Are you right wing?

[Wolf]

Depends on the definition of left and right.

If you used Keynes v Friedman it's an interesting debate. Some remarks on here might assume that you can only be "far either" and attach all sorts to it

Think that sums up these debates perfectly, it's always assumed that people are far right or far left and can't see the middle ground for both areas. Personally like I said i sit firmly in the middle of the fence with feet slightly dangling over that fence to the left. I can see lots right that the Tories do and say, lots wrong with Corbyn and some of his ideas, but I also see plenty in Labour manifesto I like and lots in the Tories I dislike equally, I like some of the liberal ideas as well, I guess I'm one of the modern day messed up voters that doesn't have one favoured party but prefer to look at all my options and go with either what I feel is best or in some cases the lesser of all evils. But I certainly don't agree with anything far right or far left as this for me takes away from where society and life should be heading

I do think Politics has evolved from the days of where everyone had a specific party they voted for based on social classes, economic wealth or what their parents voted on and so on. Now its a case of finding something that we believe will benefit the majority and having the courage of our convictions to commit to that vote and change without being swayed by others opinions but that is easier said than done,

 

[Tashyboy]

An observation on another thread suggests that this forum is predominantly right wing. Is it? Without doubt there's some very strong characters but does that make them right wing or left wing? Some appear to perceive that if someone is strong on law and order they must be right wing. Does that mean Labour and LibDems might be anarchists?

In my 40+ years of voting I've voted for all 3 of the major parties. The votes cast have been based on 2 things, 1) current performance, whether in power or opposition, and 2) the manifesto on offer.

In the late 70's it was get rid of Labour at all costs. Growing up seeing report after report of strikes, 3 day weeks and power cuts. Arthur Scargill helped me decide on the Tories. As the Tories yo-yo'd further right my vote went to the Liberals, and then to Toxic Tony. What a great time New Labour brought to politics. Some great changes and increases in wealth for the working class. But then there were broken promises, e.g. university tuition fees. Toxic Tony said no way, yet it was one of the first changes. The invasion of Iraq and WMD... And my votes went to the LibDems again. Cue Gordon and spend spend spend, and my vote went to the Tories once again.

I thought David Cameron's early years, like Toxic Tony's, were good. But look where we are now, and just look at the choices!

A Tory vote? No. A Labour vote? Oh please, no. A LibDem vote? Who are they and what do they stand for?

Am I right wing? In some areas yes. My views on policing and sentencing are definitely right wing. But what about my views on taxes, benefits and healthcare? Definitely left wing. Liberal? Mmm, there's still a bit in there but I'm not sure where I stand on change. Old people shouldn't vote LibDem, its for young, long haired, thick wool jumper wearing yoghurt knitters. Harsh, and just for fun really. I do wish the LibDems would get their act together, but that could be said of all 3 parties at present.

Is the forum right wing?

Reading this post I could of written it myself, the only bit I couldn't relate to was voting for the Tories. For what they did to the mining industry. No way. Pits were first shut because they were not profitable. I understood that. Then the coal market was opened up to the world, massive Coal unloading docks were built. It was then the death of the industry. Pits that were making millions for the country were closed. I could go on. But the Tories will never ever get my vote. What they say and do, do not go hand in hand. Same with Scargill. He is Toxic. He hated Thathcher with a passion but took the NUM to court to try and buy a penthouse pad in London owned buy the NUM, but quoting a law brought in by Thatcher.
I have always been a floating voter. Always sat on the fence trying to see both sides. But this current bunch of MPs are the worst in living memory. With Diane Abbot (stupid woman) and Jeremy Corbyn ( stupid man) amongst the thickest politicians I have seen. There are quite a few in the Tory party as well I could go on about as well including Cameron and Osbourne the gutless little ***********

 

[SocketRocket]

Lol you've accused me of who knows what and now you can't back it up . Whatever mate

Ok let me make it easier for you. Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. You accuse others of having unacceptable attitudes when you use aggressive terms to attack them. I know you won't see this and will probably reply with something like Wtf.

 

[robinthehood]

Ok let me make it easier for you. Those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. You accuse others of having unacceptable attitudes when you use aggressive terms to attack them. I know you won't see this and will probably reply with something like Wtf.

Yeah yeah, as I thought just making stuff up. Merry Christmas

 

[Bunkermagnet]

In reply to the title, no....slightly left of centre.

Merry Christmas

 

[SocketRocket]

Yeah yeah, as I thought just making stuff up. Merry Christmas

Thanks, have a great Christmas yourself

 

[PJ87]

Right wing politically in that yes, I thought Maggie Thatcher was decisive, correct and thought the best for the country in times of crisis.

Very pro military, anti Corbyn, wish washy neo-Stalinism

Sorry but hard socialism, anti-capitalism like Corbyn promotes hasn't worked for any developed country.. people want to work hard, make money and enjoy the benefits.

Ironically is the right who have cut the military to the bare bone

Right or left it’s not that simple anymore.
I think all parties will not fulfill their promises in the manifestos and always come up with a reason not to.
So the one piece of legislation that you voted for can be dropped like a stone once in power.

At the moment I would not give my vote to any of them,

It’s because no party will deploy a long term plan because they don’t see the point as they have a good chance of being out of office in 5 years time

Every time a new government gets in they just rip apart the previous governments plans and start again. Prob why eduction objectives get changed every 2 mins.

China have a 100 year plan for their economy. Yes it’s not the same system but if we could actually see through something for the good of the nation for once it Might help!!

Maybe just maybe with long term planning services like the nhs wouldn’t be mismanaged (which is the problem rather than lack of funding)

 

[Tiger man]

Fantastic bait from Hobbit here, Merry Christmas to all from our hippies to Nazi's.

 

[Parsaregood]

The main political parties in this country are generally left wing and even the conservatives of recent times are centre left and have been since blair came into power and they were ' forced ' to change to regain popularity. There are SOME proper conservatives still about but most nowadays are far more left leaning than you would have seen in the past. Generally people who claim to be centre with their feet hanging on the left side of the fence are believers in left wing ideologies and not central atall in their thinking. Extreme on either side is not good but like everything both sides are needed to keep the other in check and I'm always wary of people who claim to be completely centre in their beliefs. I think there is merit to the argument that if anybody is slightly right wing in their thinking they are labelled this and that, everybody KNOWS when right wing ideologies go too far the problem becomes how do you recognise when the left go too far ? This is a real problem and I think one that will become more apparent as politics become over saturated with leftists. Politics is always going to be a divisive topic on any forum, as for golf forums being dominated by conservative thinking? I'm not so sure, i come from a very working class background (both parents went through long spells of unemployment) did they or others i know from childhood actively seek to better themselves or their prospects? No never and I know this so generally i take with a pinch of salt the hardship because anybody with drive and ambition can succeed in this country , I am conservative in my thinking and further right than 'modern' conservative, what I'd call true conservatism, i know how people who claim benefits think and behave and a lot of it is geared at manipulating the system to benefit themselves

 

[Parsaregood]

Doesn't it seem odd that this thread is name ' are you right wing ' why not how left wing is your thinking or what is your political ideology ? It's always striking how anything considered right of centre is negative, really sad

 

[Hacker Khan]

The main political parties in this country are generally left wing and even the conservatives of recent times are centre left and have been since blair came into power and they were ' forced ' to change to regain popularity. There are SOME proper conservatives still about but most nowadays are far more left leaning than you would have seen in the past. Generally people who claim to be centre with their feet hanging on the left side of the fence are believers in left wing ideologies and not central atall in their thinking. Extreme on either side is not good but like everything both sides are needed to keep the other in check and I'm always wary of people who claim to be completely centre in their beliefs. I think there is merit to the argument that if anybody is slightly right wing in their thinking they are labelled this and that, everybody KNOWS when right wing ideologies go too far the problem becomes how do you recognise when the left go too far ? This is a real problem and I think one that will become more apparent as politics become over saturated with leftists. Politics is always going to be a divisive topic on any forum, as for golf forums being dominated by conservative thinking? I'm not so sure, i come from a very working class background (both parents went through long spells of unemployment) did they or others i know from childhood actively seek to better themselves or their prospects? No never and I know this so generally i take with a pinch of salt the hardship because anybody with drive and ambition can succeed in this country , I am conservative in my thinking and further right than 'modern' conservative, what I'd call true conservatism, i know how people who claim benefits think and behave and a lot of it is geared at manipulating the system to benefit themselves

The way the world is moving at the moment I'm not 100% sure an oversaturation of lefties is the major political challenge the world will be facing.

Also I'm sure you'll also admit that some people do need welfare help and not all of them are manipulating the system. And some are stuck with some very difficult choices to make. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46649160

 

[Parsaregood]

The way the world is moving at the moment I'm not 100% sure an oversaturation of lefties is the major political challenge the world will be facing.

This is very true though wasn't really trying to address issues outside the right wing/left wing discussion

 

[Hobbit]

Doesn't it seem odd that this thread is name ' are you right wing ' why not how left wing is your thinking or what is your political ideology ? It's always striking how anything considered right of centre is negative, really sad

I agree with your second sentence. And the current Labour top table are very good at making that (slanted) point. As for the thread title? Its taken from a question posed in another thread, and rather than derail that thread its posed here.

 

[Parsaregood]

The way the world is moving at the moment I'm not 100% sure an oversaturation of lefties is the major political challenge the world will be facing.

Also I'm sure you'll also admit that some people do need welfare help and not all of them are manipulating the system. And some are stuck with some very difficult choices to make. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-46649160

Of course there is a genuine need for welfare and I'm not saying being a beneficiary of the state doesn't bring about hardship, that is inevitable, it simply wouldn't be fair if you could survive at the expense of others and have all that you require for a good life all the time. Whilst it's necessary, it should not be there to be openly manipulated and whilst it's inevitable it will be manipulated it should not be easy to do so, so where do you sit on the issue. There is a need for it but it can't be too cushy or else nobody would care to find a job. I don't know the ins and outs of UC but from what I gather it's a pretty badly setup restructuring of the system

 

[Hacker Khan]

Of course there is a genuine need for welfare and I'm not saying being a beneficiary of the state doesn't bring about hardship, that is inevitable, it simply wouldn't be fair if you could survive at the expense of others and have all that you require for a good life all the time. Whilst it's necessary, it should not be there to be openly manipulated and whilst it's inevitable it will be manipulated it should not be easy to do so, so where do you sit on the issue. There is a need for it but it can't be too cushy or else nobody would care to find a job. I don't know the ins and outs of UC but from what I gather it's a pretty badly setup restructuring of the system

Wherever possible we should eliminate benefit fraud. And I am sure there are some out there who are living the high life on benefits, but there are many many more who are just surviving at best. Also the problem is overly magnified where other issues costing us more are swept under the carpet more https://www.indy100.com/article/ben...idance-billions-government-statistics-8056846 .

But I'd argue any decent humane society needs to look after all in society as the free market will not provide for everyone. And if the price of doing so is some fraudulent claims then I'm happy to pay that price.

And I'd argue it is not the benefit system that is the main reason stopping people finding well paid jobs but the structure of our economy and housing market. Something that we will need to think hard about in a world of increasing automation.

 

[Parsaregood]

The article you link could be directed at benefit cheats, simply because the amount of people who claim and work cash in hand jobs without paying a penny in NI or tax is astronomical. I know an individual's tax bill like this would likely be very small however there are far more in this category than those who can afford accountants and lawyers to find every little loophole they can to bring their tax liability down. Us brits are one of the highest taxed nations in the world and 40% of a significant amount is a significant amount, it would probably make sense to reduce the tax brackets as the cost involved to avoid wouldn't be worth the saving and HMRC wouldnt have to spend so much chasing it.

 

[Hacker Khan]

The article you link could be directed at benefit cheats, simply because the amount of people who claim and work cash in hand jobs without paying a penny in NI or tax is astronomical. I know an individual's tax bill like this would likely be very small however there are far more in this category than those who can afford accountants and lawyers to find every little loophole they can to bring their tax liability down. Us brits are one of the highest taxed nations in the world and 40% of a significant amount is a significant amount, it would probably make sense to reduce the tax brackets as the cost involved to avoid wouldn't be worth the saving and HMRC wouldnt have to spend so much chasing it.

I'd argue compared with other Western capitalist economies we're mid table at best. Plus I'd argue the people who are avoiding, evading it now will always find ways to avoid paying tax.

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/countries-with-the-highest-taxes-in-the-world.html

 

[Hacker Khan]

I agree with your second sentence. And the current Labour top table are very good at making that (slanted) point. As for the thread title? Its taken from a question posed in another thread, and rather than derail that thread its posed here.

I'd say it depends where you are looking for the impression that right of centre is negative. In the majority of the print media that is not the case as a lot of papers are right wing to various extents.

But in the arts, especially comedy, that generally has a negative view of anything right wing.

As for social media then it depends on the extent of your echo chamber. I only come on here to even out my daily feeds from JK Rowling and Gary Lineker.

 

[Parsaregood]

I don't think you would see the same willingness and desire to actively avoid if the cost to do so did not outweigh the risk of getting caught and also we'd save huge amounts on all the resources currently tasked with chasing these individuals and companies

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I don't think you would see the same willingness and desire to actively avoid if the cost to do so did not outweigh the risk of getting caught and also we'd save huge amounts on all the resources currently tasked with chasing these individuals and companies

Save even more if we got the priorities right!

“A report has revealed HMRC employ just 522 staff to tackle tens of billions of tax evasion by the super-rich but the DWP employ 4,045 to tackle benefit fraud.”
@Rachael_Swindon, 26 June 2018