General Chat

How about a coup? Who would be PM....? My hero Jezza gets my vote with his pal May as deputy PM :-)

I think what really worries me - on the issue of voting in order to make your voice heard (somehow) - is something one of my flatmates at uni once said. I think it was 2006 or 2007, and I mentioned that our polling cards had come through for the local elections, but my flatmate said, "What's the point of voting? We'll be at home for the summer in a couple of weeks."

And that was from someone who was about 22! My sister's nearly 23 and I know she's never voted in her life because she has no interest in politics. But what worries me is, if this is typical of my generation, what's going to happen in ten years or so? Unless there's something that people feel really moved to vote about, at this rate there could be a huge chunk of younger votes in the "I can't be bothered" category.

I can't say what I voted in the referendum for the Common Market, as I was too young to vote at the time. However, my parents voted 'Yes'; and, as my mother is still alive, she would be happy to admit that to anyone.

I personally trust the in the fact that Britain is a rather disorganised country: there is rarely any film in the many CCTV cameras dotted around the place, or, if there is, the pictures are rather grainy and indistinct. Moreover, the Department of this, has no idea what the Department of that is doing, which is probably why people get away fraud for so long.

Ten out of ten, Eldrick, for this thought provoking post.

I'd like to take issue with you, Dion, if that's ok? - " The only way to change things now is for the Majority to stand up and be counted - to make the Government realise that WE want change,"

This is part of our constitution - it's a General Election.

We live in a democracy - which makes the government accountable, but also makes us responsible. Responsible for reading manifestoes, responsible for understanding what it is we're voting for, and responsible for accepting the principle of collective responsibility - parents among you will recognise the last thing: it means you can't always have it your own way!

Sue x

Sue M, I'd have any records on me destroyed that have been gathered without my knowledge and/or consent for a start

Suzian, I agree to some extent and do think that people who don't vote are partially opting out of society.

Uggers,

I hope you have a giant box of matches and plenty of fuel. Plus you have the time to 101010101010 the electronic data half a dozen times for each entry
:-))

I guess you'll continue to have your life monitored like the rest of us! Just think family researchers in 2059 will be able to track where you were at 20.43 on 16/08/09 :-))

x

No one has mentioned some of the freedoms gained, the right to be homosexual, the right to have children out of wedlock with being discriminated, the rights of children born out of wedlock being equal to those of married couples. The right to live together outside of marriage without being discriminated against.
"Freedom is just another word for nothing else to lose" (in a Janis Joplin song)

Very true, Terry. Despite the best efforts of the church to curtail those particular freedoms :-)

That is true, Terry - I'm not disputing that the world is a much better place now in many ways for many people. I just agree with the original point.

Hi Dion

I've just re-read what I posted. I stand by what I said in general, but of course you're right. A whole lot of legislation is never included in any manifesto: I guess all they give us is a "direction of travel"

But I do stand behind my general "drift" - we live in a democracy, for which I for one am very thankful. As witness many, many countries who don't have the luxury of being able to get rid of regimes people who live there don't like.

And Terry makes a very good point - a democracy also gains us freedoms.

Does anyone think that data collection by the state also has benefits?
I'd personally have no problem with the state collecting my DNA if it helped eliminate me (and therefore speed up the police's progress) when it comes to finding out who, for instance, committed the Soham murders.

Sue x

Havent read through the entire thread but I have to say the smoking ban was the best thing any government brought into being. My answer to your ability to have a ciggie/cigar with your pint/brandy is that for years I didnt have the choice. If I wanted a social glass of wine I had to do it at home or risk damage to my lungs.

The ID card is probably a good thing in context. Make it so we didnt have to have a driving licence and passport, make it universally useful. Make it law for it to be carried at all times. Here in Ireland we HAVE to carry our drivers licence at all times, its a prosecutable offence. I'd rather have an ID card I carried all the time then I wouldnt be paying for passport and driving licence every 10 years just the one ID card with RELEVANT info on it.

The nanny state is doing little to protect the innocent; protecting children from paedophiles. Older people from the unscrupulous and everyone from unhealthy predators.

Put money into finding cures for ilnesses and ensure they are properly tested before being used on the general public.

Oooops, dont know where that lot came from...

Good posting Eldrick!

love Theresa

Ooooh, been trying to post all afternnoon but kept being booted out....

Just read Suzian's posting..... dont know whether the part about a contstitution is a quote or a direct comment, however I s'pose my question is, does the UK have a constitution??

There lies the crunch, its not that our freedoms are being eroded, but those with moral crusades have been given a lot more access.
All the pretty pictures of polar bears taken in the summer when the ice melts anyway, taken by Global Warming Fanatics, only to read that the increase in Hurricanes is the highest in a thousand years, but similar to Medieval times when the temperatures were higher than now. And there were still Polar bears
Think we now have energy efficient light bulbs but come winter we use them the most we will have to warm up more to compansate for the loss of their up warming.
We live in a theatre its called life

viva la revolution

Hi all

I'm getting a bit sick of saying "you're right" - but I have to say it again ....

You're right, Theresa. The UK doesn't have a constitution. So it wasn't a direct quote - just my interpretation of our custom and practice.

Maybe I should back off from this debate until I learn to get my facts straight!!!


Sue x

LOL Sue....

get right back side back here!!!

I only know cos I studied the Irish Constitution 2 years ago.... wouldnt have known when I lived there!

love T.x

Cheers Theresa


Creeps back into the discussion hiding my lack of knowledge under the cloak of my opinion.......

Sue x

It was either Lenin, Hitler, Stalin or one of those great men of the people who said "the answer is unimportant, it is having controll of the questions asked that matters"
Think when we look back to so called happier times we tend to forget how restricted and controlled the asking of questions was in any mass media
now with twitter facebook bloggs and even these boards questions get asked which maybe wouldn't previously