Thursday 20 May 2010

Twp Puppets

“I'll show you politics in America. Here it is, right here. 'I think the puppet on the right shares my beliefs.' 'I think the puppet on the left is more to my liking.' 'Hey, wait a minute, there's one guy holding out both puppets!'”

Bill Hicks American Comedian (December 16, 1961 – February 26, 1994).

Although Hick’s was referring to America. His joke came to mind when watching Cameron & Clegg's early performance when they presented themselves a double act.. Since then we have seen the announcement of an emergency budget.
 
The two working together are I’m afraid going to try and fool us by creating a bogus progressive agenda, to hide the effects of a draconian monetary and welfare policy.
 
It is clear that on June 22nd the Con-Lib government will deliver savage cuts that will affect the poorest in these Islands. Whilst there will be only cosmetic action taken against the very people who got us into this mess in the first place. I mean of course if you’ve forgotten (because our politicians have) the Banks.

Meanwhile Puppet number 2 has claimed he will be introducing the greatest reforms since the Great Reform act of 1832. Clegg seams too have missed the establishment of the Welsh Assembly & Scottish Parliament but then he is a London Centric Politician.

Of these “Great Reforms”.

Labour’s ID card scheme, the national identity register and Contact Point children's database will all be scrapped.
Far enough but ID cards are only a symbol on the need to have identification with you. If you don’t have a driving licence then life can be difficult.

House of Lords to be elected on 'proportional' voting system to rebalance the Upper House.
Not fully: It seems that some Lords will be appointed, and of course (if it is reformed) the position of the Lords Spiritual (Bishops) must be addressed, and whether we actually need to rename our second chamber? Or if we had true PR, the question we might ask, is do we need a second chamber? Perhaps replace with a Council of the Islands. In which the Member of the Union are represented on an equal basis in the same manner as Nations in the EU.

Referendum on changing the voting system from First-Past-The-Post to Alternative Vote.
 If we are to have a referendum why not offers the people a wider choice and include STV.

Public power of recall over MPs and a statutory register of lobbyists to help clean up politic.
On paper recall seems a good idea but does this leave us open to moneyed groups picking on a MP who exposes views contrary to theirs?And why not seek to curb the power of groups such as Murdoch's News Intenational?

Donations to political parties to be limited.
But no figure was given and unless this is watertight it won’t work as people like Ashcroft will simply spread their money around in the same way he did at the last Election.

I leave myself open to hypocrisy here because I’ve called earlier for a Progressive Coalition government of Non-Tories to introduce reform: But what Clegg is offering us is a bare minimum and is designed to give a Conservative lead government the impression of reform.

2 comments:

glynbeddau said...

I must confess I was going to call this Two Puppets but a slip of a key caused it to read Twp Puppets, and on reflection I thought it more appropriate.

Sian said...

Ha ha! I wondered if this was the case! However, it is most apt!