The Sunday Times "Rich List"

[Obelix]

If you continue to lie and bully I will simply report the posts.

 

Start a new thread if you want to go off topic.

[Staunton]

Neoliberals have a little mantra: freedom, democracy and the rule of law. Of course they mean something very different when they say such words than you or I would appreciate. They mean the 'freedom' of multinationals to exploit, they mean the kind of 'democracy' that is easy to subvert via their control of the media, and the only 'law' they believe in is the law that protects private property, which is mostly their own, of course.

 

Behind this mantra is the real agenda, cutting the public sector, privatising everything that might yield some financial value to them, and then, in contrary fashion to their alleged love of law, deregulation - the cutting the regulations that, for example, keep workers safe and ensure that contracts are honoured.

 

Oh, and they don't believe they should pay tax. That is why the conservative party has drastically cut staff levels at HM Revenue and Customs.

 

Neoliberalism is designed to enrich the wealthy at the expense of the poor, and to dismantle the basic institutions such as healthcare, education and social services - the essential services that most of us rely on.

 

They will constantly tell you that the rich are not getting richer, but once again the Times Rich List exposes this claim as a myth.

[Anna B]

I think we would be interested to hear whether Obelix has any need to depend on the state (wherever that residence happens to be) for basic services such as education and health.

 

Most of us, most residents here in Sheffield, most people in the UK, have no choice but to look to the state for our education, schools for our children, for our health needs.

 

We have just a few weeks before the most important election in many years. This is likely to be our last chance to save the NHS, our final opportunity to say no to the destruction of the education system upon which over 90% of us rely.

 

Think very carefully before deciding how you are going to act on June 8, make sure you do not vote against your own interests. See through the hype - ask yourself if the Sun or the Daily Mail really care about state schools or NHS hospitals?

 

Have you ever heard the BBC or Sky News outline the neoliberal agenda? Of course not, they don't even use the word. They don't want us ordinary folk informed about such things, they prefer our ignorance. They are not going to help us to make sense of the fundamental questions of our time because they have vested interests to promote and their journalists have career ambitions to pursue.

 

Let's think for ourselves, let's all exercise our right to vote, and let's all vote for a defence of the services upon which most of us are entirely dependent.

 

Well said.

 

I am old enough to remember how things used to be. The divide between rich and poor was never as wide as it is now, everyone felt reasonably secure and people cared about each other. I can't believe how the world has changed, and the biggest shock of all is the hard bitten change in attitude.

 

I think it's a survival instinct kicking in. As we sink beneath the waves there are people ready to drown the rest so they can survive, but it doesn't have to be like this.

 

The rich have got richer at our expense, while we get poorer, but the biggest con of all is that we are simultaneously being sold the lie that it's somehow all our fault.

 

It's not.

 

At last we have someone prepared to go after the bankers et al to get our money back. He needs your support.

[Obelix]

Well said.

 

I am old enough to remember how things used to be. The divide between rich and poor was never as wide as it is now.

 

More of your fantasy land Anna....

 

Want to go back in history and see how big the divide was?

[Anna B]

No need.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/robert-colvile/11158607/Yes-CEOs-are-ludicrously-overpaid.-And-yes-its-getting-worse.html

[Obelix]

Go back to say the 1940's then. Or go back just ten years. Whats the Gini coefficient doing? Have you an answer to that? I've asked many times and you duck the question EVERY time - and then trot out yet more fantasy waffle that isnt even remotely true.

[phil752]

No need.

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/robert-colvile/11158607/Yes-CEOs-are-ludicrously-overpaid.-And-yes-its-getting-worse.html

 

the thing is now factory worker are non- english, which is a direct result of |Blaires England. Total movement or poor work forces.

[Anna B]

Go back to say the 1940's then. Or go back just ten years. Whats the Gini coefficient doing? Have you an answer to that? I've asked many times and you duck the question EVERY time - and then trot out yet more fantasy waffle that isnt even remotely true.

 

What's with your obsession with the Gini coefficient? It's getting a little ridiculous now.

The Geni Coefficient is just one set of statistics, and not a very good one at that. Look it up on Wikipedia for an overview and you'll see its many failings.

 

Many economists and political commentators now agree that the gap is widening in a very realistic sense, and we're worse off than we were.

[samssong]

What's with your obsession with the Gini coefficient? It's getting a little ridiculous now.

The Geni Coefficient is just one set of statistics, and not a very good one at that. Look it up on Wikipedia for an overview and you'll see its many failings.

 

Many economists and political commentators now agree that the gap is widening in a very realistic sense, and we're worse off than we were.

 

The problem is that a new class of Labour voter has arisen in England one that I call the chattering classes , teachers, uni lectures, public servants and so on .

 

These new Labour voters as well as the party candidates that are shipped in to our Towns to represent us have nothing in common with the traditional old labour supporters who feel left behind by the party who along with the conservatives seem to be only interested in keeping the status quo that they

already enjoy.

 

The new Labour can spout all they want about supporting the lower (left behind) classes the point is they no longer do and what is needed is a new proper socialist party that is from the people for the people and not the candidates that now come through in so called Labour.

[Staunton]

Go back to say the 1940's then. Or go back just ten years. Whats the Gini coefficient doing? Have you an answer to that? I've asked many times and you duck the question EVERY time - and then trot out yet more fantasy waffle that isnt even remotely true.

 

That is enough bullying Obelix!