The HiJacking of a forum for political ends Options

[TallDarkAndHands...]

I'm not too keen on the way Mr Garvie seems to be treating this forum like a Political Party Broadcast for the Labour Party.

By all means have opinions but his seems to be an agenda against the coalition. At least they have more right to govern than Brown ever had. Brown was an unelected stooge. And a poor one at that.

[Simon Kirby]

I'm not too keen on the way Mr Garvie seems to be treating this forum like a Political Party Broadcast for the Labour Party.

By all means have opinions but his seems to be an agenda against the coalition. At least they have more right to govern than Brown ever had. Brown was an unelected stooge. And a poor one at that.

If it's OK for you to start a party-political thread then it's unreasonable to whine about anyone else doing the same, surely. RG has been open about his agenda so there's no foul I'd say. If there's a complaint, I'd say it's that our elected representatives who should be here themselves to account for what they're doing and engage with their electorate on our terms.

[GMR]

I'm not too keen on the way Mr Garvie seems to be treating this forum like a Political Party Broadcast for the Labour Party.

By all means have opinions but his seems to be an agenda against the coalition. At least they have more right to govern than Brown ever had. Brown was an unelected stooge. And a poor one at that.

People can either read him or ignore him..... what we shouldn't do is to club together and discriminate against a member because we don't like his views/ politics/ ways etc. The day that happens we'll have a dictatorship. Then it won't be too long before you would be targeted.

[dannyboy]

People can either read him or ignore him..... what we shouldn't do is to club together and discriminate against a member because we don't like his views/ politics/ ways etc. The day that happens we'll have a dictatorship. Then it won't be too long before you would be targeted.

I thought you liked this kind of idea?

[GMR]

I thought you liked this kind of idea?

Free speech? Yes.

[Richard Garvie]

Hardly taking over, just trying to engage.

[GMR]

Hardly taking over, just trying to engage.

And rightly so. I am sure they'll get over it.

[Richard Garvie]

I'm not too keen on the way Mr Garvie seems to be treating this forum like a Political Party Broadcast for the Labour Party.

By all means have opinions but his seems to be an agenda against the coalition. At least they have more right to govern than Brown ever had. Brown was an unelected stooge. And a poor one at that.

I've hardly been defending Gordon Brown either.

[Iommi]

I'm not too keen on the way Mr Garvie seems to be treating this forum like a Political Party Broadcast for the Labour Party.

By all means have opinions but his seems to be an agenda against the coalition. At least they have more right to govern than Brown ever had. Brown was an unelected stooge. And a poor one at that.

Without him, this forum would be a lot emptier.

I don't see the problem myself. If he were hijacking threads and going off topic then that would be a different matter, but he doesn't seem to be to me.

The only people that seem to be upset, are the one's that have no Labour Party affinity. At least he's putting his wotsit on the block, unlike any other main party reps.

[On the edge]

I've hardly been defending Gordon Brown either.

I don't know why. At least he didn't 'do a Major' - total and utter defeat!

[Iommi]

I don't know why. At least he didn't 'do a Major' - total and utter defeat!

Most Tories never forgave Major for winning the election he was 'meant to have lost'.

[Richard Garvie]

Labour made some excellent decisions and did some amazing things for this country. There were mistakes, definately. But the good outweighed the bad by a big margin. That's why when the Libs jumped into bed with the Tories, I knew that now was the right time to join. They're the only party that represent people from my background now.

I thought the majority of issues I've discussed on here were local ones?

[Iommi]

I think what Labour have demonstrated, is that to have a society with a good or better standard of living through the whole country and class type, we need to be paying more tax. We either have to pay more tax, or accept that more people will be otherwise destitute, or living hand to mouth.

Although I don't always agree with RG's methods or policies, I think he is on the whole a good thing for this forum, and indeed town. He's a distraction from the political orthodoxy and I think we need more people like him to keep the rather apparent lethargic political class in the town on their feet.

[On the edge]

I think what Labour have demonstrated, is that to have a society with a good or better standard of living through the whole country and class type, we need to be paying more tax. We either have to pay more tax, or accept that more people will be otherwise destitute, or living hand to mouth.

Although I don't always agree with RG's methods or policies, I think he is on the whole a good thing for this forum.

OMG Iommi - I wholly agree with you

[Iommi]

OMG Iommi - I wholly agree with you

We probably agree about things more often than we realise, except some things 'get lost in translation'!

[GMR]

Most Tories never forgave Major for winning the election he was 'meant to have lost'.

If he had lost and labour had won then there would never have been a Blair government.

[Bofem]

I think what Labour have demonstrated, is that to have a society with a good or better standard of living through the whole country and class type, we need to be paying more tax. We either have to pay more tax, or accept that more people will be otherwise destitute, or living hand to mouth.

On what evidence? Italians pay more tax than New Zealanders, but Kiwis are much happier.

There's a broad mix of high and low tax societies at the top of the 'world happiness index' (see below)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satisfaction_with_Life_Index

Now check the tax rate as % of GDP and see what I mean.

http://www.oecd.org/document/60/0,3343,en_...1_1,00.html#ful

And on the thread topic. Anyone supporting mainstream politics deserves sympathy these days, not pillory. We all know the system's broke.....Tea Party anyone?

[Iommi]

On what evidence?

None, it is an opinion.

Italians pay more tax than New Zealanders, but Kiwis are much happier.

Is that a fair comparison?

There's a broad mix of high and low tax societies at the top of the 'world happiness index' (see below)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satisfaction_with_Life_Index

Now check the tax rate as % of GDP and see what I mean.

http://www.oecd.org/document/60/0,3343,en_...1_1,00.html#ful

I said standard of living, not happiness quotient. It is conceivable to have a good standard of living and be unhappy. Just look at the miserable gits on this forum.

[Bofem]

I think what Labour have demonstrated, is that to have a society with a good or better standard of living through the whole country and class type, we need to be paying more tax. We either have to pay more tax, or accept that more people will be otherwise destitute, or living hand to mouth.

Are you really saying the government can spend our money better than we can? Giving people their money back would raise standards for all immediately.

[user23]

Are you really saying the government can spend our money better than we can? Giving people their money back would raise standards for all immediately.

Unless you're an expert on everything from healthcare to education to roads maintenance I'd say they probably can.