The 2005 general election is nearly upon us. Which way will you vote, and you reasons why. Here is a brief list of the potential contestants, please add your own.


More tax!
Less tax!
Dont know!
Death to all infidels!
Who gives a shit?

The great pretender.

GF.

Sincere apologies! It was not you. It was someone who was replying to you and
I took offence.
As for wrong usage, forgive my being pickie. Being a proud Tory it grated a little.
Forgiven?

moneyplus,

You want me for PM ????????

I don't think so.

I would take the job if I could just start tommorow BUT I don't think I could face all the hassle I would have to go through to get there.

All the parties would be sharpening their knives to get me.

The Murdoch media empire would set out to get me, there would be no privacy, it would be a living hell.

Would I risk all that with such a low chance of winning?


That is the system we have got.

We need better laws for elections that are nailed down in a constitution that can not be changed by the politicians, only by the voters.

I support state funding of political parties, he who pays the piper calls the tune.
It should be illegal in any way give money to a political party that has got seats. Those with seats should be funded by the taxpayer with the top 2 parties getting 10million per year & the others getting a proportion of 10million related to the number of votes that they got at the preceding election.

This would put end to such things as Formula1/Tobbaco donations to parties.


As for having someone in charge so who do I back?

NOT Just 1 person?????????

That is part of the problem, the PM has the power to hand out cabinet posts, that is too much leverage.

I think that parliament should legally have to elect the PM after every general election & in the middle of each 4.5 year term & the cabinet every year but be able to take an extra vote in between if they want to.

On balance, I want to see a coalition of Liberal & Labour.

The priority is to keep the economy growing & not have any sudden changes in economic policy to put that at risk.

Hopefully, the Liberals would curb the worst excesses of Blairs right wing agenda.

There are of course no guarantees.
After all we are talking about politicians.

Excellent post Apple. I wish there was a lot more debate like this instead of the forced TV programmes where the politicos seem incapable of answering Paxman and co. with a straight yes or no! waffle while brain engages it seems to me.
Trouble with a coalition of any sort is the parties are so wide apart on their pledges nothing would get through--only in war situation does coalition appear to work. Agree on the money points you made--it's not worth all the abuse and contempt heaped on you as a politician but they brought it on themselves--power sex money and greed is a strong brew!! I think look at each individual MP if they've done a good job for their constituents vote them in again. If they do as their told and don't bother to show up in Parliament ditch them. I'm never going to favour any but the Tories though. :)

moneyplus,

You said, nothing would get through.

That would be a good thing.

Year in, year out, they pass more & more & more laws.

Why do we need all these new laws?????????

They need them more than we do, they have to keep passing more laws to pretend to justify their existence.

In practice though, it wouldn't be nothing, the really urgent & important things would go through & THERE WOULD A LOT MORE DEBATE.

That is a problem for them, not for us, they would hate it.

It would be heated debate & that would attract media attention so the voters would be better informed.

So a coalition could be a very good thing.

Its got to be howard,,,,,,,frankie howard,,the season ticket holder.

Get an idea today, pass a law tomorrow. Through on the nod. Stupid.
Get rid of 'em.

Nice one standber,bunch of free loaders!!

standber,

It seems you how I feel about the situation.

did you know that bin laden has a degree in economics

Stanber, no problems lets face it we are all having a good time here I feel because the markets are lousy. I just feel we are all letting off steam. No one should take offence at remarks made on this thread, we all get wound up now and again and go over the top me especially.

I hope You Eric and others havent been upset by any remarks I have made, I trully take in the other persons point of view and then use it alongside what I already have as knowledge.

I hope the best party win.

cheers GF.

GF
We'll have a pint when you have made your second million ~:-))
Cheers.

Morning all from mananaland.


Whats the latest news/scandal/cock-up from our fearless leaders?

morning...i just want to understand the "bin laden has a degree in economics" quote (post 99)

so bloody what! unfortunatley throughout history the better educated are probably more likely to be successful in their meglomaniac pursuits!

not having a go but it is a bit of a silly comment!

The main reason not to vote for Blair was brought home to me last night. In a bar they were playing a tape of Blair and Bush edited so that they were singing Lionel Richies's song 'I'll always love you' to each other. It was very funny but they are like two mad men together, think they can rule the world like Hitler. We want a prime minster who can think for himself and not have a love affair with Bush
:-)

Dynamite,

that won't be Howard, he's even more in love with Bush.


The Punch & Judy show continued yesterday

with that silly argument about whether the Tory "cut" of 35 billion actually counted as a cut.

The journalist who started it said you can't cut it before it has been spent.

What a load of dummies, not one of them actually noticed the fact that YOU DEFINITELY CAN'T CUT IT AFTER IT HAS BEEN SPENT.

BY THEN, IT'S TOO LATE, IT'S GONE!

They were all too busy with their Punch & Judy show to notice.

Bliar was floundering.

I dont like the B Liar, finding him conceited and stupid. Many of his arguments are fallacious and self-serving and based on false beliefs. I keep on expecting him to pick up his banjo and start playing Im a believer and trying to get his cohorts to do likewise. Many of those, whom he has entrenched around himself, would probably do so. His new Band could be called Teflon Tony and his Cronies,or the New Spivs managed and promoted by the Texas Twister.

From memory, didnt like the policies of Howard, but much of what he tried to instigate was promoted by the old witch, who drove the Conservative Party at that time.

But I feel many of the right winged policies implemented by this government would not have been passed by Parliament if the Tories were in power. The unfortunate thing for me is that the labour party has lost its morality and social values and now worship Mammon and hanging on to power. A large amount of it partys membership seems interested in their own self-advancement and in wishing Tonys patronage have cow downed to him and forgone their own basic morality.

The money which was wasted and continues to be wasted on the Iraq war could have been use for social issues, such as grants for students, education in general, policing, decent pensions and overseas aid. The latter would have helped prevent terrorism developing and spreading. The Iraq war has increased the threat of terrorism and finance many of the Bush elite RE-construction and oil companies.

I would like to see after the election a Socialist government lead by Gordon Brown, but with a very much-reduced majority with The Liberal Democrat Party being the largest second party. I feel the Liberals, stated the fallacies of the Iraq War and have been consistently honest with their policies. Also with their policies for the Health Service, Education, Pensions and Taxation appear reasonable. I also think compared with the other two main parties the Liberals seem to show a common decency and consideration of others.

I went to a working class university 45 years ago, the majority of those who attended could not have done so without the aid of grants. Many of us went on to have high earnings and were in the position to pay a reasonable amount of tax to aid others to do likewise. But many, who were also well educated and took jobs, which were socially responsible and beneficial to society, would never been able to pay the level of taxation, which this government is now promoting for the next generation in the form of Loans.

It is unlikely that the children of Tony and his cronies will leave university with a debt around their necks. They are more likely to have two properties in Bristol and a holiday home in Tuscany and a job made for them in the city, or, perhaps they may be found a short cut up the same greasy pole as their parents.


Here ends this mornings sermon.

Did anybody see the program about Kelly last night.


Right back to the market.

Reality Fred, reality.

Don't ignore the reality of Howard's record & rhetoric that went with it.

The Tories would have passed even more right winged laws, they are soulmates of right winged American conservatives.

I agree about Blair & I would rather have Brown BUT always remember that if they do something that you like, it isn't because they care about you, it's because it happens to coincide with WHAT THEY WANT.

As for socialism, it is illogical!

SEE Message 75.



You seem disappointed that politicians worship Mammon BUT it has always been like that, get used to it.

You said,
"Right back to the market."

Yep, back to worshipping Mammon, NONE of us can be trusted :-)

Its a pity the Tories aint going to win cos at least they have promised to rid us of the Mickey Mouse Assembley we have here in Wales.

Waste of time , waste of money and full of pratts.

Rant over.

Socialism is not illogical,but is sometimes a little impractical. Especially when forced at too quickly.


Back to the market.

By the way did you know Dil worships MAM!

Who's MAM , thats valley speak for Mum innit ?