Cameron "voodoo" economics - very interesting article

[AlexKP]

Apparently he doesn't know how many homes he has:

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/...

Read thoroughly and respond rationally!

DC does worry me....

[andymadmak]

Read it. Not that impresed. The houses comment is taken waaaaaay out of context, as is the Laffer stuff and the analysis of tax/boom in the USA. A well crafted article, but only from the standpoint that he is a liberal left journo desperately looking for a stick to beat Cameron with, whilst trying to maintain a veneer of neutrality and serious debate.
I don't remember him writing similar articles when Blair was lieing to the people, or when Gordon was merrily decimating the private pensions sector etc.
Read him for what he is - a man with an axe to grind

A

[Mclovin]

it worries me that there seems to be a tactic to discredit all the other parties so that labour can be seen as voteable...labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

it also worries me when socialist pigs rob the tax payer and think they can keep it secret...

[Martial Arts Man]

Mclovin said:

it worries me that there seems to be a tactic to discredit all the other parties so that labour can be seen as voteable...labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

it also worries me when socialist pigs rob the tax payer and think they can keep it secret...

Even have I got news for you this week was scandalously written. Every MPs' expenses joke was about the Tories specifically, with the word Tory repeated. Yet when they were discussing the others....no mention of their affiliation.

It stinks to be honest. Impartiality is all I ask for.......

[Don]

Mclovin said:

labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

As you know - I am no Labour voter - but I disagree that Labour aren't getting taken to task by the press. The Telegraph has been discrediting as many Labour MPs as ones of other parties over the last few weeks...

[Martial Arts Man]

Don said:

Mclovin said:

labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

As you know - I am no Labour voter - but I disagree that Labour aren't getting taken to task by the press. The Telegraph has been discrediting as many Labour MPs as ones of other parties over the last few weeks...

I don't think the expenses muck has stuck to any one party over the other. In many ways it is great for Labour.

They couldn't really sink any lower in the polls than where they have been lately. People seem to have temporarily forgotten the real, they've fked up my country issues.

Could be the perfect time for a snap election? Does he have the balls? we will see!

[DJC]

Martial Arts Man said:

Don said:

Mclovin said:

labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

As you know - I am no Labour voter - but I disagree that Labour aren't getting taken to task by the press. The Telegraph has been discrediting as many Labour MPs as ones of other parties over the last few weeks...

I don't think the expenses muck has stuck to any one party over the other. In many ways it is great for Labour.

They couldn't really sink any lower in the polls than where they have been lately. People seem to have temporarily forgotten the real, they've fked up my country issues.

Could be the perfect time for a snap election? Does he have the balls? we will see!

No, the country hasnt. Labour have been hauled over in the Press the last cpl of weeks, the Tories have got off reasonably lightly because fortunately CMD is media savvy. He has come down hard and quick on revelations and wrong doing...so that has kept it in the media, but it has been mea culpa and then instant action...and it has also been humerous on the Tory side...Duck Ponds and Moats are far mroe amusing than threatening. Ppl can and will laugh at Duck Ponds and Moats and get over it, the labour stuff has been far more insidious and about ppl on the make. Making money out of the taxpayer, generating profit, not just daft things.

This has hurt Labour far more than the Tories.

[Martial Arts Man]

DJC said:

Martial Arts Man said:

Don said:

Mclovin said:

labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

As you know - I am no Labour voter - but I disagree that Labour aren't getting taken to task by the press. The Telegraph has been discrediting as many Labour MPs as ones of other parties over the last few weeks...

I don't think the expenses muck has stuck to any one party over the other. In many ways it is great for Labour.

They couldn't really sink any lower in the polls than where they have been lately. People seem to have temporarily forgotten the real, they've fked up my country issues.

Could be the perfect time for a snap election? Does he have the balls? we will see!

No, the country hasnt. Labour have been hauled over in the Press the last cpl of weeks, the Tories have got off reasonably lightly because fortunately CMD is media savvy. He has come down hard and quick on revelations and wrong doing...so that has kept it in the media, but it has been mea culpa and then instant action...and it has also been humerous on the Tory side...Duck Ponds and Moats are far mroe amusing than threatening. Ppl can and will laugh at Duck Ponds and Moats and get over it, the labour stuff has been far more insidious and about ppl on the make. Making money out of the taxpayer, generating profit, not just daft things.

This has hurt Labour far more than the Tories.

I can't help but disagree. To you and I, intelligent (well, maybe you) reasonable people, Labour have come off worse.

It's the average voter I worry about. I'm not sure they really understand flipping etc, other than that it is bad. Duck ponds and moats....well, in these trying economic times, I believe them to be more damaging. The gulf between the Tories and the average voter have been revealed to be as wide as ever before; perhaps I am just paranoid.

Do the public even remember what Dave's reaction was last week or the week before? This issue won't go away and with each fresh revalation, the anger levels rise again.

For instance, I don't know whether you watched Newsnight yesterday evening, but they had a feature on the Bromsgrove MP Julie somebody, a Tory. Her constituents are pretty angry, with good reason. However, the persons interviewed when asked if it would affect the way they vote, said yes. To me, that meant that they were going to vote Labour. I know it doesn't prove anything, but as an indication as to what might happen, it worried me.

As I mentioned earlier, I am just terrified of another 4-5 years of Broon. Totally and utterly, I'm going to emigrate, scared.

I just do not trust the country to ever do the right thing anymore. The UK is full of idiots.

[Funk Odyssey]

Martial Arts Man said:

DJC said:

Martial Arts Man said:

Don said:

Mclovin said:

labour never seem to be punished properly in the press for their wrong doings...

As you know - I am no Labour voter - but I disagree that Labour aren't getting taken to task by the press. The Telegraph has been discrediting as many Labour MPs as ones of other parties over the last few weeks...

I don't think the expenses muck has stuck to any one party over the other. In many ways it is great for Labour.

They couldn't really sink any lower in the polls than where they have been lately. People seem to have temporarily forgotten the real, they've fked up my country issues.

Could be the perfect time for a snap election? Does he have the balls? we will see!

No, the country hasnt. Labour have been hauled over in the Press the last cpl of weeks, the Tories have got off reasonably lightly because fortunately CMD is media savvy. He has come down hard and quick on revelations and wrong doing...so that has kept it in the media, but it has been mea culpa and then instant action...and it has also been humerous on the Tory side...Duck Ponds and Moats are far mroe amusing than threatening. Ppl can and will laugh at Duck Ponds and Moats and get over it, the labour stuff has been far more insidious and about ppl on the make. Making money out of the taxpayer, generating profit, not just daft things.

This has hurt Labour far more than the Tories.

I can't help but disagree. To you and I, intelligent (well, maybe you) reasonable people, Labour have come off worse.

It's the average voter I worry about. I'm not sure they really understand flipping etc, other than that it is bad. Duck ponds and moats....well, in these trying economic times, I believe them to be more damaging. The gulf between the Tories and the average voter have been revealed to be as wide as ever before; perhaps I am just paranoid.

Do the public even remember what Dave's reaction was last week or the week before? This issue won't go away and with each fresh revalation, the anger levels rise again.

For instance, I don't know whether you watched Newsnight yesterday evening, but they had a feature on the Bromsgrove MP Julie somebody, a Tory. Her constituents are pretty angry, with good reason. However, the persons interviewed when asked if it would affect the way they vote, said yes. To me, that meant that they were going to vote Labour. I know it doesn't prove anything, but as an indication as to what might happen, it worried me.

As I mentioned earlier, I am just terrified of another 4-5 years of Broon. Totally and utterly, I'm going to emigrate, scared.

I just do not trust the country to ever do the right thing anymore. The UK is full of idiots.

i live just up the road from Bromsgrove

to say that Julie Kirkbride is unpopular now would be an understatement

CMD is still supporting her I believe - -not sure how long he can do this


Unfortunately - Julie's husband came across as a smug tory of the highest order -- can't have helped her!

anyone remember her finance? - who died with the orange in his mouth

[Fittster]

One of the few things a conservative government could do which I would support would be to remove the BBC license fee (the fact there motivation would be revenge rather than the simple fact there shouldn't be a compulsory tax to own a television is irrelvant).

[Fittster]

The other thing is that compared to the state of the public finances a few MP fiddles are such small beer there really not worth the amount of press coverage they are getting.

[Funk Odyssey]

Fittster said:

One of the few things a conservative government could do which I would support would be to remove the BBC license fee (the fact there motivation would be revenge rather than the simple fact there shouldn't be a compulsory tax to own a television is irrelvant).

totally unimportant IMHO compared to the things they need to do!

Personally I support the fee - if it keeps the BBC commercial free

[JMGS4]

Martial Arts Man said:

It's the average voter I worry about. I'm not sure they really understand flipping etc, other than that it is bad. Duck ponds and moats....well, in these trying economic times, I believe them to be more damaging. The gulf between the Tories and the average voter have been revealed to be as wide as ever before; perhaps I am just paranoid..

I just do not trust the country to ever do the right thing anymore. The UK is full of idiots.

You're soo right... the great unwashed, chavs, pikeys and doleites, council workers and quangoites are far too dim to understand anything except "the posh barstard with the duckpond and the moat" as this is pure class hysteria.
And of course typified by the arrogant twunt Steen with his jealousy rant!

The insiduous and basically criminal way the (mainly Labour) politicos have milked the system for everything and anything will only be remebered for its moats and duckhouses, not for the criminal activities for a muslim "Minister for Justice" (ha feckin ha) or a prn channel for a Ministeresses husband.

And I also despair that the great unwashed voted these labour twunts in 3 times FFS. I beleive they're daft enough to do it again when Horemoan, Badger and Broon next get up on their hind legs and spout their socialist propaganda, while laughing their way to their expense accounts.

Welcome to the Socialist (sh!t)State of very minor Britain!!

Edited by JMGS4 on Wednesday 27th May 11:23

[Invisible man]

Funk Odyssey said:

Fittster said:

One of the few things a conservative government could do which I would support would be to remove the BBC license fee (the fact there motivation would be revenge rather than the simple fact there shouldn't be a compulsory tax to own a television is irrelvant).

totally unimportant IMHO compared to the things they need to do!

Personally I support the fee - if it keeps the BBC commercial free

I support the fee for impartiality, sod the commercials. Unfortunately I can no longer support it for that either

[Fittster]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Have you read the article?

The basic concept seem to be DC bad because he inherited wealth. Well look at the out cry over inheritance tax, people hate that and complain bitterly when they think they will have to pay it. I raised a thread on this forum suggesting it would be better to raise inheritance tax rather than income tax to help fix the public finances. I don’t think I won many people over.

The article then goes on to suggest evil Tories will cut public spending/benefits. Newsflash, the next government, whoever makes it up will have to do that or the IMF will step in a do it.

The article is a leftwing hatchet job which doesn’t address the fundamental point that the public finances are screwed and someone is going to have to make some tough choices.

[Fittster]

Invisible man said:

Funk Odyssey said:

Fittster said:

One of the few things a conservative government could do which I would support would be to remove the BBC license fee (the fact there motivation would be revenge rather than the simple fact there shouldn't be a compulsory tax to own a television is irrelvant).

totally unimportant IMHO compared to the things they need to do!

Personally I support the fee - if it keeps the BBC commercial free

I support the fee for impartiality, sod the commercials. Unfortunately I can no longer support it for that either

Why should there be an impartial TV channel (even though the BBC isn't), no one expects an impartial newspaper to be paid for out of a compulsory tax. How is the content of most BBC channels either impartial or different from what the commercial sector can supply (e.g. justify BBC 3 or Radio 1). Clearly it is largely a mass auidence entertaiment organisation, so why is there a compulsory tax to fund it?

[BOR]

Quite a good piece which highlights Cameron's lack of financial understanding.

Together with Osbourn, these toffs have come up with NO plausible long-term fiscal plan other than vague mumblings of reducing tax for the rich.

Little Lord Fauntleroy has absolutely no personal investment in the OVERALL economic revival of the UK - whatever happens he'll still be rich, or even richer, but clearly it would be pleasant if he could help his cronies keep more of their billions.

Vote Tory, Vote Toff.

[Invisible man]

Fittster said:

Invisible man said:

Funk Odyssey said:

Fittster said:

One of the few things a conservative government could do which I would support would be to remove the BBC license fee (the fact there motivation would be revenge rather than the simple fact there shouldn't be a compulsory tax to own a television is irrelvant).

totally unimportant IMHO compared to the things they need to do!

Personally I support the fee - if it keeps the BBC commercial free

I support the fee for impartiality, sod the commercials. Unfortunately I can no longer support it for that either

Why should there be an impartial TV channel (even though the BBC isn't), no one expects an impartial newspaper to be paid for out of a compulsory tax. How is the content of most BBC channels either impartial or different from what the commercial sector can supply (e.g. justify BBC 3 or Radio 1). Clearly it is largely a mass auidence entertaiment organisation, so why is there a compulsory tax to fund it?

If you look at their charter the whole raison daitre of the Beeb was to provide an impartial service, to do that it couldn't accept payment from any other source via ads etc.
I agree with you and don't think it's required any more because it isn't impartial, and we shouldn't be taxed for it. I don't agree with being forced to pay for a service to be free of commercials but agree with having the choice for people like yourself.

[grumbledoak]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Transparent left-wing hatchet job.

Rational enough?

[Fittster]

BOR said:

Quite a good piece which highlights Cameron's lack of financial understanding.

Together with Osbourn, these toffs have come up with NO plausible long-term fiscal plan other than vague mumblings of reducing tax for the rich.

Little Lord Fauntleroy has absolutely no personal investment in the OVERALL economic revival of the UK - whatever happens he'll still be rich, or even richer, but clearly it would be pleasant if he could help his cronies keep more of their billions.

Vote Tory, Vote Toff.

Tell me which of the following points you disagree with.

1. The public finances are a mess because the government spends more than it gets in revenue.
2. The solution is either a) raise taxes, b) cut spending, c) raise taxes and cut spending.

As far a I can tell the Labour party think the solution is to raise taxes, Gordon and Co have made no suggestion that if they are re-elected they will cut spending.

Are you in favour of the Labour parties solution to fix the public finances?