The 2015 Popularity Contest (aka UK General Election )

[Blue 1]

That's not taking from the poor though, in the same way the 'bedroom tax' isn't a tax. Both imply that you have something in your possession and it's been taken away from you.

I find the whole logic baffling to be honest. Folks are getting things given to them that they haven't had to work for. If that was me I'd be grateful for whatever I was given for free rather than complaining that it wasn't enough.

What it is doing is making life significantly worse or impossible for a great many people.

We already live bloody frugally and Osborne's proposed changes to in-work benefits will leave my family about £400/year worse off.

 

[Eggs]

...I wonder if there's a geographical split between Labour and Conservative sympathisers in this thread. Perhaps not, but there are clearly political heartlands and it would be interesting to see if that's represented here. My MP is Stephen Twigg who until recently was Shadow Education Secretary. Don't particularly like him but he will get my vote next year.

 

[The Cowboy]

To be honest, these are very predictable responses. I'm not for one minute suggesting that charitable acts are a bad thing, indeed helping one another out is in built into us as human beings. I just find some of the comments here in this thread are akin to receiving help from someone and then moaning to them that what they're offering you isn't good enough for you.

Whatever gives you that impression?? If anything, looking after no. 1 is built into us as human beings. Survival of the fittest.

We might have developed a social conscience over the years but I'd put that down to social and political pressure rather than some sort of innate sense of camaraderie.

 

[EFCNIK]

I think if you vote for anything other than what you feel in your heart of hearts is best for you and your family then you're a bit silly really.

If that is honestly Labour then by all means go for it, its a democracy after all.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Whatever gives you that impression?? If anything, looking after no. 1 is built into us as human beings. Survival of the fittest.

We might have developed a social conscience over the years but I'd put that down to social and political pressure rather than some sort of innate sense of camaraderie.

It's precisely because of that. Tit for tat isn't it? I think people are generally good to one another and cooperate until someone has proved themselves to be untrustworthy, at which point they stop. We can't generally survive without working with others, and that's been shown to be the most effective way of doing that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Evolution_of_Cooperation

 

[Blue 1]

I live in the South West. David Heath (libdem) is my MP. He's a good constituency MP, a local fella and as far removed from a career politician as you can get. I voted for him last time but he's stepping down at the end of this parliament, which will likely mean we end up with a Tory, as his majority is only about 800. It'll be NONE OF THE ABOVE for me this time, or possibly green if they field a candidate. Labour did too many unforgivable things in office for me to ever vote for them again, and there'd be no point down this way anyway.

 

[Dymak]

Why are we allowing the scum of Europe to enter our country so that they can murder little English children? I'm sure there is an argument as to why this is the case (one which probably puts money and a fear of being branded racist above the safety and security of our own nation) but can someone go over it once again for me, as I really struggle with the supposed logic of this absolutely crazy way of thinking?

 

[The Cowboy]

It's precisely because of that. Tit for tat isn't it? I think people are generally good to one another and cooperate until someone has proved themselves to be untrustworthy, at which point they stop. We can't generally survive without working with others, and that's been shown to be the most effective way of doing that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Evolution_of_Cooperation

We might work with and co-operate with each other, but you can bet that is in order to look after ourselves, not some commie sense of everyone benefitting from the combined effort.

I'm in it for me, and that it!

 

[rascal]

To be honest, these are very predictable responses. I'm not for one minute suggesting that charitable acts are a bad thing, indeed helping one another out is in built into us as human beings. I just find some of the comments here in this thread are akin to receiving help from someone and then moaning to them that what they're offering you isn't good enough for you.

A decent / humane standard of living is never too much to ask. tbh I would like to see benefits linked to volunteering in your local community, whichever way people see fit even if it is just a few hours a week, from helping out at the local museum to making sure your local area is neat and tidy. Mind you, the prevailing attitude on the right would still be 'get a job paying £30k a year'.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

We might work with and co-operate with each other, but you can bet that is in order to look after ourselves, not some commie sense of everyone benefitting from the combined effort.

I'm in it for me, and that it!

I don't think it's a zero sum thing. You can help other people and get things from it yourself too.

 

[The Cowboy]

Why are we allowing the scum of Europe to enter our country so that they can murder little English children? I'm sure there is an argument as to why this is the case (one which probably puts money and a fear of being branded racist above the safety and security of our own nation) but can someone go over it once again for me, as I really struggle with the supposed logic of this absolutely crazy way of thinking?

It would be quite nice if people who'd done nasty (proper nasty) crimes abroad weren't allowed into this country. Even the most leftie-minded people would probably agree that would be a good thing.

 

[The Cowboy]

I don't think it's a zero sum thing. You can help other people and get things from it yourself too.

Yeah, I prefer to think that I'm doing it for me, and if others benefit, then that's a nice by-product...

 

[Dymak]

It would be quite nice if people who'd done nasty (proper nasty) crimes abroad weren't allowed into this country. Even the most leftie-minded people would probably agree that would be a good thing.

I wish I could agree with you mate, but unfortunately I have been down this argument before, and you will actually find that many people consider money and avoiding nonsensical accusations of racism to be more important that the safety of their own people.

 

[EFCNIK]

I wish I could agree with you mate, but unfortunately I have been down this argument before, and you will actually find that many people consider money and avoiding nonsensical accusations of racism to be more important that the safety of their own people.

And then these people get all angry and fire as many questions as possible at you to try and defame you.

The 'progressive' way of thinking. I just direct them to Pat Condell on youtube as he can put things across far better than I could ever hope to.

 

[magicjuan]

It would be quite nice if people who'd done nasty (proper nasty) crimes abroad weren't allowed into this country. Even the most leftie-minded people would probably agree that would be a good thing.

We welcomed Pinochet into this country with open arms...