Anti-road pricing petition: million signatures dismissed

[Dave Crampton]

Originally Posted by msdkeith

I didn't put an argument against the NHS. Try to concentrate.

err.....

Originally Posted by msdkeith

It occurs to me that a government with three successive large majorities has had a mandate to change things. The Labour administration that came to power in 1945 promised much and they instituted a large tranche of public sector ownership and set up the National Health Service. After 50 some years of the NHS, rather than a generally healthy population we have unfortunate levels of obesity, eating disorders, smoking related illnesses and a growth in TB and diabetes. Bevan would be proud. Rather than lecturing us it might be useful if Hewitt remembered what the NHS is really for.

from here:

Serious question

and you can't argue its not this thread as it came from you, and you don't have differing thread personalities do you?

[Scubee]

Originally Posted by Dave Crampton

err.....



from here:

Serious question

and you can't argue its not this thread as it came from you, and you don't have differing thread personalities do you?

Would that be a type of bipolar disorder?
Treatable on the NHS and recognised for the purposes of the DDA

[msdkeith]

Recognising that many indicators of health have deteriorated, obesity and diabetes come to mind, is not an argument against the NHS.

Like I said, try to concentrate, even if you are thread-hopping. I try to maintain a coherent position on the various issues.

I happen to think the NHS is a great concept, instituted by politicians who genuinely had the public good at heart. However the passage of time has not resulted in better administration of the NHS and the waste in the system is shameful.

I also think the railways should be in public ownership along with power and water provision, it is a mistake for such things to be controlled by foreign cartels.

I don't consider the public sector to be a bad thing, merely that under Brown we've seen vast amounts of our money poured into the various money pits without effective reform or administration. That is a recipe for waste and corruption.

[chrisch]

Originally Posted by msdkeith

...
I don't consider the public sector to be a bad thing, merely that under Brown we've seen vast amounts of our money poured into the various money pits without effective reform or administration. That is a recipe for waste and corruption.

I agree. However, this is the government that included the likes of Alan Milburn. Blair promised an end to sleaze and the promotion of self interest and he has not delivered. We are now faced with two major parties, both of which value their own careers and business opportunities more than the office they seek to hold.

It is hardly surprising therefore so very few people bother to vote

Chris

[DiverChris]

I don't understand what everyone is complaining about.

If you use a service (i.e. the roads) you should pay for them, whats unfair about that?

As for those complaining about car tax:

Roads are subsidised by general taxation anyway.

Yes it is desinged to price you off the roads, by making you think about your journey, and you paying the social costs of it!!

As to petitions, they are hardley democratic, only representative of those who sign them.

see: BBC NEWS | Programmes | Newsnight | Newsnight petition

[Bardo]

Originally Posted by DiverChris

As to petitions, they are hardley democratic, only representative of those who sign them.

Hehe. A bit like local and general elections then? Surely they're only representative of those who can be bothered to vote? With election turn outs at their lowest levels in years, one has to wonder how 'representative' the whole system actually is... after all, there are those who exercise their democratic right *not* to vote as they believe that none of the political parties are deserving of their vote.