UK General Election 2010

[BDunnell]

You guys really don't get it do you? It isn't that the locals don't have time to run things, but this attitude the common man is an idiot and it is you "experienced" and "educated" men know better is the problem.

Well, what's the point of an education, or indeed, experience, if it doesn't bestow on you a greater ability to do something than someone without that education or experience?

As I have said before, the wonderful democratising nature of the internet in particular seems to have given a lot of people with very little knowledge on certain subjects the idea that their views on said matters are suddenly of equal value to those of individuals who are genuinely knowledgeable. This is blatantly not the case.

[BDunnell]

Yep, precisely! Lets have a group of local people running things. Which sounds fine in principle, but lets consider that the majority of us are very busy, working, raising a family, and just life in general to devote time to such matters. So who are you going to get on such panels? Most likely retired people who think all the 'darkies' should be sent home, no doubt.

Exactly, exactly right.

[BeansBeansBeans]

Well, what's the point of an education, or indeed, experience, if it doesn't bestow on you a greater ability to do something than someone without that education or experience?

As I have said before, the wonderful democratising nature of the internet in particular seems to have given a lot of people with very little knowledge on certain subjects the idea that their views on said matters are suddenly of equal value to those of individuals who are genuinely knowledgeable. This is blatantly not the case.

It has gone beyond the internet now. As anyone who saw Jamelia's appearance on Yoof Question Time will know.

"I loved Margaret Thatcher because she was for working class people."

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It has gone beyond the internet now. As anyone who saw Jamelia's appearance on Yoof Question Time will know.

"I loved Margaret Thatcher because she was for working class people."

*shudders and cringes*

[V12]

We used to have a rhyme about Maggie in primary school:

Here's Maggie Thatcher (picture of stick man drawn on thumb)
flick her up and catch her (picture of stick man drawn on palm)
squish-squash-squish-squash (rub palms together)
there's Maggie Thatcher (scribble drawn on opposite palm)

Completely irrelevant and nowt to do with politics, we just found it funny at the time :P

[Mark in Oshawa]

Well, what's the point of an education, or indeed, experience, if it doesn't bestow on you a greater ability to do something than someone without that education or experience?

It is true, BUT here is the rub. Just because the elected leaders may BE smarter and more intelligent, it would be nice, just maybe more than a little considerate to not BRAG about how much smarter and wiser they are than the average joe. It is condescending and arrogant when you hear political types (and it can be from both political stripes) talk as if the little people don't know what they are talking about.

We know we are going to grow a political class. Most of the time, they are lawyers, because it is lawyers have the money and ability to debate and be that far out there. We all know as the electorate that the people we elect should be smart and educated. We also know that the smart and educated people have run deficits, driven the ship of state in to the ditch, and mismanaged the nation's finances. IN short, politicians for all their "wisdom" and education can still be screw ups. So the last thing they should ever be is smug or look down on the common man who in theory is paying his salary.

[jim mcglinchey]

[quote="Mark"]Yep, precisely! So who are you going to get on such panels?

Well, we could do alot worse than sojourn a lot of business people, large and small, from the private sector. People who know how to plan and stick to a budget. Too many politicians have an alarming lack of real world experience.

[EuroTroll]

I thoroughly enjoyed a Paxman interview with Cameron today, shown on BBC World News. There's something very pleasing in the style of British political discourse. There's real confrontation. Intelligent discussion. Verbal competence. Great to follow as an outsider who doesn't have to live with the actual consequences of the election, at least not directly.

[Mark in Oshawa]

I read online on a news service (through a FB news link...cant remember the original source) that they are calling for Cameron to win a minority government. I don't know if that is a good thing or not for some of you, but it seems to be the UK's fate. Now that the Liberal Democrats have a sizable chunk of the polls, I figure a minority will be the fate of the UK...

[christophulus]

Clegg says he won't work with Brown if there's a hung parliament, even though the incumbent PM stays in the job by default.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8642447.stm

Also, the voting system is massively skewed in favour of Labour. On the current share of the vote - Con 34%, Lab 28%, LD 29% - Labour would still be the biggest party. Conservatives need 40% for a majority:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politi...10/8609989.stm