Politics is broken. And nobody cares

After taking 23% of the national share of the vote and electing 150 odd councillors, the political class responded to UKIP (and those who voted for the party) with sheer contempt. The Conservatives were patronising, Labour just ignored the result and claim it showed Miliband was wining the argument; the Liberal Democrats were extremely arrogant and almost insulting.

The gulf between the establishment and ordinary people is extraordinary.  This professionalised political class cannot relate to the real world; majority of them have only experience careers in politics and being apart of a political machine. And the majority are almost educated to a university standard – unlike the rest of society. MP’s, with their subsidised lifestyles, are incapable of understanding the life of the man in the pub. In fact the man in the pub is a problem to politicians; his attitudes and political views are alien and almost at odds with the political consensus at Westminster.

If you eat, drink or smoke too much then the state does not like you. Somewhere in Whitehall, a Minister has decided your habits need government intervention. Whether you like it or not. Reject it, then suffer the consequences of your sinful ways costing an extra couple of pounds. We distaste the ‘nanny state’ and the government are consciously aware of the consequences of its actions. But it still continues to poke us with a stick.

These social engineering policies, a desire to create a perfect society, are another reason why people rebelled against the establishment and voted UKIP.

But, still, 60+% of us didn’t vote in the Local Elections. People have become so disillusioned with the whole circus that voting has become irrelevant.  We’ve stopped caring a long time ago. And so has Westminster.

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The Haunting Reality of Terrrosim

One of the most vivid memories of my childhood was when I was merely four years old and playing with Lego with my mother. It was a normal day, nothing special, just engaging in some relatively mundane childish activity; at the lunch time ITN News Bulletin, the leading story was a police officer shot and killed by the IRA. That officer was my mother’s own cousin. She was unaware of his death until his picture appeared on the news.

Even if us humans achieved immortality, I doubt we’d be able to conceive the understanding of terrorism and the justification to hold innocents to account. It is grotesquely absurd, but we sadly live in a world where bad things do and can happen on a regular basis; including arbitrary acts of random violence.

Any subject matter, idea or religious doctrine can be turned into a call for arms. The warped reality is individuals who think crimes against innocents can be transformed into revolutionary acts, but the opposite always occurs. One man terrorists is not another mans freedom fighter; violence is violence. It can never be purified or presented into any form of admiration.

A routine sporting event in Boston has been transformed into a graveyard; the marathon will now always be associated with broken hearts and tears. Families were destroyed because someone, or group, had a problem with the United States Federal Government.  A pathetic reason and one I will never understand. I’m a libertarian, it is my political belief to always be sceptical towards government, but that distrust is not a vendetta.

The United States has a long history of political terrorism. Many groups and individuals, from the far left and right, have launched terrorist campaigns against Federal and public locations. Every time the political doctrine, which “inspired” the attacks, became alienated by the political mainstream. In other words, political terrorism ends up destroying its own cause more effectively than the government.

Political terrorism never brings about change, only creates chaos.

Haruki Murakami once said, when speaking about the Boston marathon;

I’ve run the Boston Marathon 6 times before. I think the best aspects of the marathon are the beautiful changes of the scenery along the route and the warmth of the people’s support. I feel happier every time I enter this marathon.

Remember those words, not that of the terrorist.

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Alas, I’ve lost faith with politics

As a political blogger, politics is a wide subject which should create opportunities to write on a variety of topics; the material is endless, with breaking stories providing a new blog post every hour.

But what happens when you find yourself repeating the same complaints and authoring the exact critique over and over again?

There comes a point where you lose the ability to write; not a writers block, or a mental fatigue that clouds intuition and creativity. No, a creeping apathy that poisons your fingers, mind and senses. The nature of our politics has beaten me into submission. I generally cannot write anymore; it is not a struggle, but a refusal to acknowledge British politics.

I’m tired. I’m tired fighting the same fight. Political parties have become mass cults with blind loyalty to dogma and leadership. It is horrifying to witness the individualism stripped from the heart of politics and replaced with mindless drones, repeating words from a predetermined answer. You and I are irrelevant to the decision making; the centralisation of power to the Bank of England and the European Union almost makes democracy redundant. Neither are accountable to us, yet have arguably the most significant authority in the United Kingdom.

Will change ever arrive? I highly doubt it; my cynical attitude concludes the battle is already lost and going on will prove pointless in the long term. But, for now, the pen will be laid to rest after this chapter and the candle shall be blown out.

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Thoughts on Margaret Thatcher and her memory….

I’m not going to discuss politics or legacy. But, when I heard Margaret had died, I recalled these words of US President Richard Nixon when he resigned from office:

Always remember that others may hate you but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them. And then you destroy yourself.

It perfectly described her Premiership. She truly did not care that some opponents hated her, Thatcher went on to secure three General Election victories and served from 4 May 1979 – 28 November 1990. Longest serving Prime Minister of the 20th Century.

Tony Blair followed the same philosophy, along with the new generation party leaders of Nick Clegg, David Cameron and Ed Miliband – leave the hatred to others. It you desire to lead and bring about true change, then prepare to be hated by some quarters.

The House of Commons, Mother of all Parliaments, has a unique ability of creating great leaders. Churchill, Attlee, Lloyd George, Disraeli, Gladestone, William Pitt the Younger are among her greatest offspring. Margaret Thatcher, rightly or wrongly, joins the fine and exclusive club of great Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

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Labour protests against mythical “Bedroom Tax”. But would still keep it

So much for all the huff and puff at PMQ’s from Ed Miliband. His Shadow Housing Minister has no intention of blocking reductions to housing benefits….

 

 

Next time you see a Labour party activist, Councilor or MP tweeting about the unfair “Bedroom Tax” please send them the above interview…

 

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Will Lord Rennard be Clegg’s downfall?

After denying he knew anything, Clegg confessed he was made aware of non-specific and indirect concerns/allegations against Lord Rennard in 2008. Danny Alexander asked Lord Rennard about the accusations of sexual harassment, but the Lord denied the claims. Another senior Liberal Democrat, Jo Swinson, has been accused of not acting and covering up the allegations. His chief of staff is also under fire.

At this stage there is no evidence to suggest the party has silenced or covered up the claims. But questions about Nick Clegg and his leadership now (and back in 2008) have resurfaced. He is currently 4/1 to leave the Cabinet and the press coverage was horrific this morning; Clegg was on the front page of nearly every paper. The negative headlines are starting to unnerve a few within the party.

Will this lead to Clegg’s downfall as Liberal Democrat leader? at this moment in time, it is difficult to tell. As I stressed, there is no evidence of any claims of a cover-up. But, his position might become unstable if people come forward and publicly contradict him.

If he can get pass the weekend, without any hiccups, Clegg will survive. Again.

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20% tax on fizzy drinks will hurt the poorest in society

As I wrote last year, any taxation on fizzy drinks would be a tax on the poor. But, yet again, Doctors are demanding a tax on fizzy drinks and more draconian actions:

Doctors today demanded a 20 per cent tax on fizzy drinks and a ban on fast-food outlets near schools to tackle Britain’s obesity problem.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has drawn up an action plan in response to the UK’s current status as the fat man of Europe.

It added that councils should limit the number of fast food outlets allowed to operate near schools, colleges, leisure centres and other places where children gather.

You cannot control what people eat and drink; nor can you force them to change their diets, especially if healthier alternatives are more expensive.  The Academy of Medical Royal College fails to acknowledge that a significant portion of individuals purchase fizzy drinks and fatty foods because it’s what they can only afford. It is a not an arbitrary decision, some families have little or no choice but to buy cheap, low quality and unhealthy food.

It is also absurd to suggest restricting the numbers of fast food outlets near certain public places. Again, the College fails to take into account the numerous jobs fast food outlets provide for the community.

Similar to minimum pricing of alcohol, the majority should not be punished. There is zero justification for increasing the average family food budget to appease a special interest group. Hopefully, the Department of Health will ignore these recommendations and not seek to tax the poorest in society.

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Workfare is anti-free markets and a product of state corporatism

Firstly, can I point out, workfare is not slave labour; and it is insulting for the Left to suggests workfare is similar to labour camps in North Korea and China. The victims of the transatlantic slave trade did not work 9-5 hours and receive benefits from the government; in fact, majority died of exploitation and torture. Unlike those participating in Workfare.

But excusing the ignorance of the Left, Workfare is wrong and immoral. It gives certain businesses unfair advantage in the labour market and access to cheap workers. Company A does not have to compete with Company B,C and D IF the state is providing them with much needed labourers.  And benefit payments substitute the requirement of a potential minimum wage; therefore, Company A is allowed to bypass specific laws and competition requirements. Only because the government said it was OK.

How is that fair? Company B risks legal action and investigations, if it avoided providing the basic minimum wage to employees. Workfare is a prime example of the consequences and long term damage of government intervention. Unemployment data becomes irrelevant if the state is distorting job creation and the overall ability of the labour market to function.

Of course, the principle of Workfare is not really the problem. Providing the unemployed with work experience, whilst receiving benefits, is a good way to achieve responsibility and a sense of reward. But restricting them to certain businesses, who signed up to the program, is the controversial point. The Department of Work and Pensions decides who receives the free labour and when. The individual has little say in the process. In all, it is false job creation and a cheap method to bring the unemployment rate down; technically, these people are working.

Like the East India Company, Workfare is crony state corporatism and a product of ministerial favourtism. A select few of approved businesses have access to thousands of cheap labour whilst the rest have to compete for workers. Sadly, due to the rise of state capitalism, Workfare is the precursor to more government intervention and the decline of true free and competitive labour markets.

Welcome to 21st Century state corporatism.

 

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In order to save our politics, it must be destroyed. First.

Here is the ultimatum of our camp. What can be smashed must be smashed; whatever will stand the blow is sound, what flies into smithereens is rubbish; at any rate, hit out right and left, no harm will or can come of it.

- Russian Nihilist Dmitri Pisarev

Parliament, government, the police, media, finance, the economy, European Union and the United Nations are all fundamentally broken. This stalemate, this inability to achieve a basic solution to advance individual needs and aspiration is becoming a dangerous roadblock.

The education system is failing to teach basic needs and the NHS is killing us. Whilst wages remain stagnate, or shrinking, MP’s awarded themselves a pay rise. Nobody bothers to vote anymore, yet political parties claim to speak for the majority. Fundamental principles of capitalism have been masqueraded, if not altered, by this alien corporate system (both political and economic).

Britain has become a kleptocracy.

If we’re ever to achieve a new politics and economy, then the current system needs to be destroyed; and on its foundations a democracy built. In the last year, I’ve lost massive faith in politics and the ability of elected officials to do anything remotely beneficial.

We require a new constitutional settlement, but I have little faith in the current attitudes of the majority, who seems quite happy to allow the corruption to continue. Only we can bring change, not those who are apart of the problem.

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Let’s privatise marriage

The decision to get married is a private matter between two people; and neither party requires permission or a license, in my opinion. Of course, the state has to ensure neither individual is coerced into the arrangement (forced or child marriages) and the decision is based on mutual consent.

As Sam Bowman writes;

Removing the need to get a state licence for ‘marriage’ would allow consenting adults to sign whatever contract they want and call it marriage. People would be free to draw up contracts tailor-made for them, or to take one of the one-size-fits-all ‘marriage contracts’ that would inevitably be offered by private firms.

This rather simple step would make the whole marriage debate redundant. Any pair of consenting adults – gay, bisexual, straight, transsexual, or anything else – could agree to a contract that suits them and hold a marriage ceremony wherever would have them. (I say a pair, but there is no reason that three or four or more consenting adults should not be allowed to share their lives with each other in a private marriage, if they want.)

If two people love each other, then what is a) the issue and b) why should the state stop them? and, as a society, who are we to judge?

The religious argument, to restrict marriage, is obtuse. It is absurd to ask the state to only recognise religious ceremonies as superior to the rest of society; belief in a deity is an individual choice and should not require the blessing from the government. If a religious building wishes to restrict who can get married on its property, then fine. After all, it is private property.

But if we are to have true equal marriage, then why not take the decision away from the state and return it to individuals? The only successful argument against marriage is coercion; a marriage should be recognise on mutual consent. Love is a powerful emotion that does not require acceptance from a collective; it is a choice we make as individuals. Love cannot be forced.

Humans are free to form relationships with any other human. And it is none of the states business who we choose to love or marry.

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