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» Ship of Fools   » Community discussion   » Purgatory   » The Martian Party General Election Manifesto (Page 2)

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Source: (consider it) Thread: The Martian Party General Election Manifesto
Russ
Old salt
# 120

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quote:
Originally posted by Boogie:

Your manifesto is a mixed bag, just like all the other parties.

That seems a fair comment.

It's not that there aren't good ideas here, it just seems more like a random shopping list.

Where is the vision ? Where are the coherent strategies for solving the pressing issues ? For creating wealth, for solving unemployment, for reducing carbon emissions, for defending against cyber-crime and terrorism ?

Is there anything here that couldn't have been written 50 years ago ? You want to solve our problems with... ..aircraft carriers? [Roll Eyes]

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Wish everyone well; the enemy is not people, the enemy is wrong ideas

Posts: 3169 | From: rural Ireland | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Marvin the Martian

Interplanetary
# 4360

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quote:
Originally posted by Russ:
Where is the vision? Where are the coherent strategies for solving the pressing issues? For creating wealth, for solving unemployment, for reducing carbon emissions, for defending against cyber-crime and terrorism?

If you think you can do better then I look forward to reading the manifesto of the Russ Party.

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Hail Gallaxhar

Posts: 30100 | From: Adrift on a sea of surreality | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
Doc Tor
Deepest Red
# 9748

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quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
If you think you can do better then I look forward to reading the manifesto of the Russ Party.

Bzzt. You put your manifesto up for us to critique, not for you to criticise us when we do.

You could answer his questions, though.

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Forward the New Republic

Posts: 9131 | From: Ultima Thule | Registered: Jul 2005  |  IP: Logged
Marvin the Martian

Interplanetary
# 4360

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quote:
Originally posted by Doc Tor:
Bzzt. You put your manifesto up for us to critique, not for you to criticise us when we do.

You could answer his questions, though.

Sigh. Fine.

quote:
Originally posted by Russ:
Where is the vision?

I decided to focus on policies.

quote:
Where are the coherent strategies for solving the pressing issues?
In there.

quote:
For creating wealth,
My policies will create jobs and put more money in more people's pockets, which means more spending, which means an improving economy, which means more wealth. As a side benefit, most of the extra jobs/money/spending/wealth will be in areas outside London.

quote:
for solving unemployment,
More jobs in dockyards, which are often in deprived areas that really need them. More jobs in infrastructure engineering, and of course in staffing and operating said infrastructure once it's built.

More jobs means reduced unemployment. I didn't think I'd have to spell that out.

quote:
for reducing carbon emissions,
Shift from coal to nuclear while investigating other green options. Seriously, that one was right there in the freaking OP.

quote:
for defending against cyber-crime and terrorism?
Business as usual.

quote:
Is there anything here that couldn't have been written 50 years ago?
The real question is, does that matter? If something was right 50 years ago it's still right today. A pox on novelty for its own sake.

quote:
You want to solve our problems with... ..aircraft carriers?
I prefer to think of it as increased spending leading to increased employment in some of the UK's strongest manufacturing industries, in turn leading to economic benefits across the country.

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Hail Gallaxhar

Posts: 30100 | From: Adrift on a sea of surreality | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713

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quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:

quote:
Originally posted by Russ:
You want to solve our problems with... ..aircraft carriers?

I prefer to think of it as increased spending leading to increased employment in some of the UK's strongest manufacturing industries, in turn leading to economic benefits across the country.
It's a bloody expensive way to create jobs: defence and other shiny projects like HS2 are always like that. Still it would give potential enemies two non-urban targets for nuclear weapons, but that is the only benefit I can see.

I'd advocate a proper housebuilding program to increase the stock of rented housing to replace those given away under the "right to buy" scheme or occupied by students for no more than eight months of the year. Far more work and far more benefit for far more people. The only people who wouldn't like it are private landlords.

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"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"

(Paul Sinha, BBC)

Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
Marvin the Martian

Interplanetary
# 4360

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quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
I'd advocate a proper housebuilding program to increase the stock of rented housing to replace those given away under the "right to buy" scheme or occupied by students for no more than eight months of the year. Far more work and far more benefit for far more people. The only people who wouldn't like it are private landlords.

As you have said yourself in the past, there are an amazing number of houses and other buildings that are just sitting empty. My council tax and business rate changes would incentivise the owners to fix them up and rent them out.

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Hail Gallaxhar

Posts: 30100 | From: Adrift on a sea of surreality | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333

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quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:

(The BBC is a public good - just fund it from general taxation. There's no need for a separate user fee and a bureaucracy to collect it.)

Except that general taxes are easier to steal.

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I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou

Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008  |  IP: Logged
Marvin the Martian

Interplanetary
# 4360

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quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:

(The BBC is a public good - just fund it from general taxation. There's no need for a separate user fee and a bureaucracy to collect it.)

Except that general taxes are easier to steal.
How do you mean?

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Hail Gallaxhar

Posts: 30100 | From: Adrift on a sea of surreality | Registered: Apr 2003  |  IP: Logged
Leorning Cniht
Shipmate
# 17564

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quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
How do you mean?

I suspect that lilBuddha is claiming that the licence fee is ring-fenced for the BBC whereas it's easier for governments to alter the funding of something provided by the general pool.

But it's not really true. The government used to fund the world service, but that is now funded from the licence fee. The cost of providing free TV licences to over-75s is going to be absorbed by the BBC (rather than the government), and so on.

I don't think a separate licence fee actually adds much real security to the BBC.

(The TV licensing administration costs represent about 3% of the licence fee. That's £100 million or so that could probably find a rather better use.)

Posts: 5026 | From: USA | Registered: Feb 2013  |  IP: Logged
lilBuddha
Shipmate
# 14333

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quote:
Originally posted by Leorning Cniht:
quote:
Originally posted by Marvin the Martian:
How do you mean?

I suspect that lilBuddha is claiming that the licence fee is ring-fenced for the BBC whereas it's easier for governments to alter the funding of something provided by the general pool.

But it's not really true. The government used to fund the world service, but that is now funded from the licence fee. The cost of providing free TV licences to over-75s is going to be absorbed by the BBC (rather than the government), and so on.

I don't think a separate licence fee actually adds much real security to the BBC.

(The TV licensing administration costs represent about 3% of the licence fee. That's £100 million or so that could probably find a rather better use.)

Some people disagree.

--------------------
I put on my rockin' shoes in the morning
Hallellou, hallellou

Posts: 17627 | From: the round earth's imagined corners | Registered: Dec 2008  |  IP: Logged
Erroneous Monk
Shipmate
# 10858

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I agree with about as much of it as I do with any party manifesto. The question is which bits are you really going to deliver on and which bits will you cave on?

If I thought the chances were high of you following through on stated policies for health, transport, ship-building, and a few others and of you giving up on stated policies for brexit, immigration, education and a few others, you might be in with a chance of my vote.

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And I shot a man in Tesco, just to watch him die.

Posts: 2950 | From: I cannot tell you, for you are not a friar | Registered: Jan 2006  |  IP: Logged
Jane R
Shipmate
# 331

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Marvin:
quote:
...there are an amazing number of houses and other buildings that are just sitting empty.
Yes, but many of them are sitting empty in the wrong part of the country. You could buy an entire village in Yorkshire for what some of these West End mansions cost.
Posts: 3958 | From: Jorvik | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
Sioni Sais
Shipmate
# 5713

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quote:
Originally posted by Jane R:
Marvin:
quote:
...there are an amazing number of houses and other buildings that are just sitting empty.
Yes, but many of them are sitting empty in the wrong part of the country. You could buy an entire village in Yorkshire for what some of these West End mansions cost.
A good deal of that is caused by government policy and business practice which keeps work of real value in the south-east of England. Moreover, a lot of work can now be done at home using the same kind of equipment used to post to these boards so there is less need to live within commuting distance of your place of work.

btw, a surprising number of those West End mansions are unoccupied at any time: they have been bought for investment, not for living in. disproportionate

--------------------
"He isn't Doctor Who, he's The Doctor"

(Paul Sinha, BBC)

Posts: 24276 | From: Newport, Wales | Registered: Apr 2004  |  IP: Logged
Jane R
Shipmate
# 331

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Sioni: yes, that's my point (and I speak as a freelancer living in Yorkshire, with clients all over the world).

However, many jobs can't be done by telecommuting. My Other Half's job is actually in London: he does some of it from home but has to commute to his office for two days a week. And some employers won't allow telecommuting, even when the job is suitable.

[ 27. April 2017, 10:10: Message edited by: Jane R ]

Posts: 3958 | From: Jorvik | Registered: May 2001  |  IP: Logged
orinocco
Shipmate
# 5083

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If you stand in Coventry, I would vote for you. Although have concerns about you wanting to get rid of zero hour contracts completely, there are some people / sectors that they work very well for.

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overground, underground, wombling free

My Live Journal

Posts: 364 | From: The birthplace of St. George (allegedly) | Registered: Oct 2003  |  IP: Logged



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