i agree, we are, somehow, slaving under the most shameless psychopathic bunch of populist politicians who play the public like a very bad violinYes, but don't get angry for the wrong reason. This sort of programming is designed to push a certain narrative; to demonize the poor and vulnerable and to further assist wealth transfer to the richest 0.1% of society. Note that the producers only focus on a certain subsection of welfare claimants and how these sort of programmes proliferate as we near ever closer to another general election.
Sometimes I am just plain ashamed to be human.
Some fair points Dan, but the problem is the subsection you quote is way too large in number.Yes, but don't get angry for the wrong reason. This sort of programming is designed to push a certain narrative; to demonize the poor and vulnerable and to further assist wealth transfer to the richest 0.1% of society. Note that the producers only focus on a certain subsection of welfare claimants and how these sort of programmes proliferate as we near ever closer to another general election.
Sometimes I am just plain ashamed to be human.
But compared to maria Miller or malcolm Rifkind that is very, very small unprofessional frySome fair points Dan, but the problem is the subsection you quote is way too large in number.
I see you live in Trowbridge in leafy Wiltshire, try an inner city for size and you might think differently.
Happily for the real dregs, they are able to hide behind the sympathy you express for genuine claimants.
I spend a lot of time in the courts and see far too many people who are entirely benefits dependent and regularly go out thieving to top up their 'income'.
Sometimes you couldn't make it up.
A burglar might have been chased by the coppers across a few gardens, over a few walls then down the road for some distance.
Comes to court and we hear he's not fit for community work because he's 'on disability'.
Most of these lads are in their 20s, have never worked and have no intention of doing so.
Some of the lasses aren't much better.
Judicious use of their breeding capability keeps the benefits claim high, and when they appear for shoplifting or cat violence it's a case of: "You can't lock her up, your honour, she's got babies."
Am I cynical?
Just a bit, but I see too much of this type of behaviour to excuse it.
The "somehow" is that we all remain children to some extent and children like to play with their toys. Among we children are the bullies and wannabee bullies who become respectively dictators or politicians and seize any chance to use the rest of us as their toys.i agree, we are, somehow, slaving under the most shameless psychopathic bunch of populist politicians who play the public like a very bad violin
I'm 34 years of age and moved to Trowbridge last April. The previous 33 years I have lived in various parts of East-London, so I know EXACTLY what it is like to live amongst gritty urban surroundings.Some fair points Dan, but the problem is the subsection you quote is way too large in number.
I see you live in Trowbridge in leafy Wiltshire, try an inner city for size and you might think differently.
Happily for the real dregs, they are able to hide behind the sympathy you express for genuine claimants.
I spend a lot of time in the courts and see far too many people who are entirely benefits dependent and regularly go out thieving to top up their 'income'.
Sometimes you couldn't make it up.
A burglar might have been chased by the coppers across a few gardens, over a few walls then down the road for some distance.
Comes to court and we hear he's not fit for community work because he's 'on disability'.
Most of these lads are in their 20s, have never worked and have no intention of doing so.
Some of the lasses aren't much better.
Judicious use of their breeding capability keeps the benefits claim high, and when they appear for shoplifting or cat violence it's a case of: "You can't lock her up, your honour, she's got babies."
Am I cynical?
Just a bit, but I see too much of this type of behaviour to excuse it.
I am quite a bit different from those of whom I speak in the way I choose to live my life.I'm 34 years of age and moved to Trowbridge last April. The previous 33 years I have lived in various parts of East-London, so I know EXACTLY what it is like to live amongst gritty urban surroundings.
Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you are different from those of whom you speak. We all have far more in common than the differences we are shown everyday by the media, politicians and corporate organisations. We all long to be loved, belong and be happy and any failure to achieve that is a fault of society, of which we are ALL partly responsible.
but i think we all can, and should, do more than just "live a clean and responsible life" - society is not a level playing field - teflon tony's terrible indulged offspring could live by that ethos on their father's horrid millions and so ignore the millions of lifes he destroyed to provide them with their privilideged position. we all owe each other a duty of care that extends to acknopwedging the inequality of teh society we live in. apologies all for getting on such a high soapbox, ill get off now.I am quite a bit different from those of whom I speak in the way I choose to live my life.
If I came across your unlocked bicycle it would still be there after I passed.
The media, politicians and corporate organisations have nothing to do with it - I am going by what I see with my own eyes.
Your remark about the upcoming general election is nonsensical and seeks to muddy the waters.
The largely leftie media - particularly broadcast media - holds no brief for the Conservatives, which is what you seem to be implying.
Unfortunately, the type of programmes referred to is too easy to make at any time.
We may all be partly responsible, but as an individual I fail to see what I can do about it other than live a clean and responsible life.
Which is something far too many people in our society fail to do, even though they could choose to do it, same as me.
Sorry, don't agree that it is the fault of society.I'm 34 years of age and moved to Trowbridge last April. The previous 33 years I have lived in various parts of East-London, so I know EXACTLY what it is like to live amongst gritty urban surroundings.
Don't get caught in the trap of thinking that you are different from those of whom you speak. We all have far more in common than the differences we are shown everyday by the media, politicians and corporate organisations. We all long to be loved, belong and be happy and any failure to achieve that is a fault of society, of which we are ALL partly responsible.
The trouble is that is a circular argument Mike, since it's our society which has created the reduction in personal responsibility. The attractions of being able to blame anyone or anything but oneself are universal to us all, so we collaboratively allowed this situation to occur.Sorry, don't agree that it is the fault of society.
This cop out is now past its sell by date.
The past 50 years have seen a steady reduction in the notion of personal responsibility and it is ruining us.
I have missed something, when did the media become lefties?The largely leftie media - particularly broadcast media - holds no brief for the Conservatives, which is what you seem to be implying.
What about all those leftie media proprietors? All of them desperate to pay every penny of their corporate and personal taxes. The bleeding heart lefties like Murdoch bleating on about the poor and underprivileged all the time, and using his papers to promote their cause.I have missed something, when did the media become lefties?
The papers & Clarkson don't seem very left to me.
But that is a distorted view John. Our pensions are based on earned entitlement through our payments in, so they are not wholely welfare benefits. Those receiving them are not in any way scroungers.The so called welfare bill is made up of over fifty percent state pensions. That is statutory pensions otherwise known as the old age pension, as well as occupational pensions of public sector workers like teachers, firemen, policemen, and judges. So that makes most of us here welfare scroungers.
The amount of the welfare budget spent on the working age population is about fourteen percent, and that includes child benefit and tax credits as well as housing benefits. Housing benefit is paid to those in work as well as the unemployed and long term sick. The amount spent on dole and social security and housing benefit payments for the unemployed is around six percent of the total welfare budget.
Ah, you nearly got me going then, I almost thought you were serious.What about all those leftie media proprietors? All of them desperate to pay every penny of their corporate and personal taxes. The bleeding heart lefties like Murdoch bleating on about the poor and underprivileged all the time, and using his papers to promote their cause.
Yes, we are in the gripe of a left wing media all right... and don’t get me started on the bloody BBC with that Nick Robinson and Andrew Brillo Pad Neil and all the other far left trots pretending to be impartial political commentators....
Pensions are part of the welfare budget and make up the largest part of it, and they are paid out of general taxation not a funded pension scheme. The distorted view is that of the many who seem to think that the so called, as I described it, welfare budget is spent on the unemployed and single mothers. As to the scroungers, I was being ironic to make a point, and I thought that was obvious since I am a pension scrounger too....But that is a distorted view John. Our pensions are based on earnmed entitlement through our payments in, so they are not wholely welfare benefits. Those receiving them are not in any way scroungers.
That's not true of the remaining minority proportion of the benefits which are unearned and therefore truly benefits.
It is wrong to classify them under the same name.
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Thanks John, I saw the main point but the irony I found obscure, since I don't accept that an earned benefit can make one a scrounger.Pensions are part of the welfare budget and make up the largest part of it. The distorted view is that of the many who seem to think that the so called, as I described it, welfare budget is spent on the unemployed and single mothers. As to the scroungers, I was being ironic to make a point, and I thought that was obvious since I am a pension scrounger too....