| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Geography Lesson #3 | |
| Posted by: | Sam Hearn Cllr | |
| Date/Time: | 09/12/10 13:34:00 |
| Something we can agree on Carrie. Really bemused by Steve's comment. It would not be the England that I know and love if going in your thousands to Westminster to exercise your legal right to protest and "change the world" was OK, but going into Parliament to discuss things directly with your MP at her place of work was a waste of money. That said, it was fascinating joining classes of fifth and six formers as Chiswick Community School for discussions with Boris Johnson and Baroness Warsi. You really see a another side to your politicians if you have the chance to meet them close up. Every year in October we celebrate Democracy week. I wonder how many local MPs and Councillors make it into a school or college? A Chiswick Councillor recounts the tale of having "addressed" a group of local primary school children and being floored by their first question. He was asked "Why are women and slaves not allowed to vote?" The Head Teacher had to explain to him that the class had just been learning about democracy in ancient Athens. Really not sure about your comments about rich people not being able to understand the problems of the poor. Presumably this dictum would not apply to the likes of Tony "Wegewood"Benn,Tariq Ali, Geoffrey Robinson, Lord Rogers etc? You could turn this argument on its head and say that poor people cannot understand the worlds of public finance and international banking and should therefore not be allowed to be elected and become involved in the government of the country. As a democrat I think such arguments suck even if you do end up with Alan Johnson a self confessed economics ignoramus as shadow chancellor. As for your arguments about the companies that avoid tax. If they have broken the law they should be prosecuted. If they have not broken the law then what wonderful new legislation are you proposing? Presumably those famously poor people Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling spent a long time working on that one? Wonder what the kid's will think about Labour's new/old policy on tuition fees - a graduate tax? Same loans, same debts, same hand in your wallet.... |