[Archived] Gordon Brown

[Billy Castell]

Jim, Labour are toss. They stand for nothing, care about nothing other than being in power and the status it provides, and offer nothing. Labour is like U2, once wrote songs about Bloody Sunday and got all angry, but are now middle aged corporate rock numpties who jump on the Africa bandwaggon whilst hiding their taxes away on offshore accounts. At least with the Tories you know they are really heartless Thatcherite _____s who are merely playing an act at being nice. Labour are just a flimsy, meaningless pile of dross that just exists to give a generation of politically impotent David Brents a sense of status and meaning.

[thenodrog]

and what do you recommend, Citizens United, Friendly Communism, United Anarchy?

As usual Theno, you want a change, but offer no alternative.

You want a change, but don't vote for one. How on earth can things change if people don't vote for it, or can't be bothered to get off their arses and do something.

My advice to you theno, if you want change, then DO something to make it happen.

Yes indeed Dave. I suppose I could always run away from any problems and emigrate.

[jim mk2]

At least with the Tories you know they are really heartless Thatcherite _____s who are merely playing an act at being nice.

Glad we agree on something

[broadsword]

New Labour are a Thatcherite party themselves, so I wouldn't get cocky if I were you.

Typical Labour drone. His party swept to power promising to be whiter than white, sans sleaze. They get their hands caught in the till and all he can rabbit on about is what the Tories are up to.

Deluded.

[dave birch]

Yes indeed Dave. I suppose I could always run away from any problems and emigrate.

Who ran a way and emigrated? That might be a solution for you. I could, if you wish, vote in the upcoming UK election, it wouldn't take much to arrange it.

At least I vote here, and when I have a problem with those that govern me, I get on the phone, or into their offices and let them know how I feel.

There have been occasions where things that I've said to my elected member have been acted upon.

So, Theno, rather than whinge, get on the phone, go down to their offices and TELL them how you feel. Not only will you feel better, but you may be surprised at the results.

As it stands you're currently banging on to people who couldn't give a stuff about your problems.

[Billy Castell]

You've had to put up with Jobby Howard for years Mr. Birch, and for that I feel sorry for you. He made you all rich, but what a bandwaggon jumping slimy little twerp he was. Still, it was great to see him handing England the Rugby World Cup winners medals.

[dave birch]

You've had to put up with Jobby Howard for years Mr. Birch, and for that I feel sorry for you. He made you all rich, but what a bandwaggon jumping slimy little twerp he was. Still, it was great to see him handing England the Rugby World Cup winners medals.

WTF's that all about?

[Billy Castell]

Your former PM was a ____, but he handled your economy well. That is a contrast to Brown who has ____ed up the economy and also comes across as a nob. Is that simple enough?

[jim mk2]

Now it's the turn of the Tory sleazeballs.

Michael Gove, shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families, has been very creative with his parliamentary expenses I hear.

And Oliver Letwin, Tory MP for West Dorset, is reported to have claimed £3,000 for repairs to his tennis court undersoil heating.

[stuwilky]

Your former PM was a ____, but he handled your economy well. That is a contrast to Brown who has ____ed up the economy and also comes across as a nob. Is that simple enough?

So now he is solely to blame for the worldwide "credit crunch" I know he is a miserable fool, but come off it!

[jim mk2]

Now it's the turn of the Tory sleazeballs.

Michael Gove, shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families, has been very creative with his parliamentary expenses I hear.

And Oliver Letwin, Tory MP for West Dorset, is reported to have claimed £3,000 for repairs to his tennis court undersoil heating.

It gets better and better.

Cheryl Gillan, the shadow Welsh secretary, has been claiming for dog food at taxpayers’ expense.

[Guest Vinjay606]

So now he is solely to blame for the worldwide "credit crunch" I know he is a miserable fool, but come off it!

Well apparently he's not as miserable privately as he comes across in public.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-50...ers-Morgan.html

[thenodrog]

Now it's the turn of the Tory sleazeballs.

Michael Gove, shadow secretary of state for children, schools and families, has been very creative with his parliamentary expenses I hear.

And Oliver Letwin, Tory MP for West Dorset, is reported to have claimed £3,000 for repairs to his tennis court undersoil heating.

You just don't get it do you Jimski! I'm amazed that you allow your prejudice to overcome your thought process. You like to pontificate and be perceived as intelligent but in reallity you are just a sad hopelessly indoctrinated individual. Try thinking for yourself and accept that they are ALL as bad as one another.

Oh and btw I fear it's way too late. old dogs and new tricks and all that but here's a bit of light reading for you.

http://www.online-literature.com/orwell/animalfarm/

http://www.bartleby.com/59/6/allanimalsar.html

[pg]

Your former PM was a ____, but he handled your economy well. That is a contrast to Brown who has ____ed up the economy and also comes across as a nob. Is that simple enough?

No. John Howard 'handled' the economy by sitting back and riding the resources boom. He got re-elected by doling out record tax revenues as middle-class welfare and pork-barelling special interest groups. He wanted everyone to be 'relaxed and comfortable' by re-financing their booming house prices as evidence of how 'wealthy' they were.

The reality check of the last year has shown Howard et al how hollow their 'strong economy' was.

The demise of Brown is further proof how false the promises of the 'free market' are. The banks and the finance lobbies have managed to screw over the lot of us over the past three decades with their promises of 'increased competition', 'consumer competition', 'increased efficiencies' blah blah blah.

Labor, Liberal, Labour, Democrat, Tory..it makes no difference. The banks paid off all the governments of their day who all prayed to the altar of the free market in hope of some magical cure-all for society.

The amount of policy difference between the major governing corporations (i.e. 'parties') in all Anglo-Saxon countries is two parts of sweet f*** all...especially when it comes to economics and investment in social infrastructure.

As much as you can (justifiably) moan about Brown et al...how would a conservative government have been any different?

Howard's successor in Australia has continued to tow the party line....take your kickbacks from the mining and energy sectors..and just motor along 'business as usual'..i.e. continue to sell of major assets and infrastructure to the investment banks for 'increased efficiency'.

Although thankfully he didn't do this with new telecommunications infrastructure...but that's what the next government will do.

It's time for a third way.... right after we fix up the CO2 problem.

[dave birch]

Not too far off the truth there pg, but you did miss out on the fear mongering that he did so well.

The Tampa incident, Children overboard, and the pacific solution.

Oh how I cheered when his lot got thrown out and lost his seat to boot.

The economy almost managed itself, the RBA tried to stuff it up with interest rate rises, and now there's talk of everything getting back to normal earlier than first thought.

I think you should put your little lad up for election, he'd do just as good a job as anyone in Canberra.

[thenodrog]

Not too far off the truth there pg, but you did miss out on the fear mongering that he did so well.

The Tampa incident, Children overboard, and the pacific solution.

Oh how I cheered when his lot got thrown out and lost his seat to boot.

The economy almost managed itself, the RBA tried to stuff it up with interest rate rises, and now there's talk of everything getting back to normal earlier than first thought.

I think you should put your little lad up for election, he'd do just as good a job as anyone in Canberra.

And you accuse me of moaning a nd expecting everybody else to do something about it!

[dave birch]

And you accuse me of moaning a nd expecting everybody else to do something about it!

The difference is, I'm not moaning or whingeing.

I did what every concerned citizen in Australia did that November day, I just cast my ballot. Remember that this is a place where voting is compulsory. So I did do something, along with millions of others. We did make a difference.

All I did in my previous post was to highlight the further failings of one John Winston Howard.

So, theno, what ARE you going to do about the problems that cause you so much angst? Do you ever call your local councillor or MP to complain? I do, as do some of my mates. Hound 'em theno, it really does change things.

I've read (somewhere) that if they had compulsory voting in the UK, that the tories would never be in government. Is that right?

[Billy Castell]

If we have compulsary voting, I'll form the apathy party, and campaign for all the people who don't want to vote. Then if we return any MPs we won't turn up, hold no constituency meetings etc. Imagine if there was a national list system whereby all the people who didn't go to vote 'voted' for the Apathy Party. 40-50% of the House of Commons would be empty. It would be hilarious.

Is there a 'none of the above' box in Australia, or do you have to vote for a 3rd party if Labour and the Liberal/Conservative Party don't take your fancy?

[dave birch]

If we have compulsary voting, I'll form the apathy party, and campaign for all the people who don't want to vote. Then if we return any MPs we won't turn up, hold no constituency meetings etc. Imagine if there was a national list system whereby all the people who didn't go to vote 'voted' for the Apathy Party. 40-50% of the House of Commons would be empty. It would be hilarious.

Is there a 'none of the above' box in Australia, or do you have to vote for a 3rd party if Labour and the Liberal/Conservative Party don't take your fancy?

Billy, you can always do as I did when no party takes your fancy, and that is to write across your ballot paper a comment that they can't ignore.

This happened back in the mid 80's when they wanted to build a dam in Tasmania, so many people wrote "No Dams" across their votes that the "spoilt ballots" increased by several % points, (and, if I remember correctly, they included all those that they could in the official count)

The upshot was the dam was never built as it caused so much angst in the government.

So, with compulsory voting, you don't have to vote for one of the parties on the ballot, just go there and tell them what you think, (they do have scrutineers looking at each vote, so they will read what you write across them.)

The point I'm making about not voting is, if you don't vote, no one knows what you are thinking, is it laziness, or what?

[Billy Castell]

As someone with a History and Politics degree, I have to vote, although I only tend to do so in the general elections. If I was down there, I'd have either written something libelous about John Howard involving a Labradoodle and Gary Glitter, or drawn a big huge cock and balls. It is reaching that level with me now. In fact I may do it in the European elections.

[dave birch]

You can do whatever you want, write as libellous as you want, no one would ever know, would they

[SouthAussieRover]

If we have compulsary voting

Join my compulsory party Billy.

The three R's are our strapline.

[Billy Castell]

Rizlas, Robbing and Refreshers?

Or pendantic behaviour from people who want to make themselves feel big and clever?

[adopted scouser]

Or pendantic behaviour from people who want to make themselves feel big and clever?

Bill, not being pedantic or anything but it's pedantic

[Billy Castell]

Oh cock.

I'm having one of those days.