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Should People With Low IQ's Be Allowed To Vote?
Comments
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HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »I'm sure you don't.
Out of curiosity, what's your position on immigration?
I think we (the UK) need to attract the most skilled people in order to be successful. We need to be able to compete - we don't have the Empire any more. Great if we can do so with current residents, but unlikely to happen - there are too many people here who would rather not work or are not prepared to gain useful skills.
Although we are an island nation, business is international now - and that works both ways in that British people can move around the world to work too. There are other benefits from people around the world coming to the UK - we get to broaden our horizons and experiences (personally and as a nation), and they also get to experience how we live.
Where I start to have a problem is where newcomers to the UK from other parts of the EU can claim benefits quickly and/ or send them straight back to their home country, or people who settle here and make no effort to integrate. I also disagree with UK pensioners who live in Spain getting the winter fuel allowance.
Does that make me pro- or anti-immigration?
Do you think I should be allowed to vote?0 -
Where I start to have a problem is where newcomers to the UK from other parts of the EU can claim benefits quickly and/ or send them straight back to their home country, or people who settle here and make no effort to integrate.
I would agree with both of those points.
I also think it's a such a vanishingly small problem that if need be we can live with it in order to reap all the far bigger benefits of immigration. It's certainly not worth leaving the EU over.
So do you think EU immigration has been a net benefit or a net detriment to the UK economically?“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
-- President John F. Kennedy”0 -
HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »I would agree with both of those points.
I also think it's a such a vanishingly small problem that if need be we can live with it in order to reap all the far bigger benefits of immigration. It's certainly not worth leaving the EU over.
So do you think EU immigration has been a net benefit or a net detriment to the UK economically?
I'm not sure whether or not it is a vanishingly small problem - I would think in comparison to the UK born people who abuse the benefits system it is of course smaller, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be tackled (both aspects should be tackled - benefits should support those in genuine need, not be a lifestyle choice).
I would have to do more research to be able to give you an opinion on whether there was a net benefit or detriment, I have no idea I'm afraid. I strayed onto this thread because I don't think we should pick and choose who gets a say on important issues.
I will try to look into it and see if I can form an opinion one way or another...
Edit - I don't think we should leave the EU. I do think we need to re-evaluate our position though. I don't think that the potential referendum has been suggested for after the next election as Cameron is an ace negotiator, more that the EU has a lot to consider at the moment (e.g. closer fiscal integration for the Eurozone), so things are likely to change anyway.0 -
Well, duh, we all have an agenda.
It's usually the welfare of ourselves / our families / our communities. Possibly in that order, not always though.
So how has EU immigration to date negatively impacted the welfare of you and your family?
Given that it has led to economic growth, an increase in the total levels of employment for the native born, and also increased average wages for 95% of the native population?You believe immigration is the only route to growth.
I believe immigration is the fastest and easiest way to growth, which is not quite the same thing.
I also believe immigration is necessary for us to maintain the balance between workers and pensioners, at least for the next couple of decades until the increasing birth rate pays dividends.I believe you can work smarter; do more with less people; and achieve a sustainable economy.
Even if that were true, why would you want to?
There are few detriments to immigration, and massive positives.If Scotland vote for independence you may have more success pushing for an immigration led approach as a separate country. I'm sure the rest of the UK would watch on with interest.
Scotland would be better off as part of the UK, which in turn is better off as part of the EU.
The only way I would consider supporting independence was if the UK voted to leave the EU, or voted to become a second-class EU member.“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
-- President John F. Kennedy”0 -
HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »The only way I would consider supporting independence was if the UK voted to leave the EU, or voted to become a second-class EU member.
Do you think we should join the Euro?0 -
I strayed onto this thread because I don't think we should pick and choose who gets a say on important issues.
So you don't think that people voting on an important issue should at the very least have to have the intellectual capacity to understand complex issues, and enough knowledge of the topic to make an informed decision?I will try to look into it and see if I can form an opinion one way or another...
And that is why threads like this are not a......wind up
“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
-- President John F. Kennedy”0 -
Do you think we should join the Euro?
Not at this time.
Although it is entirely possible that it may be to our benefit to do so at some point in the future.“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
-- President John F. Kennedy”0 -
HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »So you don't think that people voting on an important issue should at the very least have to have the intellectual capacity and knowledge of the topic to make an informed decision?
And that is why threads like this are not a......
If you mean about the possible referendum - I have a few years to form my opinion. If we were told that we were having the referendum in May I would get reading a bit more quickly.0 -
Edit - I don't think we should leave the EU. I do think we need to re-evaluate our position though. .
How so?
It seems to me we already have a sweetheart deal in terms of exemptions, rebates, etc, so we have the best of both worlds.“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie – deliberate, contrived, and dishonest – but the myth, persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.”
-- President John F. Kennedy”0 -
HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »Not at this time.
Although it is entirely possible that it may be to our benefit to do so at some point in the future.
Do you not think that we are going
as the Eurozone integrate more closely?HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »to become a second-class EU member.0
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