Politics, who needs them

[Andygolfer]

Politics – why it really is simple.

Fed up of the constant bickering between rival parties and endless meaningless soundbites?

Me too. Frankly, I don’t really care about politicians and that seems to be the feeling of the majority of the great British public. They all sound the same and all act the same. Many follow a career mapped out for them by attending the same public schools as their forefathers before them and have no idea what life is really like as they move from school to university and straight into politics, acting as assistants to MPs to learn all the secrets to milking the system and advancing their own quest for power and fuelling their self-interests.

Whatever happened to representing the people and the area they live in? Not much chance of that when professional politicians are parachuted into “safe seats” just so the natural order can continue.

Naively, I think politicians should represent the people who elect them and the areas they live in, so they at least know the issues affecting their constituents. I don’t mind if they have conservative values, liberal values or socialist leanings, because, again naively, I think they should be acting in the best interests of the majority of their constituents. If we do have to have opposing political parties and an elected leader, then surely that leader ought to be taking decisions based on what is best for this country as a whole and not decisions that suit those that lobby hardest and pay for the ear of those in power. Local MPs therefore should be acting in the best interests of their voters and not toeing a party line.

Why did someone call this land Great Britain PLC? Because it is run like a business and in my humble opinion, there is only one way to run a business….the right way. Businesses need to make money and hardly ever give it away, so why do Great Britain PLC insist on giving away so much?

Times are hard for many people, but we all accept the austerity measures to some extent. After all, no one can keep borrowing money and never paying it back. So why do we insist on giving so much to foreign aid. We may be one of the richest countries in the world, but if we have to accept austerity, then surely in times of need, foreign aid has to be one of the first cuts to be made. We are a charitable nation and I do not resent much needed aid being offered to people in need, but giving countries like India millions when they can afford a space exploration programme….come on.

Policies are simple and in the main, should be driven by experts, not politicians.

The economy is vital and always has been, but it was before we joined Europe and would be if we left Europe. We should not be controlled by faceless bureaucrats in Brussels and the laws of this country should be decided by this country. Did you know MEPs earn more than £5000 per month and that we contribute more than £8.6 billion to the EU. The European parliament itself costs more than £1.7 billion a year. We do get around £4 billion of our contribution back in rebates, but if this is the case, why don’t we just spend it here ourselves? Oh and don’t forget, through the EU we also give foreign aid – just some 7.2 million between the members every year. Not much when the UK actually hands over some £12 billion this year! Did you vote for that….me neither.

So who has actually decided this is right? The people supposedly running Great Britain PLC of course.

We all know that we need more investment in the NHS and other public bodies, not to mention the crumbling infrastructure of this once great country, so why are we giving all the money away? It’s time we cut this and stopped living beyond our means.

It is also time we stopped pretending we can cope with the growing population and the burden on our benefits system and National Health Service.

Taxes should be fair and those earning huge salaries do have a moral duty to pay in more to the system, but it is surely wrong to take 50% of an entrepreneur’s earnings as Labour plan to do. The 40% rate for those at the top is fair. Taking those at the bottom of the pay scales out of tax may be a vote winner, but why should these people be exempt from paying anything? Everyone in the “Big Society” needs to pay something in in order to share in the benefits available. Sliding tax scales so everyone puts in something is fair and should make them feel a part of society, not some poor relative waiting for handouts.

On benefits, the whole system is flawed and exploited by thousands. Why does someone who chooses not to work and have a dozen children, get benefits exceeding the earnings of the working person who is having to pay out all their wages to achieve the same lifestyle as those unscrupulous scroungers on benefits. Ordinary, decent, hard-working families put off having children until they can afford it, others never have a chance as they believe they could not afford children. Too often we see newspaper articles of unemployed layabouts receiving thousands in housing benefits, child support and unemployment benefits, yet they seem to be able to afford exotic holidays, massive flat screen televisions and a 20 a day smoking habit. It has to stop and someone has to have the cojones to do it. Child benefit should be limited to the first 3 children to start with. We choose to have children and therefore if you choose, then you should pay for them. Benefits definitely should not be available to anyone who has not paid into the system, including immigrants.

Immigration, another tricky subject that MPs do not dare talk about for fear of offending someone somewhere. Rubbish. I have nothing against controlled immigration, but it is time we took back control of our borders and stopped illegals coming into this country on faked student visas, or on the back of a lorry. We cannot cope with the sheer numbers, many arriving here to milk the system and not to work. Many of them do not even want to integrate and become a part of British life. They bring their own crackpot beliefs and justice systems and then try and force them on the rest of us. If you want to live and work in the UK, then you need to learn English and live by our laws, simple. A merit system like the one used by Australia is a good idea.

The class system is alive and well in the UK, contrary to what various politicians may tell you and money still makes the world go round. Yet we promote this by selling off public assets with no thought for the future. How many foreign businesses now own vital services operating in the UK? Too many. We pay so many taxes in this country and should be entitled to, at least, retain control of the services vital to all. Power, water and a public transport system should be provided by the government for the people and controlled by public sector workers, not some Russian oligarch who could simply turn off the lights if he felt like it. Why should a private company be able to raise prices at a whim on services we should all be entitled to?

There you have it, some policies that would be best for the UK, not for one single party. Why don’t we work together?

[-Boomer-]

Whether you want them or not, they control the lives of people whether or not people want them

[newcomer01]

When I first saw the size of your comments Andy , I did find it most daunting.However the time that you spent certainly warrents digesting your entire thoughts.I have done my best to read it all( though I think a few revisits may be in order to ensure that I do not miss or missinterpret )

 

Your first paragraph seems similar in content to something that I penned a few months ago about candidates being parachuted in to certain areas and I did expand in a fashion concerning Milliband,Clegg and Champion( and her predecessors).The Trolls seemed to think that my opinion was totally incorrect.

 

I have no idea where the info came from concerning cash being paid to the EU and and MEP salaries. But if correct,and I daresay it should be accurate .Then it has been food for thought ,and so thanks.

 

So much common sense regarding Welfare,NHS and Immigration( I am not saying that I entirely agree ,but great valid points)Only thing missing was any thoughts concerning education .

 

You cannot fault objectivity and facts.It certainly kicks into touch the blame culture that seems to have been imported from across the pond.

 

But lets face it Randolph Hurst made a valid point when he stated," Why let the truth get in the way of a good story"

 

Its far easier to use blame as a tool rather than look at the bigger picture and establish the causal problem.

 

After all the recent programmes depicting scroungers,immigrants taking advantage of our system( welfare /housing etc)disability liars, and that the elderly are a contributing factor to problems in the NHS( the fact that we are living longer),

That one really crept up on the country didn`t it eh. It`s not as though there are no demographic studies made on a regular basis is there.

 

At what point does everyone see sense that voting is not a burdon, but an entitlement .

In a civilised society is it really necessary to get to a point of Civil unrest to get fairness ,after all that being the case ,we should then remember the miners and Orgreave and what happened when you oppose a bully.

 

Finally I think the point that should be asked of the country is ,"Do we want a Welfare state,and do we want an NHS?"If we answer YES ,then lets do whatever necessary to make it work and create better rules and policies.If to the contrary it is NO,then lets go back pre 1948 and see if that is real progress.

[DrNorm]

There you have it, some policies that would be best for the UK, not for one single party. Why don’t we work together?

 

To bring about greater equality and fairness we need a broad consensus that is not led by the corrupt agents of power, but by a genuine democratic process where everybody can express themselves honestly and may disagree without fear and agree without favour.

 

We need a people's democracy where everybody has a Free.Vote on every issue.