Tory policy is simple – they attempt to keep wages and public costs down to a minimum and give tax breaks to the rich. It has been that way ever since the party was created by the rich and wealthy. They are called Conservatives because they wish to maintain the status quo where the poor are kept poor and the rich maximise their profits.
That is why they were called the Nasty Party. They rob from the poor to give to the rich.
They have used the financial crisis as an excuse to follow a hardline policy of austerity. Under the guise of ‘We’re all in this together’ they froze public servants pay, cut services causing widespread job losses, set up a minimum wage ‘gig’ economy, slashed benefits for the disabled and poor and reduced corporation tax and income tax for the rich. While those at the bottom struggle to survive those at the top have doubled their already substantial incomes.
Fairness? No callous lying stupidity. We are still, in the face of all evidence, being told that they represent the working people. Liars.
Having now had seven years of this terrible policy, with no end in sight for the deficit, we are now in a situation where our public services are crumbling:
Crime is rising steeply, with violent crime steepest of all.
Prisons are rioting.
The NHS is missing every target going and struggling to cope.
Welfare is in crisis with huge increases in rough sleepers and food banks, suicides and despair.
Schools are in crisis with teachers leaving in droves, a curriculum that is stifling, and an endless stream of gimmicks designed to hide the reality.
How much more of this senseless, uncaring callousness can we take?
Let’s get Corbyn in and sort the mess out!
Wait! I’m confused! Are you talking about the UK or the USA???
It’s the UK but I’m sure it applies to the USA just the same.
The question always is: How come they can garner all those poor folks to vote for them?
Bumba – I think they do it by lying to them, by scare stories in the gutter press, by a constant stream of propaganda. People are easily taken in.
Xenophobia and rascism are major pieces of the demogogue’s appeal. And always the strong man. Social psychologists used to talk aboutyr the authoritarian-fascist personality.
That’s what the psychopaths do. They appear strong and black and white because they are ruthless, have no empathy, compassion or caring. They like causing division. they thrive on it.
The Tories in Canada convince the poor and working class that they care about them too. How? They have unlimited resources to put together the slickest propaganda ads – and too many people fall for it every time. I can just imagine the horrid attack ads your Tories will use against Corbyn. Buckle up!
John – it’s the same the world over. When ordinary people got the vote they were scared silly that it would mean the end of their privilege. They were surprised to find that people were easy to manipulate and those same people own the media and put the money into maintaining system that works to their advantage. Nothing has changed.
Yes, the power of propaganda and the ability to convince the powerless that governments do not have enough money for pensioners, welfare spending, tax cuts for workers, government aid for the poor and needy, hospitals as well as the spending cuts to essential services, yet, somehow have enough money to refurbish the Queen’s palace, and other institutions of the privileged, spend big on military hardware and offer huge tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy really smells of “doublespeak”. Although George Orwell’s vision of the future is bleak there does does ring some truth from the perspective of the poor and the powerless and the carefully designed marketing of government policies that manage to blur common sense and engineer social values that benefit the privileged classes all over again. This idea of austerity and squeezing the life out of ambition and opportunity for the people is a return to the old master/slave dichotomy of the past. Union power, workers’ entitlements and rights have all been relegated to an uncertain past with no place in our future.This process is happening all over the world and the young are either falling for it or have succumbed to apathy.
Exactly – well put. Thanks for your input. I fully concur.
We need a government to think about our long-term future – strategy, not just short-term tactics and wheeler-dealer trickery!
Perhaps a dose of Corbyn will supply the much needed answer? Someone who doesn’t represent the establishment?
A timely prescription, methinks! Radical thinking definitely required …
Let’s hope the medicine works this time Dave.