POLITICS CORNER

[Stanley]

David, I wasn't being forgiving, just realistic.
I agree about punishments, they are far too lenient, see my opinions about bankers in handcuffs.
Tiz, from your mouth to God's ear, my liberal friends in the US all come to the same conclusion, Romney is the worst sort of devious regressive politician and they dread his election. For what it's worth, if I was a betting man I'd go for Obama. It will be very close with lots of recounts but I think that the silent voters who actually think and don't react to zillions spent on TV and polls will prove to be the saviours.
Meanwhile, there is a senior Tory politician having sleepless nights but he hasn't been named yet. There is a good chance that the case of the Welsh care home will be re-opened. More like;ly to happen if other whistle-blowers come out into the open. There's a whiff of another cover-up here. The children's Commissioner for Wales has called for the case to be reopened and Tom Watson is urging action. See LINK.

[Tizer]

According to an article in The Times (Saturday), Romney has cousins in Britain, some in Dalton-in-Furness where the family originally comes from and one in Preston. She and her husband seem to think Mitt is a fool (join the club!).

Another Romney gaffe is that he said in speeches that the Jeep Company, so beloved of Americans, was going to lay off its workers and move production to China. He even put out TV ads saying this. The CEO of Jeep was shocked and says it's all completely untrue, they would never shift to China, and he demanded that Romney stopped making the claims. Romney just continued running the ads, regardless.

I've had a lot of Americans as friends and they almost always seemed to be Democrats. I think it turns out this way because Democrats are the only Americans who realise there are friendly people living outside the USA and the only ones who are willing to communicate with foreigners!

[Whyperion]

I've never understood why the time limit for a presidential term is 4 years . In these modern times its about a year too short to actually get much achieved and turned round for a longer term view, with the concept of mid-term elections to the houses of representation , that would continue to reign in some of the potentially extreme policies that we get in Britain when there are large parlimentary majorities.

[Stanley]

"I've had a lot of Americans as friends and they almost always seemed to be Democrats. I think it turns out this way because Democrats are the only Americans who realise there are friendly people living outside the USA and the only ones who are willing to communicate with foreigners!"
Tiz, a lot of truth in that statement! It's quite amazing how many Americans have never been abroad. I shall be watching carefully, I can't believe that a ridiculous figure like Romney could beat Obama....
Pressure builds to reopen the care home enquiry in Wales. Good!
Leveson hasn't gone away. Cameron's emails to Brooks are now public. My problem with this is that it's a symptom of our fractured political system. No proper Opposition backed by alternative policies, simple ya boo and drag people down.
A lady called Jennifer Bate who runs a charity for homeless children living on the street reports an amazing number of teenagers who are under the radar, homeless, destitute, stateless and living off the proceeds of crime. Hard to believe in this day and age but she sounds credible. A tragedy. The State doesn't even know they exist.

[Bruff]

I'm sure that the Tax Payers Alliance will have a good evidence base for their argument that the state should not be paying the costs of full-time union officials (indeed 'any time', as they seem to have a problem with the TUs full stop). After all, one could make a counter-argument that trade unionists save costs in the long run through the avoidance of tribunals, the avoidance of health and safety failings, the avoidance of disputes and so on. This is readily quantifiable. Once we have this figure, then the Alliance can come in with their counter-figure and we can see where we are. As I say, I'm sure they've done the analysis as if they have not, then it's a load of ideological puff and blunder. Albeit the sort of puff that strikes a chord.

Richard Broughton

[Tardis]

Yes Unions can hep all of that, but there could be seen in law to be a conflict of interest if a body actually pays for those representatives.

Ostensibly the Union is there to protect its members, and thus the costs should fall upon them.

[Tardis]

After many years of 5% business rate increases for the last decade, it looks like even in these tough times that April will see an increase of 2.8% at a time when many businesses are still struggling.

I understand that 50% of the business rates will be retained by Local Government, but I do wonder if greater savings should be made to actually promote industrial growth because more people in work should actually ensure that more pay taxes and thus it has a self feeding aspect.

[Whyperion]

The withdrawal some years ago of meaningful housing provision - allocation ,and finance for persons 16-25 does make it difficult for many to get a realistic start in life.
Any chance of re-locating Barnoldswick to Turkey- the weathers better - and we might get a european bank loan to help make Ford Transits.

[Stanley]

Richard, agreed. I have nothing against rational analysis, it's their selectivity that bothers me. Wouldn't it be nice to see an in-depth analysis of party funding, including seconded 'advisers'.
Tiz, I sent mail to my friends in the US wishing them well for the election. Here's a quotation from one of the replies:

"What's really scary is that about half the American electorate, give or take, live in a fantasy world of bad science, worse statistics, made-up history, and exploded myths. And I didn't even mention religion."

Funny, I reckon that the same applies here as well.

[Stanley]

BBC World service are covering the US election. Ohio has declared for Obama and this means he has 275 electoral college results, five more than he needs. Barack Obama is President Elect of the US. Thank God for that!
Later... I had to stop listening to the coverage on BBC World Service and put some music on. This is good news for us, Mitt Romney was another George W Bush. There's a message in this result for Cameron and his ilk. It's generally agreed that the people who swung the election were the young, the poor and those concerned with public services like heath, education and a fairer economy. It may also be a signal to large capital holders who believe that they can affect the running of the country in their favour by pumping cash and resources into the administration. Not a game changer but a sign which way the wind is blowing. Problem for us of course is that we haven't got an Obama and none in sight!

[David Whipp]

Sadly, nervousness about Romney win underlines how in thrall we are to American Empire.

Must admit to loving Homeland, though.

[Tardis]

Obama wins, popular vote is split exposing the huge divisions within US society

Having run such a negative campaign, it will be interesting to see if he can actually bring them back together. I doubt it because they are now so far apart.

Weirdly I awoke to hear the Ohio result on World Service

[Tizer]

Barack Obama is President Elect of the US. Thank God for that!

But I thought God was supposed to be on the Republicans side!

I emailed an American colleague yesterday, a professor in St Paul, MN, saying that I was counting on her side winning. This morning there was a reply saying simply "Yah, we did it!" As Tardis said, there are huge divisions in US society; the cracks are getting wider and the two are floating further apart (and I suspect some of the Republicans are paddling furiously to get even further apart). Donald Trump was quoted on the radio this morning as saying "Its time for civil war in the US". Don't forget, these far right people have loads of money behind them - just imagine the BNP with limitless cash... And guns.

[Tardis]

Analysis has begun, apparently 86% of Obama's ads on tv were negative, whilst 76% of Romney's were.

I wonder that the Republican's didn't want to win, having put up such an idiot, but for Obama to only just beat him shows the problems within the US, and remember he now has to pull in all that fiscal stimulus that he showered over the country.

[Stanley]

" how in thrall we are to American Empire". Not really the point, the fact is that the US economy is so big and influential that what happens politically affects us whether we like it or not.
As for negative thoughts about Obama, let's not forget that he was ambushed by the global economic crisis as soon as he was elected, a perfect political and fiscal storm. He has done as well as anyone could expect and one thing is certain, if the Republicans had been the winners we would have seen the US turn in on itself just as they did in the inter-war years. Romney made it quite clear during the election that this was his preferred option. In addition, Obama now has freedom, he isn't up for election again. Too soon to say how he will do but I'd rather have him in post than a red-neck Republican. America and the rest of us have had a lucky escape. Can't help remembering the old question re. Tricky Dicky, 'Would you buy a used car from this man?' My attitude is more simple, how would I feel about having the incumbent as a house guest? The Obamas are obviously better candidates.

[Tizer]

At least some of the Republicans are now calling for a change of attitudes in their party, they realise that life and the world has moved on, there is an increasing proportion of ethnic folk in the US and they largely vote Democrat. Obama gaining a second term may be good for the Republican party in the long run; they might grow up and enter the 21st Century. At least, let's hope that's how it plays out. Anything else could be nasty.

[Tardis]

Latest counts suggest that the popular vote may well be very close once the full count is tallied. About a couple of thousand in Romney's favour at the moment

Obama has to negoitiate the finance now

[Stanley]

Silly publicity seeking stunt when Cameron was ambushed on ITV breakfast television yesterday which did nothing to advance the debate and should be stamped on. I have no problem if the interviewee is informed of the question beforehand. He was quite right to say there shouldn't be a 'witch-hunt' but it all depends what your definition is. Perpetrators quaking in their boots will regard any light shed on the subject as a witch hunt, the abused will have a different perspective. The trick is going to be to steer a sensible course between the two attitudes and I'm glad I haven't got the job!

[Tardis]

I agree Stanley, the problem will be framing the debate that society needs to have

The simple pieces of paper for the CRB checks do not protect, when allegedly most abuse occurs in the home.

[Stanley]

I look on in wonder at the mess the BBC have got themselves into with the MacAlpine affair. I am forced to go back to my long-standing assertion that what we are looking at is gross incompetence. I wonder too what role the cuts and 'slimming down' to save money have had on the newsrooms and investigative processes. Whatever the reasons it is a terrible mess and will lead to repercussions that will not necessarily improve the service.
All this is a distraction we can ill afford. At home the November Financial Statement looms. The austerity cuts have not yet bitten home but already we see the signs of the effects of lower disposable incomes in the lower percentile of the population, the people who underpin the GDP. The GDP forecast for Europe is 0.1% for 2013, in effect a flat line recession. Meanwhile the EU politicians still struggle to find a way out of the mire. The US faces the 'fiscal cliff' bequeathed by Bush, if something isn't done immediately the US economy will go back into recession and any solution will be stalled by Republicans fighting against increased taxes on the most wealthy. I could go on....
I still believe that the bottom line is that the politicians daren't state the obvious, that for years we have all lived beyond our means and got used to an artificially inflated standard of living. This isn't only the bottom of the pyramid, it's the top as well. If this isn't addressed even the most wealthy are going to suffer in the inevitable crash. Just one simple question, why is the rate of VAT on a luxury yacht set at the same level as the tax on a plastic washing-up bowl? I can remember the days of punitive Purchase Tax levels on luxury goods and always thought that this was a sensible use of taxation policy to recognise the relative value of goods and the ability to pay. At one end we have the Harrods food hall, at the other end the organisations doling out free food at the behest of the Social Services to families who, through no fault of their own have fallen through the cracks in our support systems. The inequity and cruelty is so obvious but the government ignores it.

[Nolic]

I'm trying desperately not to form any firm opinions around the current child exploitation debate. I think the only person from the public profile that we can be sure about is Saville as in addition to the allegations coming from victims is supported by people who worked with the scrote.

Historical allegations of abuse have always been problematic to handle, not least from the police and CPS standpoint. I was on the periphery of a major investigation a number of years ago and the police amassed a significant amount of evidence from 15 or 20 years previously that came to light as a result of a then current investigation. The charges were brought and all the cases lumped together, old and new. As with the Messham case memories play tricks and much of the older evidence, and the victims, were discredited and the trial was abandoned. The "new" case was among those allowed to lie on record simply I think to prevent the perpetrator from ever working with young people again.

I feel really bad for the victims of abuse who have struggled for years with the effect then have to live with the media frenzy when they feel they have the opportunity to have their case heard again.

On a similar note I see that the chief executive of Rochdale has blamed the front line social workers for their failure to act on some of the referrals around the group sexual exploitation ring. Where is management responsibility in all this ? Social workers do not have the power to allocate work and close cases this comes from management who's work should be scrutinised up through the chain of management. Rochdale should have learned this from the 1980's when social workers were allowed too much power and were seeing satanic abuse in every nook and cranny.

Who would want to be a child protection social worker at this time? Nolic

[Marilyn]

One hopes that things have changed.
When I was little, social workers turned a blind eye and didn't believe a thing that a child told them. The child risked a lot working up the courage to tell of their troubles. They soon discovered that no one was listening and it was best to keep quiet and cope as best they could, especially if they were having difficulties with a direct carer. Chances were that the social worker would mention something on departing. Where did that leave the child?! At the mercy of the perpetrator...

[Stanley]

Maz, I remember when you and Cath told your story and I have nothing but sympathy for you both.
Comrade, I was close to the centre in Rochdale at the time of the satanic abuse allegations, also the terrible case of the young lad wrongly imprisoned, (I forget his name.) I can remember conversations with my friend who was CE at the time and the weight he felt on his shoulders. even the church was fooled, if I remember rightly there was a small community of monks in the centre of the area where the allegations were rife. All this of course reinforced by pseudo-scientific advice, since refuted but the same people still active today. It was like a Gordian Knot, nothing was clear and behind everything that happening the mob was baying. He told me at the time his only defence was to avoid jumping to conclusions. Perhaps that is the best advice in the present circumstances.

[Tizer]

Thinking of the BBC and the MacAlpine business it's no wonder that false information gets spread and not only by Twitter and Facebook. Have a look at this news article from the Guardian web site on Wednesday. This is how it begins:
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Brian Cox's search for alien life 'nixed by BBC health and safety tsars'
BBC tells star science presenter that impromptu extraterrestrial contact would break health and safety guidelines
The BBC's star science presenter Brian Cox thought he might have a scoop on his hands when he trained his telescope at a newly discovered planet in search of alien life. But the professor said his hopes for an exclusive were brought back down to earth after he was told by the BBC that impromptu extraterrestrial contact would break health and safety guidelines. Cox, the former pop star turned particle physicist, wanted to use the Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire to listen in to the planet, Threapleton Holmes B, on his BBC2 series Stargazing Live.

"We decided that we'd point the Jodrell Bank telescope at the planet that had been discovered by these two viewers and listen because no one had ever pointed a radio telescope at it and you never know," said Cox. "The BBC actually said, 'But you can't do that because we need to go through the regulations and health and safety and everything in case we discover a signal from an alien civilisation'. "You mean we would discover the first hint that there is other intelligent life in the universe beyond Earth, live on air, and you're worried about the health and safety of it? "It was incredible. They did have guidelines; compliance." Cox made the comments in an interview on the BBC Radio 6 Music breakfast show on Wednesday.
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If you now go to the web page:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/no ... -alien-bbc
and read the second half of the article you'll find that the material above is misinformation. Cox and the BBC producers were simply having a jokey conversation in private. But I'll bet there are many people who will look at the headline only (or perhaps the first section too) and put the word around about the BBC having silly health & safety restrictions. No wonder the news media are in such a mess and not trusted.

[Whyperion]

Maybe so Tizer , but if the BBC managed to accidentally start an intergalatic war, or somehow introduce an alien disease that wipes a species or ten out , its the poor licence payer that would have to foot the bill for the compensation.