'Feeling empathy for Gordon' blog discussion

supersaver09

Churchmouse wrote: »

I can't believe the number of people who think what Gordon Brown did is OK and not worthy of censure or criticism. For those congratulating him for disliking "bigots", he didn't dislike her enough to say it to her face, or make his point publicly.

If he did that, i think it would have been even worse for him! :eek:
He'd be accused of all sorts. Bullying an OAP......etc. etc.

PhylPho

Martin as a Money Saving Expert is always going to be admired.

Which is why it's probably best to avoid any risk of being cast as Gordon Brown's Face Saving Expert.

Nothing in the 'bigot incident' provides grounds for empathy. Not only did the woman concerned not pose any kind of malicious question, the answer she received was as shallow as it was dismissive, albeit in the most genial style.

However. . .

Compare that geniality with the mood mere moments later: the low, angry growling of a man seemingly intent on conjuring forth some entirely non-existent issue simply in order to intimidate those around him.

Pure Brown.

A man who bullied his way through Government.

Who surrounded himself with some of the most odious 'Special Advisers' it's ever been the taxpayers' unfortunate lot to fund.

A man who ran The Treasury as his own fiefdom so as to re-shape Britain as his own Socialist State.

Who has so unattractive a track record as a political thug that the current Chancellor had to admit that "the hounds of Hell" were set upon him when he dared contradict Brown's deceitful emollience about the true condition of the UK economy, the true depth of the UK recession.

No wonder, then, that the public voice in the 'bigot' clip is vastly different from the private voice. Just as the public face is vastly different from the private face.

Still. Why worry?

After the triumph of Wednesday's stage-managed walkabout, Labour's latest set-piece this morning has been disrupted by an erratically driven dustbin wagon and resultant road traffic accident, evidence -- were any such still needed -- that Brown's Government is indeed utter rubbish and Labour's effort to cling to power a real car-crash of an election campaign.

Add all that to the fact that someone who can't even figure out how to switch off a microphone really has no place at the levers of power and the outcome of the May 6th vote means that poor Gordon really will have a hell of a lot to growl about.

Though he'll still be deserving of no kind of empathy.

PhylPho

mattytun wrote: »

Sorry but. . . That isn't Gordon Brown.

I'm beginning to appreciate the scale of your eyesight problem.

ManyDollarz

Considering this site is all about "saving money" in every nook and cranny, it totally amazes me that there can be any support for lumbering eejit Brown sticking the UK with a £1t mountain. There's sod all left to tax other than air and sex.

When have we ever seen Martin on here or on TV advising us all to stick your debt onto "another" card and give yourself even "more" interest to pay. No, Martin keeps telling us to "cut" our own debt. Wake up - does that sound like something GB will honestly be doing next? I have a 5 year plan. I have a tax credit. I have a Pickfords van ordered for next week.

dizzie

No empathy for Gordon Brown here! Two points really:

1. Can I trust a PM and a government who IMO has made a mess of the economy - selling gold reserves at rock bottom price...bringing in excessive amounts of legislation and red tape to create jobs for the boys...at colossal expense to the taxpayer...who now almost needs to consult the new rules to see if he or she is still allowed to breath!...or a Labour government who gave away our rebate back to Brussels so we have to pay more into Europe, and yet have a deficit near the same dimensions as Greece! A government - who abolished the 10p tax rate for the less well off...and then had to spend more money to bring in further rules to correct for that mistake..."Hello...don't we have a right to expect those in charge of our finances and our tax levels to think BEFORE they act?). A government who, time and time again seems incapable of setting up public service projects - like the NHS computer system for example without massive crises,whilst costs spiral out of control...

So, Brown tells us the economy is his strong area....I'd not like to ask him what his weak areas are!

Meanwhile, Blair takes time out from his busy mega money-making schedule and shows his sun-tanned face to support Brown. But first, he's made sure that he's used all the legal loopholes to keep the taxman as bamboozled and clueless as possible about the sums his companies are making!


2. Can I trust a PM who is asked a question by a genuinely concerned pensioner...who then abuses her behind her back. A man who choses to smile inanely during these TV debates...who harps on...not about what he would actually do to change the things the British public are so unhappy about...but let's face it - Labour have had a long time in office...and if it was going to happen...it should have bloomin' well done so by now! No, his main thrust is just to try to distort the policies of the other two parties and then try to whip up a frenzy based on these distorted fabrications to scare people. A kind of "Better the devil you know" tactic...Hardly the resigned mindset I want to be in when I'm casting my vote next week!

Truth be known, I'm not overenamoured by any of the political parties or politicians for that matter. There is no doubting that they all have warts and our choice just has to be based on whose warts we feel are less noticeable and relevant. But I am ready for change and though I retain a healthy cynicism about the other parties, I feel that this tired old country and its residents need a fresh pair of eyes and hands.

Honestly...sympathy for Gordon Brown...pull the other one!

RobertoMoir

mattytun wrote: »

Gordy is still getting my vote..................Labour
Dont think the other two would have got us through the last couple of years if they was in power.

You mean the last couple of years that labour's ineptness contributed to in a major way in the first place?

Who's the better driver - the driver whose swift reactions saved an accident from being more serious than it was or the driver who didn't have the accident in the first place because they avoided the danger in the first place?

mattytun

PhylPho

Optimist

mattytun wrote: »

PhylPho

The British Nigerian Party ?

I have heard of them they want send all whites home !

shirlgirl2004

No sympathy for GB from me. He is more two faced than most. He stood there and said to the woman she is from a lovely family and then 10 seconds later is calling her a bigot. Now I can understand him being polite but if you really dislike someone you don't need to be all gushy over them.

He really did show contempt for the woman. Yes she was a pain and didn't give him a chance to answer her questions but of all the words I could use to describe her bigot wouldn't be one of them.

dizzie

Paul_Herring wrote: »

It can't. It's preventing the government reducing £1,000 billion debt we're in at the moment.

I actually think that stopping the NI tax rise is a positive thing for the economy and here's why:

First there are all sorts of companies - big ones, small ones and sizes in between. But they are all out there to make money.

The big global ones can usually chose where in the world they are based...and employment costs are a massive factor. If Big Joe Bloggs finds it cheaper to produce his goods in Timbucktoo rather than in Britain, then that's precisely where he'll consider going...after he's packed up his bags in Britain, closed his factories and put hundreds or thousands of people out of work...people who then often have to claim benefits from our government because they are faced with no other choice! And the remaining and dwindling numbers of taxpayers have to cough up more to pay for this.

The little companies also have to make money. My mum works for a small family business that was forced to let one third of its workforce go during the recession...just to stay afloat. My mum had to go down to a four day working week just to keep her job, and now gets working tax credits as a result...which costs the taxpayer too. This company is just about managing to make ends meet, but start increasing the NI that they have to pay and they might not be able to increase people's hours again, or take on more staff to get their employee numbers back up to where they were a couple of years ago. And that reduced employment levels means less taxes going into the kitty from staff working fewer hours, more benefits being paid out such as working tax credits and unemployment benefits to those laid off and fewer people in work to foot the bill.