I have no problem with taxation, having paid and continue to pay large chunks of it. I have a problem with incompetent governments wasting it. I could have adopted another family and more than paid for them to have a great life if I hadn't had to see my tax pissed down the drain. We are a very wealthy country, with morals and beliefs, but I still wouldn't give a vacuous politician like Ed Miliband a fiver and trust him with it...........

All I need to do is change the name to DC and we'd be in total agreement

I've been a Labour Party member for 33 years and have argued at many levels within it - this country's greatest problem is the political system and the self-serving leaders of the political elite on both sides.

 

[The Esk]

If the Tories actually grew a pair and said "we don't give a stuff above previous political dogma, we're reintroducing Grammar schools" then life would be different. The problem is that no one has the balls..............

Far better if they said the minimum standard of teaching and education across the state sector will be equal to the old "Grammar school" standard

 

[peteblue]

All I need to do is change the name to DC and we'd be in total agreement

I've been a Labour Party member for 33 years and have argued at many levels within it - this country's greatest problem is the political system and the self-serving leaders of the political elite on both sides.

Exactly. My issue is that we have these political pygmies trying to run our country. I grew up with the likes of Harold Wilson and Thatcher. Like them or loath them they had intellect and balls. The only thing that DC has over EM is that he now has 4 years of experience doing the job, right or wrong. I would not like to waste that by giving a lightweight EM a 4 year apprenticeship at my expense...........

 

[peteblue]

Far better if they said the minimum standard of teaching and education across the state sector will be equal to the old "Grammar school" standard

If anyone could do that we would become a great nation. The problem is that no one will, because they know it won't be achieved......it's a shame, but that's the reality.........

 

[peteblue]

But I don't consider myself fortunate. I just followed an educational pathway that is open to all.

Don't tell everyone, they'll all do it..........

 

[The Esk]

But I don't consider myself fortunate. I just followed an educational pathway that is open to all.

I don't know your background mate, but if you're anything like me, you're fortunate to break through - it's easy to say it's open to all having broken through, but the reality is very different for those trying to do so, or more importantly having the ability but not finding the opportunity.

 

[The Equaliser]

Is that why Labour did away with grammar schools, the greatest equaliser this country ever had.........

Ermm....what ??....I'd have to take issue with that....

 

[EFCNIK]

A lot if 'socialists' are just driven by jealousy.

Some people are born lucky in life. Some people arnt and then make their own luck. Some people are and then mess everything up. Some people are in the middle. Some people are born into crap circumstance and remain there.

Guess what, if you were born in a liverpool working class home you're a million times better off than someone from Sudan! Oh but let's all be citizens of the world and level it out. Tits.

Socialism is about jealousy and greed masquerading as some sort of 'robin hood' of the political spectrum. England has been fighting it for many years and rightfully so.

 

[tsubaki]

You need to study South American politics. Venezuela has the largest oil deposits on the planet, the people are still poor and cannot get the basics of life. Pure incompetence, nothing else........

What? Poor people who live in oil-rich countries are rarely if ever poor because of "pure incompetence".

 

[The Esk]

A lot if 'socialists' are just driven by jealousy.

Some people are born lucky in life. Some people arnt and then make their own luck. Some people are and then mess everything up. Some people are in the middle. Some people are born into crap circumstance and remain there.

Socialism is about jealousy and greed masquerading as some sort of 'robin hood' of the political spectrum. England has been fighting it for many years and rightfully so.

Sorry mate, you are entirely wrong - the majority of socialists believe what they believe for the good of many not the individual - if they were just jealous it would be far easier to take the individualistic approach to life and shift to the right, n'est pas?

 

[The Equaliser]

Might vote for the Shinners this time.

Then again I might not.

Actually no I won't.

FFS.

 

[tsubaki]

Socialism is about jealousy and greed masquerading as some sort of 'robin hood' of the political spectrum. England has been fighting it for many years and rightfully so.

Socialism exists because capitalism exists.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

The bottom 50% of earners contributed 27.4% of all Income Tax revenues in 2013-14.

The "admirable" comment relates to those who see the value in contributing to society as a whole rather than using income for personal consumption which was your original point.

That does kind of make the assumption that we can't be trusted to spend our own money in a way that benefits society in any way shape or form.

If people are so admirable that they see the value in contributing to society, surely they could be freed up to do so as they pleased rather than being forced to via taxation?

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I don't understand this at all.

The point about socialism and equality is that all that is asked is that every individual is given an equal chance to be educated, to earn and develop a career and to contribute to society rather than in the main, your lot in life be determined by your parents' income and status.

It's that simple.

Is it though? I can't think of a single socialist country where in human history where that has even been remotely the case. Most have been just as unequal, if not more so, than the capitalist societies they look down on so.