[Henry Chinaski]

Originally Posted by rocketassist

Loved the way Murdoch's lot were making out Cameron won the debate and the presenters were disagreeing with anyone whose opinion differed.

Fuck off Rupert.

Murdoch's coverage has been disgusting.

Mail and Torygraph even worse.

[buddyholly]

I suppose the Grauniad was exemplary.

[Horatio Caine]

We need to get Labour out, that is for sure. They are to blame for the depth of the recession imo (banks weren't regulated properly etc), and whilst they have got us back into growth, it is at a hideously slow rate which suggests that their plan isn't working properly for the enormous financial risk they took (nearly bankrupting the country).

I had to laugh about Brown's words on getting the 'younger' generation into training/work...currently we have ridiculous statistics for under-25s out of work, and we are in danger of losing a generation of potential talent.

Cameron's approach about the unemployment benefit is a good one imo...either accept a job you are offered, or have your benefits taken away. For anyone that watched Panorama a couple of days ago (about 4 young lads struggling to find work in Swindon), the two guys out of work (at the time of filming) would actually benefit from this...one needs a kick up the backside. The same for many others who just can't be bothered to help themselves.

Clegg's idea to make the first £10,000 of a person's income tax-free is absolutely revolting. Obviously he is targeting votes from the large number of lower-paid people in the country, but if we are to reduce national debt we still need to be taking taxes off each of them. Not fair to lump much of the bill on the higher earners.

In all, the Conservatives look like the best of a bad bunch, for me (but I'd welcome any constructive comments from more informed people here...might help me to decide)...I don't particularly like Cameron, and I'm not sure how far he can be trusted, but this country needs new, fresh input, immediately...for better or worse (obviously hopefully better). I liked his economic approach...aims to get the banks lending again, targeting small businesses etc. No doubt there could be a risk of a double-dip recession if his party attempts to get things moving, but the subsequent recovery could be a whole lot more convincing than this current one.


As for advocates for a hung parliament...yes, it would encourage the parties to work together, but do you honestly think it will help the economic recovery? I don't.

[rocketassist]

Can normally tell by those who want Tories in who lives up north and who does not.

[Henry Chinaski]

Originally Posted by buddyholly

I suppose the Grauniad was exemplary.

in comparison, yes.

[buddyholly]

Originally Posted by Henry Chinaski

in comparison, yes.

More exemplary than I could have imagined, it seems. The Grauniad has endorsed the Lib-Dems. That is more damning to Brown than anything the Telegraph could have done.

[Action Jackson]

Don't vote Jez, if you can't make your own mind.

The hung parliament, it's up to the politicians to make it work and it's not like these arseholes actually listen to the electorate. When a party with 22% of the vote can govern alone with a 50% turnout, that stinks.

[Black Adam]

Originally Posted by El Burro

Cameron's approach about the unemployment benefit is a good one imo...either accept a job you are offered, or have your benefits taken away. For anyone that watched Panorama a couple of days ago (about 4 young lads struggling to find work in Swindon), the two guys out of work (at the time of filming) would actually benefit from this...one needs a kick up the backside. The same for many others who just can't be bothered to help themselves.

Imagine a young graduate with a degree in say Law, engineering or medicine and can't find a job. They'll lose their benefits if they don't accept a Cleaning job. Yes, that's welldone

[prima donna]

As an outsider, my initial impression of Cameron was that of a glib man, insofar as the extent of his knowledge appears to be based upon little more than generalities. And that's coming from someone whose views are closer to Cameron's than those of either of the other two candidates. In addition, he is a mere forty-three years.

Good luck, Britons.

[Henry Chinaski]

Cameron is treading a fine line between the general public and the old-fashioned, unelectable core of his party. It's hard to articulate policy in much detail without alienating one or the other.

[prima donna]

Originally Posted by Henry Chinaski

Cameron is treading a fine line between the general public and the old-fashioned, unelectable core of his party. It's hard to articulate policy in much detail without alienating one or the other.

Understandable, but is he a critical thinker or an empty vessel ? Is he a principled man or merely a blank slate ? Is he capable of generating his own ideas -- or is that a duty reserved for aides ? I'm asking these questions because he seems to have outdone Barack Obama in terms of concealing his actual beliefs.

As a rule, I'd prefer not to question a man's intellect, but is Cameron a more genteel version of George Bush Jr. ?

[buddyholly]

Clegg is an atheist. I pray he wins.

[Jimnik]

What David Cameron really thinks.

http://www.speechbreaker.co.uk/app/webroot/cameron/

[Henry Chinaski]

Originally Posted by prima donna

Understandable, but is he a critical thinker or an empty vessel ? Is he a principled man or merely a blank slate ? Is he capable of generating his own ideas -- or is that a duty reserved for aides ? I'm asking these questions because he seems to have outdone Barack Obama in terms of concealing his actual beliefs.

Your guess is as good as mine. Jimnik's link sums it up nicely.

Don't ask me why, but my gut-instinct says the former in each of your questions, despite my anti-Tory tendencies. But I have nothing whatsoever to base that on.

[Action Jackson]

Good link Jimi.

Got Billy Bragg on Hardtalk at the moment.