Do you think we could have avoided recession if the Tories were in power?

mewbie_2

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

The rich would have been even richer and the poor left to rot.
GG

Arguably the rich are currently poorer... and the poor are being left to rot. Good to know there is a constant among different governments.

Rochdale_Pioneers

Wookster wrote: »

Life on Planet Rochdale must be good eh?

And I suppose there is someone writing out blank cheques to pay for Crash's mega budget deficits as well.

I'm begining to think you are a Labour plant Rochdale. You have no capacity to criticise Labour at all and you cannot recognise their faults at all. :rolleyes:

Sorry, I thought this was a threat looking at what Tory policies might have looked like, not a "lets criticise Labour one". Something about the title "Do you think we could have avoided recession if the Tories were in power?" suggests that whatever criticisms I made about Brown in other threads aren't suitable here.

Still, if it enables you to get off on calling me a Labour plant again (yawn) then fine. Do you feel better for the experience?

Teacher2301

Gorgeous_George wrote: »

people would not have the support of a minimum wage.

On this point, perhaps this is a factor in why so many people borrowed beyond their means and capability to pay back loans etc.

Would the less well off (people in the UK are not 'poor' - they have possessions, shelter, food etc - unlike many real poor people I've seen living in Africa) have borrowed or even been allowed to borrow such large sums if they were not on a minimum wage.

To qualify this statement - I mean no offence to anyone on the minimum wage who manages their money and is in debt but for some less educated, should they have been loaned such large sums?

ninky_2

Teacher2301 wrote: »

(people in the UK are not 'poor' - they have possessions, shelter, food etc - unlike many real poor people I've seen living in Africa)

someone once said we need prisons in order to know that we are free.

i often wonder if we in this country need africa / third world to know we are rich.

if someone is in debt they are poor. in fact they are worse than poor. they are in a negative equity of life in that they owe a portion of their future to pay back their debt.

i know that shots of barefooted ragged clothed children induces sentiments of empathy more than mental images of hp car driving, plasma (i can't resist it) tv watching credit card defaulters. but if it wasn't for the safety of the benefit system their next meal might not be that secure either.

bendix

Do you think those not only relying on benefit but also opting for a life on benefit (see the thread on the Chawners) and who use benefit to finance credit and who have cars, tvs, dvds and eat takeaway food are poor?

They may opt to be in debt to finance a lifestyle beyond OUR means, but they are not poor and to compare their poverty with the genuine poverty of Africans or Asians is rather disingenuous.

Lakelady_2

Was the general concenus yes or no?

Really2

Lakelady wrote: »

Was the general concenus yes or no?

No but if were chickens it would have been a lot easier on all of us.

But it looks like the turkeys will be stuffed again this Christmas.

Wookster

Rochdale_Pioneers wrote: »

Still, if it enables you to get off on calling me a Labour plant again (yawn) then fine. Do you feel better for the experience?

You are a male equivalent of Hazel Blears judging by your capacity to sing off the same Labour hymn sheet.

Teacher2301

ninky wrote: »

if someone is in debt they are poor....but if it wasn't for the safety of the benefit system their next meal might not be that secure either.

No - the less well off in the UK are not poor - they are relatively poorer than some but my point is - have you ever seen real poverty? Not that sentimental photography with someone talking over it asking for money - I mean real poverty? Where people have nothing, no state benefit to fall back on, nothing! - Perhaps we do need Africa to make us feel rich.

ninky_2

bendix wrote: »

Do you think those not only relying on benefit but also opting for a life on benefit (see the thread on the Chawners) and who use benefit to finance credit and who have cars, tvs, dvds and eat takeaway food are poor?

Yes I do actually. And I find comparisons to Africa / Asia or the past unhelpful. It reminds me a little of a radio comedy sketch show (think it was the Goons) where the various contributors argue over who had the most deprived childhood "Coal? You ate coal? Cor, we could only dream of eating coal...".

I don't think being able to buy Chicken McNuggets or being stuck at home watching the shopping channel is any kind of life. And to those suggesting simply getting rid of the benefits system, how would they then make the likes of the Chawners any richer than the shanty town dwellers of Africa?