Not much blogging going on here. Has your enthusiasm for comment gone down with the Liberal Democrats poll ratings? Aside from prisons and keeping the human rights act this seems to me to be a pretty nasty Conservative government. The right wing neo-liberal ideology behind the government's too fast deficit reduction programme (everything in five years) has at its core a desire as Cameron admitted to permanently reduce the state and shrug off lots of its responsibilities. All grist to the mill of ultra right wingers like Daniel Hannan and 'The Plan'. I just dont want to live in such an ill-liberal and harsh Britain. It is also economic madness, deep cuts were coming and all services would have suffered but at least under Labour or a Labour Liberal coalition if the arithmetic had worked their would have been more protection of education and a more pragmatic attitude to how government could help industry. I almost cried when I heard Clegg spout the ultra-traditional Tory line about debt being immoral as it is damaging future generations. All businesses and governments from time to time have to go into debt, but when coupled with the ridiculously fast deficit reduction programme and the IFS statement of the obvious that Osborne's budget was regressive, i.e. hitting the poor we see the heart of the dilemma facing all progressives in the Liberal Party. Stick with the Coalition and you face annhilation at the next election (never mind next year's local government elections). Look to your consciences and what you believe in (this obviously excludes the Tory leaning wing of the Liberal Democrats) and vote against government policy if it does not fit your progressive values. Ultimately look to your consciences and if necessary leave Clegg in the Tory party where it now seems he belongs. It has all happened before, look up the 'National Liberals' and the coalition of the 1930s + figures such as Sir John Simon. The Tories are using you in a cynical game as the central policy of over ambitious cuts and immensely weakened public services is exactly what they wanted. Look at the opinion polls, that is not what most Libdem voters wanted even if they wanted some reduction in waste and a less bureaucratic, rules for everything state (which New Labour had drifted into). There is also the Sky inspired attack on the BBC, a wasteful but creative bureaucracy that exports British content around the world. It also provides high quality and relatively unbiased content for free ( a vital pillar of our democracy). Where is the Libdem restraining influence to help blunt this attack? Ultimately look to your consciences.
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Not much blogging going on here. Has your enthusiasm for comment gone down with the Liberal Democrats poll ratings? Aside from prisons and keeping the human rights act this seems to me to be a pretty nasty Conservative government. The right wing neo-liberal ideology behind the government's too fast deficit reduction programme (everything in five years) has at its core a desire as Cameron admitted to permanently reduce the state and shrug off lots of its responsibilities. All grist to the mill of ultra right wingers like Daniel Hannan and 'The Plan'. I just dont want to live in such an ill-liberal and harsh Britain. It is also economic madness, deep cuts were coming and all services would have suffered but at least under Labour or a Labour Liberal coalition if the arithmetic had worked their would have been more protection of education and a more pragmatic attitude to how government could help industry. I almost cried when I heard Clegg spout the ultra-traditional Tory line about debt being immoral as it is damaging future generations. All businesses and governments from time to time have to go into debt, but when coupled with the ridiculously fast deficit reduction programme and the IFS statement of the obvious that Osborne's budget was regressive, i.e. hitting the poor we see the heart of the dilemma facing all progressives in the Liberal Party. Stick with the Coalition and you face annhilation at the next election (never mind next year's local government elections). Look to your consciences and what you believe in (this obviously excludes the Tory leaning wing of the Liberal Democrats) and vote against government policy if it does not fit your progressive values. Ultimately look to your consciences and if necessary leave Clegg in the Tory party where it now seems he belongs. It has all happened before, look up the 'National Liberals' and the coalition of the 1930s + figures such as Sir John Simon. The Tories are using you in a cynical game as the central policy of over ambitious cuts and immensely weakened public services is exactly what they wanted. Look at the opinion polls, that is not what most Libdem voters wanted even if they wanted some reduction in waste and a less bureaucratic, rules for everything state (which New Labour had drifted into). There is also the Sky inspired attack on the BBC, a wasteful but creative bureaucracy that exports British content around the world. It also provides high quality and relatively unbiased content for free ( a vital pillar of our democracy). Where is the Libdem restraining influence to help blunt this attack? Ultimately look to your consciences.
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