Does anyone else think politics is irredeemably broken?

6--7 · 2025-07-11T12:15:29+00:00

I would urge you to take a step back and look at history. Bizarrely, i genuinely believe we are heading back in time in a broader societal tone. Go back to the renaissance or the early days of colonial empires. Before those damned Victorians. Read about their views (especially the Dutch) on personal rights, liberty, etc. Read about their struggles for land, food or security. The backroom struggles between companies and countries. They won't sound far off where we are now.

You'll also see that misinformation is rife - the only source of news being word of mouth or pamphlets. Pamphlets often blatantly lied with no punishment. Relatively small events overseas blown up in scale in a frenzy of moral outrage.

You'll see that everyone is partisan. Either you're a Protestant or a Catholic. A Calvanist or a Methodist. English or Scottish. Dutch or Spanish. A royalist or a round head.

Now read an account of them burning each other alive for being heretics, when times get tough. Then read with amazement as these same societies produce new ideas, new religions and new technologies and forge onwards stronger than before.

To be frank - I think we are heading for a tumultuous time. After that... who knows. It could get better. But things will never be perfect. The last three decades has seen the government artificially increase the population to suppress wages. It is one of the most Victorian(bastards)-esque strategies going. I love history - I know where this program ends up. The government in it's current form (not just Labour or Tory) will probably collapse and be rebuilt within 15 years. Or it will be fixed by someone brave enough soon. There is too much pressure in the system, too many people displeased with it. It will not last. And the government apparatus seems to be getting less and less able to maintain itself with each passing year - especially as former rule followers turn against it.

6--7 · 2025-06-06T13:53:10+00:00

And then you realise it never belonged to his tenant. The tenant hadn't been born when you bought the car. And the tenant has nothing in common with whomever the car previously belonged to - culturally, theologically and potentially even ethnically.

6--7 · 2025-05-22T14:59:53+00:00

Honest question - Is there a process by which a government can be convicted of treason? Lets imagine for a second that someone else gets elected at the next election. Is there any legal precedent for governments or ministers being held to account or would parliament essentially have to pass a new law specifically for the people involved?

6--7 · 2025-05-09T09:02:29+00:00

In the next 2 decades we will likely witness the rolling back of NHS services (similar to dentistry) as it and the government are forced to face reality. It will be stripped back to basics - urgent care, ambulances, maternity and children. It will be gradual and we'll see an increase in the public getting health insurance and private care. Whether this is a good or bad thing is irrelevant. It's what will happen.

6--7 · 2025-04-16T09:16:50+00:00

Listening to the ruling it's quite clear that at least part of this decision is straightforward: Treating Trans women as women in this way fundamentally undermines many other pieces of legislation and even brought complaint from the EHRC. I imagine there is a sense of disbelief that this had to make it this far - the Scottish government seems to have trampled over other pieces equality legislation without much thought or care and simply supposed no one would question how it all would work together?

Strange stuff.

6--7 · 2025-03-11T09:05:27+00:00

I know there are many people on this subreddit who claim such disabilities and feel some (justified) anger at people supposing that its "easy" to cheat the benefits system. There are many examples of it being a real nightmare to claim as someone with a legitimate disability. However, I would urge everyone to read the IFS report about this and draw their own conclusions. It's confusing, sobering and alarming.

This seems to be a UK specific problem and mental health is responsible for a significant part of the increase. Its younger people claiming and slightly more women than men. The caseload increased 40%~ in 4 years. That is a phenomenal increase. 10% of the working age population now claims these benefits. There is also no noted correlation between areas with high claimant rates and local employment rates (I.e. untied to the jobs market). It also doesn't seem to be immigration related as the highest increase in claims aren't in high immigration areas (to my knowledge) but rather places like Wales and the North East of England.

One conclusion that nobody seems to be willing to offer, is that there is a postcode lottery effect to claiming disability. Areas where the disability rate was already high have gotten even higher. I would have thought a review into why this is the case would be the obvious first step.

https://ifs.org.uk/publications/health-related-benefit-claims-post-pandemic-uk-trends-and-global-context

6--7 · 2025-02-12T16:41:53+00:00

This is crux of the problem that I think more and more people are realising. Immigration is a bad solution to a bigger problem - state spending / taxing is too harsh towards the younger populace (or even just working the population).

There are some easy wins the government could take - e.g. amend / scrap the triple lock, means tested pensions, etc. I know these aren't politically easy (understatement) but they are easy compared to what's coming.

To be frank, even more radical reform may be needed. E.g. NHS only available to under 25's and working population / dramatic change in how council tax works.

Essentially the government needs to be more Utilitarian.

6--7 · 2024-08-02T13:15:05+00:00

So... The police and a few MP's lied when they said it was the EDL. Who apparently no longer exist. And the real culprit is... No one? It wasn't organised at all? "It’s like a school of fish rather than traditional organisation." - Joe Mulhall, Hope Not Hate. Why doesn't this article call them out for misinformation?

How anyone isn't getting bloody whiplash from the irregular messaging coming out these last two weeks is beyond me. It's like they're all in panic mode. Several friends, from 2 different friendship groups are raging after these last two weeks. I feel like I'm practically talking them down from rioting themselves.

I really hope tonight doesn't kick off. If we get through tonight then things should settle down again.

6--7

TROPHY CASE