Policrat Priviliges!

[Gotno Gizmo]

The great and the good are assembled at the United Nations in New York for yet another summit conference. High on the agenda is the topic of reducing world poverty and hunger. There have been many verbal contributions. The delegate’s practical contribution is to visit New York’s best restaurants allegedly consuming the finest gourmet foods and wine available, including fresh truffles flown in from Paris. This is clearly an important gesture to reducing world hunger!
This is demonstrative that our world leading career politicians are living within a cosy bubble remote from their own people. They have been out of touch of the real world too long and have lost the plot. If they really do understand the impact that their lack of governance is having upon the economies and well being of their electorate, then they are guilty of screwing the system for as much as they can, for as long as they can, like the worlds oligarch types, senior bankers, commercial corporation CEOs and senior directors. These privileged elite are earning usually more than 100 times the salary of the lowest paid workers. In the USA and the UK more than 140 times is possible. They argue that if you pay peanuts you get monkeys, but the argument is only applicable to the top and not to the lower tears. The bankers are getting their productivity bonuses. What productivity? Many banks have been bailed out by the tax payers following their reckless speculation losses.
Even the lesser witted, disinterested in politics, TV soap opera and sport loving, apathetic (you can’t change anything) general public, are beginning to notice the imbalance of the economic order. Now it is becoming obvious that their wages are being frozen, pensions curbed and jobs being axed, more street protests can be seen. Throughout the European Union countries particularly citizens are waking up to the dilemma that the current capitalistic system has created.
In the UK a partially elected Conservative (aided by Lib Dem alliance) party cabinet will dictate the necessary austerity measures that the British people will have to suffer to put the UK economy back on track. Most of these cabinet ministers are multi millionaires. Will they suffer the consequences of these forthcoming economic measures? What do you think?

[nickcsadler]

Certainly in the UK I think we are being duped by the politicians... they say the debt is huge and savings have to be made and yet after 1945 when financially we were broke the government managed to build around a million new homes and within a few years start the NHS...I don`t think politicians are that different in any country so why should we trust any of them???... on the other hand we do need people to lead our countries so what do we do????

[Gotno Gizmo]

[QUOTE=nickcsadler;104682]Certainly in the UK I think we are being duped by the politicians... they say the debt is huge and savings have to be made and yet after 1945 when financially we were broke the government managed to build around a million new homes and within a few years start the NHS../QUOTE]
You are talking about a period of time when politicians would answer a question with a straight "yes" or "no", not with a contorted polispeak all evasive response, to which they could say "I've been misquoted", if it was subsequently viewed as unpopular.
You are talking about a period when outgoing politicans would not publish their "tell all" autobiography, and do the well paid "smart money" dinner speeking circuit to add to their stupendous pension incomes.
You are talking about a period when politicians did not boost their incomes with excessive or fraudulent expenses claims, or accept free holidays, flights or similar advantages.
To repeat an earlier thread post, I believe that politicans should be elected for a maximum term of five years only, perhaps with the possibility of a further term being granted to those few whose contribution to their country was deemed outstanding, their conduct exemplary and it was by popular demand of the electorate (an ulikely situation in current experience).

[nickcsadler]

In other words Gotno.. a time when we could trust politicians as honest reliable people... unlike now... I realise that is a generalisation and if I have offended any honest politicians I apologise and would love to meet you...

[Gotno Gizmo]

Many British MPs are unhappy about their expenses being controlled under a new regime designed to stop the blatant false claiming of their expenses in recent years. Some of the longer serving Members of Parliament (some serving since the 1980's) seem to resent the greater burdon of accountability that the new system imposes upon them.
For the full story see:- MPs condemn expenses watchdog | Politics | guardian.co.uk

I hope their electorate will give greater consideration to the behaviour of their elected Members of Parliament and will not support them at the next voting opportunity.

Unfortunately, little can be done about our European Parliament Members, where no meaningful powers of democracy prevail to enable the stopping the current "gravy train" (British colloquialism for unregulted embezzlement opportunity). Yes, we can change the MP's but not the corrupt system that means that the EU's accounts have not been signed off by auditors as correct for more than the last 15 years.

Update:-

Margaret Thatcher: Ex Conservative Prime Minister Warned In 1980 Of Possible Expenses Scandal | Politics | Sky News

[Gotno Gizmo]

Recently the first British House of Commons member was tried before a criminal court for fraud and false acoounting of his parliamentary expenses. He was a Member of Parliament repesenting the Labour Party. He was banned from standing again for re-elelection at the last vote, and is required to repay the money and is serving a short jail term.
Today it was announced that a House of Lords peer, representing the Conservative Party was found guilty also of fraud with his expenses.
I believe that this action is to try and quell public anger about the large number of Parliamentary members that were falsely claiming much of their expenses in order to enhance their perceived "inadequate salary".
It will be interesting to see if these two will turn out to be "fall guys", or if there will be further prosecutions against these "honourable members".
Please see:- Lord Taylor found guilty of expenses fraud | Politics | guardian.co.uk

[Gotno Gizmo]

President Ceausescu the communist leader of Romania was in the process of having a palace built for himself before he was shot after a brief "court" hearing in December 1989. A modest place of 1,100 rooms erected in recognition of the "great leadership" that he was bringing to his nation.

Evil rumours are being put about that another former communist party beneficiary, who until recently was President of Russia, is also having a little place buit for himself. A tatseful but more modest palace has been built, under the scrutiny of government officials. The owneship of this desireable residence is unclear, but people with "good" connections are saying that it is for no less a person than Vladimir Putin. To think that a nice ex KGB man would be associated with such a self serving enterprise is unthinkable. How can they think such things.

Photos of PutinБ─≥s alleged seaside palace spark controversy | The Observers