View Full Version : Government thinking
Another thread refers to governments "thinking". Err no, actually they don’t do that. As soon as they get near No.10 previously intelligent, rational human beings become incapable of logical thought. How else do you explain the messes they have got us all into?
Gordon Brown raids pension funds to give himself £5 billion a year. Well that one worked well, didn’t it?
Tony Blair takes us to war in Iran. Enough said.
NHS – one initiative / target after another and no consultation with the professionals involved so millions wasted and for what?
Education – as 3. That’s taken care of the next generation, many of whom can’t read and write and whose only ambition is to be a celebriteeee.
Armed forces – run them down, lower their morale, send them unprepared and unprotected to war then wonder why they have so little self-respect they can’t wait to sell their stories.
MoD – give sailors permission to sell their stories. What idiot took that decision? Now they’ve had to retract and even try to convince us that wasn’t what they said.
Paedophiles – having said they wouldn’t, they then once again ignore the professionals and decide to introduce a trial version of Megan’s Law. Hopefully the outcry will send that the same way as 6.
No doubt orgers will have lists and lists to add to this. I’m just feeling a bit cross. Especially since no matter how often we change governments, the next lot will be infected by the same brain loss. [disgust]
I have long considered it must be mandatory when some one enters politics that they have to sign a declaration to the effect that they will never use common sense , think, consider their actions ,chose their words with care or listen to their electors.
Well yes, I don't know whether to laugh or to cry, badger. :confused
Is it just that power goes to their heads, whoever they are?
There are some politicians who at least appear to be, as you say, intelligent and rational -until they get into power! (They'll be the ones I voted for!)
Do they find that once they're in the job it's more difficult than they'd anticipated and they have to cover up the fact they can't do it, at all costs?
Do they completely lose touch with reality and any grasp of what life is like for the rest of us?
Or having got a taste of power -just cling onto it for dear life? [evil]
Think probably all three, Angela. Since all the cabinet have to walk into No.10 at some point, do you think there's someone standing inside the door zapping their brains as they go in?
Think probably all three, Angela. Since all the cabinet have to walk into No.10 at some point, do you think there's someone standing inside the door zapping their brains as they go in?
Could well be, badger....or perhaps it's something that's added to their coffee :roll:
Another thread refers to governments "thinking". Err no, actually they don’t do that. As soon as they get near No.10 previously intelligent, rational human beings become incapable of logical thought. How else do you explain the messes they have got us all into?
About 3 years ago there was a TV programme called something like 'Have you got it takes to run the country?'. The format was very simple. They had a bunch of intelligent liberal-minded people and gave them the opportunity to deal with a terrorist incident at the highest political level. It was a simulation of an aeroplane being hijacked and heading for the UK. At all opportunities, the group could have ordered the RAF to shoot down the passenger airliner which was packed with over 400 people. They failed to take advantage and the airliner was able to fly into the House of Commons. The TV panel was duped by the terrorists.
I think this demonstrates that it is too easy to complain about the actions of a Government when you don't have to take the heavy hearted decisions that they have to.
.
I think this demonstrates that it is too easy to complain about the actions of a Government when you don't have to take the heavy hearted decisions that they have to.
It is easy to complain, true, but then most of us have probably never stood for Parliament. I'm well aware it's not something I could do, or would want to do.
But those who do stand must presumably believe at the outset that they can do the job - and all joking apart, I am curious as to whether they do find it much harder and very different from what they'd expected.
Or whether there's something about "power" that changes the way people think.:confused
Alice in Blunderland
10-Apr-07, 21:53
Tonight I had the pleasure of the company of David Flear, Jamie Stone and Lord Thurso. Mass invasion of the Lib Dems..... definately all their brains intact and so were their ears poor souls they had to listen to my concerns.....:lol:
We need a whole new way, a whole new way of 'thinking'. If we keep the same outlook on life in this country then we are going nowhere. I can't be bothered voting cause I'm scunnered with it all.
fingalmacool
11-Apr-07, 00:20
Dont vote it only incourages them, I am at an age now that i find myself watching some political programes, Scottish question time is the best comedy out, I have listened to question after question being asked of the slippery Jac Mac and have yet to hear a answer, he is without doubt an eel in a barrel of soap, but what i cant understand is that the other durkans asking the questions get three shots at trying to get him to answer and when he dosn't they just sit down and let the next bamstick do the same, so whats the answer, I think they should have some geezer in the parly like Dimbers on question time to stop them in their tracks and say answer the question and stop waffling, never going to happen but it would be great viewing.
The problem has been growing for several decades now. In the past the vast majority of MPs of all Parties came to politics having had a good grounding living and working in the Real World.
Most certainly did not leave the Education System thinking that their only career would be in Politics for the simple reason that most of Politics, other than those at Westminster, was carried out on a voluntary basis. You had a Real Job in the Real World and fulfilled your Political Responsibilities during your own time. Most of the support for Political Parties was done in a similar manner.
No people study Politics during Higher Education and then go straight into a career in Politics, many via the Party Machinery. At National Party Level they are called "Researchers". From "Researcher" they go to Prospective Parliamentary Candidate and back to "Researcher until they get Elected.
That is where the problem lies. If you do as you are told and play the "Nodding Donkey" you are safe. If you lose your seat then you go back to being a "Researcher" until you can be Re-elected.
If you don't behave then you get Deselected by the Party or, if you lose at the next Election you are out on your neck. No safe background job with the Party and you have no other career to fall back on.
The days of the independently minded MP who told the Party Whip to clear off and voted hor what they thought was right is long gone. They have a head full of "Theories" and Political Dogma and know little else.
If you think I'm exaggerating what other type of Brain-Box would dream up the idea of "Frog-marching" drunken teenage yobs to a Cash Machine to pay a fine? Does anybody know any 15/16/17 year old Yobs with Bank Cards? Of their own, I hasten to add, not one they have stolen! (And no, I do not think that applies to all teenagers, just the few who are like that)
And the latest brilliant idea? They intend to have Talking Lamp-posts to tell them to behave! :roll:
j4bberw0ck
11-Apr-07, 15:07
I enjoyed this commentary (http://thelawwestofealingbroadway.blogspot.com/2007/04/sad-state-of-affairs.html) from a Magistrate in his excellent blog. The kind of commentary that leaves you thinking "ain't THAT the truth" after reading it.
And don't for heaven's sake let Gordon Brown see this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_tax).......... after all, many of us in these remote parts have septic tanks.....
And don't for heaven's sake let Gordon Brown see this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine_tax).......... after all, many of us in these remote parts have septic tanks.....
[lol] I did know that about the Romans....and there have been all kinds of taxes over the years, mostly unpopular of course, dreamed up by the government of the time all over the world....what might they think of taxing here next though?
ideas on a post(card) please....;)
Another thread refers to governments "thinking". Err no, actually they don’t do that. As soon as they get near No.10 previously intelligent, rational human beings become incapable of logical thought. How else do you explain the messes they have got us all into?
Gordon Brown raids pension funds to give himself £5 billion a year. Well that one worked well, didn’t it?
Tony Blair takes us to war in Iran. Enough said.
NHS – one initiative / target after another and no consultation with the professionals involved so millions wasted and for what?
Education – as 3. That’s taken care of the next generation, many of whom can’t read and write and whose only ambition is to be a celebriteeee.
Armed forces – run them down, lower their morale, send them unprepared and unprotected to war then wonder why they have so little self-respect they can’t wait to sell their stories.
MoD – give sailors permission to sell their stories. What idiot took that decision? Now they’ve had to retract and even try to convince us that wasn’t what they said.
Paedophiles – having said they wouldn’t, they then once again ignore the professionals and decide to introduce a trial version of Megan’s Law. Hopefully the outcry will send that the same way as 6.No doubt orgers will have lists and lists to add to this. I’m just feeling a bit cross. Especially since no matter how often we change governments, the next lot will be infected by the same brain loss. [disgust]
http://forum.caithness.org/images/icons/icon1.gif gordon nothing changes
A young man named Gordon bought a donkey from an old farmer for £100.00.
The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day, but when the farmer
drove up he said, "Sorry son, but I have some bad news... the donkey is on
my truck, but unfortunately he's dead."
Gordon replied, "Well then, just give me my money back."
The farmer said, "I can't do that, because I've spent it already."
Gordon said, "OK then, well just unload the donkey anyway."
The farmer asked, "What are you going to do with him?"
Gordon answered, "I'm going to raffle him off."
To which the farmer exclaimed, "Surely you can't raffle off a dead donkey!"
But Gordon, with a wicked smile on his face said, "Of course I can, you
watch me. I just won't bother to tell anybody that he's dead."
A month later the farmer met up with Gordon and asked, "What happened with
that dead donkey?"
Gordon said, "I raffled him off, sold 500 tickets at two pounds a piece, and
made a huge, fat profit!!"
Totally amazed, the farmer asked, "Didn't anyone complain that you had
stolen their money because you lied about the donkey being dead?"
To which Gordon replied, "The only guy who found out about the donkey being
dead was the raffle winner when he came to claim his prize. So I gave him
his £2 raffle ticket money back plus an extra £200, which as you know is
double the going rate for a donkey, so he thought I was a great guy!!"
Gordon grew up and eventually became the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and no
matter how many times he lied, or how much money he stole from the British
voters, as long as he gave them back some of the stolen money, most of them,
unfortunately, still thought he was a great guy ***
The moral of this story is that, if you think Gordon is about to play fair
and do something for the everyday people of the country for once in his
miserable, lying life, think again my friend, because you'll be better off
flogging a dead donkey!
there you go then we,ve just about turned full circle to this
I do sometimes wish interviewers would refuse to let ministers get away without a straight answer to a question. Don't know who thought up the stock start to any answer "Now, let's be clear about this ... " and you know immediately that being clear is the last thing they're going to be. Some interviewers can be pretty persistent but it would be good if the schedules could be ditched occasionally and the same question asked over and over until it was answered.
OK - occasionally those at the top have to take a really terrifying decision but not that often, and frequently it's a result of previous bad decisions. Most of the time though they seem to lack basic common sense or the humility to admit they don't actually know everything about everything and that to consult someone who has actual experience of a particular problem/"ishoo" is not an admission of incompetence.
Definitely agree no-one should be allowed to stand for Parliament until he/she has spent 10 years in the real world.
I do sometimes wish interviewers would refuse to let ministers get away without a straight answer to a question. Don't know who thought up the stock start to any answer "Now, let's be clear about this ... " and you know immediately that being clear is the last thing they're going to be. Some interviewers can be pretty persistent but it would be good if the schedules could be ditched occasionally and the same question asked over and over until it was answered.
I agree with you that far too many interviewers let politicians get away with not answering the question....occasionally they do use the broken record technique and persist in asking for an answer...but by then time's usually up so the interviewee gets off the hook anyway.
It's even more annoying when the person being interviewed uses it as an opportunity to trot out some learned-by-rote bit of "policy" which doesn't answer the question at all..along the lines of what wonderful progress has been made blah blah blah....[disgust]
About 3 years ago there was a TV programme called something like 'Have you got it takes to run the country?'. The format was very simple. They had a bunch of intelligent liberal-minded people and gave them the opportunity to deal with a terrorist incident at the highest political level. It was a simulation of an aeroplane being hijacked and heading for the UK. At all opportunities, the group could have ordered the RAF to shoot down the passenger airliner which was packed with over 400 people. They failed to take advantage and the airliner was able to fly into the House of Commons. The TV panel was duped by the terrorists.
I think this demonstrates that it is too easy to complain about the actions of a Government when you don't have to take the heavy hearted decisions that they have to.
Bush and his lot failed spectacularly as well (or is he liberal?). There are many tough decisions to make in all walks of life. Split second (or hour) decisions are very different from the measured government decisions that are being questioned here.
It will be interesting to see how Des Brown wriggles out of the mess he has made over the sailors and the press. It appears his dept. took no advice and someone just panicked - like so many govt. decisions these days.
I'd like to think there were "measured government decisions" as mentioned by Tristan above, but I do question how many decisions are properly thought out.
As badger says, a lot of decisions seem to be of the fire-fighting variety -panicky and ill-considered...then when things go wrong, it's time to pass the buck.[evil]
I'd like to see the sailors chapter closed -but due to the way it was handled, it's likely to drag on. Few politicians seem willing to take responsibility these days - a bit like musical chairs, they all scurry around hoping they won't be the one left standing when the music stops...:roll:
Bush and his lot failed spectacularly as well (or is he liberal?). There are many tough decisions to make in all walks of life. Split second (or hour) decisions are very different from the measured government decisions that are being questioned here.
He failed but something tells me that he won't do it again. The thing was that the panel failed knowing that that sort of thing happens.
As for Des Browne, he made a split decision to change his mind. Should we criticise him for changing his mind? Personally I couldn't careless. The whole selling story thing has more to do with politics than with any offence caused to families of dead soldiers.
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