IDS Then and now

[Rincewind]

www.the guardian.com/comments are free/2013/Nov/08/duncan-smith-povety-benefit-sanctions-easterhouse

[MooseBreath]

www.the guardian.com/comments are free/2013/Nov/08/duncan-smith-povety-benefit-sanctions-easterhouse

Well, at least my links actually link

[Night Air]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/08/duncan-smith-poverty-benefit-sanctions-easterhouse ?

[Guest MattP]

Well, at least my links actually link

 

lol

[Rincewind]

Sorry can't seem to do links on this tablet

The comment by mrtimbee is good. If you did not know the computer that was set up to deal with universal credit has gone up the spout. It cost a few million to set up. IDS says he has set up a team to sort it out. Another scheme wasting taxpayers money in order to save less than it costs to run.

[Guest MattP]

Sorry can't seem to do links on this tablet

 

I'm devastated, I was looking forward to another one of your balanced links from the Guardian on something to do with benefits.

 

I'll stick to Panj Pani/DNO for a more right wing viewpoint I think.

[Alf Bentley]

I see that IDS is still "the quiet man", then...

[Guest MattP]

I see that IDS is still "the quiet man", then...

 

I watched the speech a few weeks ago, I cringed at the time and I cringed even more then.

 

Felt sorry for him because going up against someone with the charisma of Blair was impossible, but I still have no idea what he was trying to do.

[Alf Bentley]

I watched the speech a few weeks ago, I cringed at the time and I cringed even more then.

 

Felt sorry for him because going up against someone with the charisma of Blair was impossible, but I still have no idea what he was trying to do.

 

It's about time that people got sick of charisma, be it Bliar or Call Me Dave, but I wouldn't bank on it. Remember there was even "Cleggmania" for a fortnight back in 2010...

 

Still, IDS did keep his promise when he said that "the quiet man" would be "turning up the volume"...little did we realise that he meant that he'd be turning up the volume on his Aga to roast benefit claimants in it!

[Fox92]

My knowledge of politics is that good, I thought this was going to be about how ID's have changed over the years.

[Guest MattP]

It's about time that people got sick of charisma, be it Bliar or Call Me Dave, but I wouldn't bank on it. Remember there was even "Cleggmania" for a fortnight back in 2010...

 

Still, IDS did keep his promise when he said that "the quiet man" would be "turning up the volume"...little did we realise that he meant that he'd be turning up the volume on his Aga to roast benefit claimants in it!

 

It's not going away unfortunately, I'd love to think it is but it isn't. We have entered fully into the X-Factor age where style comes over substance. Policy is at the heart of a vote for probably no more than those 10-15% of the population now who take a interest in politics.

 

I've heard it all in the last few years from people my age, everything from "I'm not voting for him, look at his hair" to "I always vote for the nicest logo" - and those votes are just as important as yours or mine. Democracy is wonderful, but it is flawed in the terms of the fact two idiots can outvote a genius.

 

If David Beckham stood for election he'd probably win, I shouldn't say this but the more I speak to people in general voter apathy might even be a good thing.

[leicsmac]

It's not going away unfortunately, I'd love to think it is but it isn't. We have entered fully into the X-Factor age where style comes over substance. Policy is at the heart of a vote for probably no more than those 10-15% of the population now who take a interest in politics.

 

I've heard it all in the last few years from people my age, everything from "I'm not voting for him, look at his hair" to "I always vote for the nicest logo" - and those votes are just as important as yours or mine. Democracy is wonderful, but it is flawed in the terms of the fact two idiots can outvote a genius.

 

If David Beckham stood for election he'd probably win, I shouldn't say this but the more I speak to people in general voter apathy might even be a good thing.

 

A stupid, facile populace is useful though. Easy to manipulate come election time. And the American-style obsession with style (as you have mentioned) just makes it even easier. Of course, those calling the shots know this well.

 

You've probably told me this before, but what's your view on Proportional Representation/Alternative Vote? It might remove some of the absolutism regarding votes that FPTP gives, and that might be a good thing? I'm pretty sure you know my view on the matter.

[Guest MattP]

A stupid, facile populace is useful though. Easy to manipulate come election time. And the American-style obsession with style (as you have mentioned) just makes it even easier. Of course, those calling the shots know this well.

 

You've probably told me this before, but what's your view on Proportional Representation/Alternative Vote? It might remove some of the absolutism regarding votes that FPTP gives, and that might be a good thing? I'm pretty sure you know my view on the matter.

 

I'm the only Tory in the World who thinks Proportional Representation is what our voting system should be.

 

It's fairer and it represents the population as a whole, if % of the population want the Greens in Power then that's how it should be, the argument of it creating more coalitions is facile now as we are in that territory anyway. The argument it brings fringe groups into parliament isn't pleasant and sounds anti-democratic.

 

You should want the UKIP share to hold up at the minute, not just because of the damage it would do to the Tories but also because of how ridiculous it would make FPTP look.

 

Can you imagine having to defend that system on the current poll? If UKIP got 10-11% of the vote Nationwide, the Lib Dems got 9-10% and the former has not a single representative in the House but the latter has 30 odd?

[leicsmac]

I'm the only Tory in the World who thinks Proportional Representation is what our voting system should be.

 

It's fairer and it represents the population as a whole, if % of the population want the Greens in Power then that's how it should be, the argument of it creating more coalitions is facile now as we are in that territory anyway. The argument it brings fringe groups into parliament isn't pleasant and sounds anti-democratic.

 

You should want the UKIP share to hold up at the minute, not just because of the damage it would do to the Tories but also because of how ridiculous it would make FPTP look.

 

Can you imagine having to defend that system on the current poll? If UKIP got 10-11% of the vote Nationwide, the Lib Dems got 9-10% and the former has not a single representative in the House but the latter has 30 odd?

 

I think we definitely have an accord on this.

 

You should be rooting for a hung Parliament in 2015 then too, that'll make FPTP look plenty stupid too, especially as there's no way the Lib Dems will be able to make a coalition this time,

[Guest MattP]

I think we definitely have an accord on this.

 

You should be rooting for a hung Parliament in 2015 then too, that'll make FPTP look plenty stupid too, especially as there's no way the Lib Dems will be able to make a coalition this time,

 

I'd be delighted to see another Hung Parliament, the Tories can't win, if they can't defeat Gordon Brown then they have no hope this time. Just thankful it's not David M and the Unions still have some influence over Labour or it would already be over.

 

They can, Clegg, Cable etc would do anything to keep themselves in power and if that means propping up Miliband they would do it, they are the party with no shame.

[Rincewind]

I think we definitely have an accord on this.

 

You should be rooting for a hung Parliament in 2015 then too, that'll make FPTP look plenty stupid too, especially as there's no way the Lib Dems will be able to make a coalition this time,

Hopefully not with the tories.p or with clegg as leader at least. I may have more confidence in them with a new leader. Still disillusioned with them all I,m afraid ATM.

[leicsmac]

I'd be delighted to see another Hung Parliament, the Tories can't win, if they can't defeat Gordon Brown then they have no hope this time. Just thankful it's not David M and the Unions still have some influence over Labour or it would already be over.

 

They can, Clegg, Cable etc would do anything to keep themselves in power and if that means propping up Miliband they would do it, they are the party with no shame.

 

Agree with you on the political ambition they possess, but I think they simply won't get enough seats to be an pivotally influencing factor this time round. Their core support thinks they have sold their souls to the Devil and everyone else thinks they're vapid and useless.

[Guest MattP]

Agree with you on the political ambition they possess, but I think they simply won't get enough seats to be an pivotally influencing factor this time round. Their core support thinks they have sold their souls to the Devil and everyone else thinks they're vapid and useless.

 

Could be right. Though it's a big decision come polling day when you have a slip and a pen in front of you. Marking that X in another box is harder than people think (was for me anyway)

[ADK]

We'll probably get a hung parliament where the deciding votes come from parties like the SNP and Plaid Cymru, ie people with no interest in 90% of the population.