Galaxies Realm

A taste of coalition government could be good for the Liberal Democrats... they might get a reality check on some of their wilder policies.

I predict someone will win, someone will lose and they'll be alot of unhappy people.

(04-13-2010 04:28 PM)Atlas32 Wrote: [ -> ]A taste of coalition government could be good for the Liberal Democrats... they might get a reality check on some of their wilder policies.

I hate to ask what their 'wilder' policies are...

(04-13-2010 07:38 PM)VulcanStevens Wrote: [ -> ]

(04-13-2010 04:28 PM)Atlas32 Wrote: [ -> ]A taste of coalition government could be good for the Liberal Democrats... they might get a reality check on some of their wilder policies.

I hate to ask what their 'wilder' policies are...

A road tax up to £2,000 immediately comes to mind. I have no problem with taxing people who buy non-essential gas guzzlers just to drive 400 metres and drop the kids off, but £2,000 is just ridiculous.

Did anyone see the first debate on Thursday? I don't think I can say anyone won/lost the debate. But Brown really needs to lose that creepy smile and stop sucking up to Nick before the next one.

I'm hoping C-SPAN channels here in the States air the P.M. Debates. They normally air all important British political telecasts of that nature and scale within a week of the original airing in Britain. I'd be very interested in watching the unedited version... I heard Cameron and Brown traded some very nasty looks with one another during the question concerning police funding.

I watched the debate too. Brown annoyed me, Cameron was a twat (as I expected), and Clegg, while a bit shaky, won by simply not being a complete tool.

The next debate is set to focus on foreign policy, which will be the real test for Clegg. The Liberal Dem policy is rather dovish, believing in multilateral-ism and diplomacy over unilateralist war.

(04-18-2010 04:10 PM)Atlas32 Wrote: [ -> ]I watched the debate too. Brown annoyed me, Cameron was a twat (as I expected), and Clegg, while a bit shaky, won by simply not being a complete tool.

The next debate is set to focus on foreign policy, which will be the real test for Clegg. The Liberal Dem policy is rather dovish, believing in multilateral-ism and diplomacy over unilateralist war.

I think this kind of stance is likely to only further ingratiate Clegg to a public sick of foreign wars. Every day there is another death of soldiers in Afghanistan makes Britain slide more towards a pacifist political approach - we aren't the US, we don't have to be 'Tough on Our Enemies' to win here. If Clegg can paint Labour and Tories as warmongers, he'll win on foreign policy in the hearts and minds of the public.

Europe is going to be Clegg's killer if anything is, since most of the British public leans Eurosceptic, and Clegg's Europhile angle is well publicised. A lot will hinge on him being able to sell that to the public.

I enjoyed yesterday's debate. I agree with pretty much everything Clegg said, so I'm not very objective, but I think he did quite well again, although not as blatantly as last week; or maybe Brown and Cameron were just better, I don't know.

I think Clegg had a rougher ride this time, but on the banks he did have a point on the link between investment banking and retail banking should be severed. The other two didn't say anything about that. I'm also wondering why the hell he didn't talk more about electoral reform when that girl talked about her vote not counting? He danced around the issue, but I felt he could have shown up Labour's limited approach and the fact that the Tories just don't want to reform the system.

My favourite part: David Cameron, Mr "nuclear war with China" and "job tax!" is accusing the other two of using fear! I actually laughed out loud the first time he said it.

I saw this story earlier, it seems Clegg is hinting at a Conservative coalition with the basis being the number of seats that are won.

You know, with everybody talking about coalitions or alliances - what about the possibility of a Labour-Conservative coalition if there's a hung parliament?

If Clegg is serious about electoral reform and makes that a requirement of any coalition (and how could he not?) won't Labour and Tories have much more in common with each other than with the Liberal Democrats? Just something I've been wondering.

(04-26-2010 11:23 AM)LukeSkywalker21078 Wrote: [ -> ]I saw this story earlier, it seems Clegg is hinting at a Conservative coalition with the basis being the number of seats that are won.

I don't see that happening. No way will Liberal Dems make a deal with a party who are the complete opposite to a Left Wing party.

I also don't see a Labour/Tory coalition happening either. About the only thing that Labour and the Tories have in common is that they both love being the party of government. Aside from that, the egos are too big to allow them to share power with anyone (hence why they're trying to avoid a hung parliament).

(04-26-2010 12:05 PM)Atlas32 Wrote: [ -> ]You know, with everybody talking about coalitions or alliances - what about the possibility of a Labour-Conservative coalition if there's a hung parliament?

No way in hell it'll happen at the Westminster level. They're just too different.

I've been following this election too. From the polls I've seen, Labour could get their worst result since 1918. Maybe they should take this time to start over.

Hey, has anyone tried this:
http://voteforpolicies.org.uk/

It allows you to choose what party best matches your views based of their policies. I got 66% Liberal Democrats, 33% Greens.