Good afternoon.
A 'Response to ACDC is not alas relating to the band but someone on Twitter* who goes by the nom de plume ACDC - no sign of their real name.
*I have 2 Twitter accounts; Redrhinostudios and Patrick Walsh. The former even declares my real name. (Got to wonder, after Michael Goves out of control SPAD's on Twitter, this person surfaces to argue.)
It was with some trepidation that I tuned in to watch Dateline on the BBC this morning. Following the shocking and deeply upsetting attack on Jo Cox, Labour MP for Batley and Spen, West Yorkshire, all political parties seemed to have taken a collective deep breath and proffered claims that will calm down with the debate due to begin again today (Sunday 19th June).
On today's programme hosted by Gavin Esler were guests Brian O'Donnell (Irish), Stephanie Baker (American), Marc Roche (French) and Alex Deane (British). Baker I have heard before and Roche many times on various programmes.
The programme, available on BBC's iPlayer for the next 29 days here, started with asking how should we treat MP's. Esler started off with a premise around 'Is it time to change the way we think about politicians?' And 'the EU referendum and brexit'.
I initially thought Esler's opening was a 'strawman'. Surely no one really thinks ALL politicians are out for themselves? (Thinking of ACDC, Esler did partly blame anonymous haters on Twitter as a source of this 'hate'. Like they are ashamed of their views or something or that people would know they were tossers).
So not the best start.
But then the guests, one in particular started to chip in. After Esler contradicts his opening salvo by saying that most politicians are hard working etc, Deane acknowledged the different counties of origin on the panel and said they all treat their politicians like dirt. Hmm. Well maybe the ones claiming Moat cleaning on their expenses or pay their wives £40k odd a year to be their secretary.
But Deane thinks this position is 'absurd'. Politicians he has met 'are for the most part', that he has met in his life, 'decent people who have gone into that career because they want to make a positive difference'.
Now that is fairly strong and admirable. Except for the fact that Deane, in September 2012, on his fart box of opinion on conservative home, declared that as far as UKIP are concerned, as a Tory (self identified on the show) 'UKIP's demands are more palatable to us than the Lideral Democrats, because are world view is closer'. 'Our platforms are the same' he declares. He cited an Andrew Lilico as saying the Tory's should have a pact with UKIP, and he agrees.
(edit) Just saw this on twitter @21.40 What a swell guy!
Honestly. What a shit.
So let that sink in. Deane has for the most part, met decent politicians. They presumably are the ones he most feels akin to. Y'know, the ones who use on their posters that are near indistinguishable from Nazi propaganda.
Them Nazi's were fine decent people weren't they? All they were doing was trying to make a positive difference.
or...
Plus, Deane explicitly stated that regarding this poster is something that he is ok with (much to understandable disbelief by Stephanie Baker) Why, it's 'A photograph of something that actually happened'. Yes. Non-European people being escorted by state representatives from Croatia to Slovenia. But don't let that fact get in the way of good old fashioned cherry picking*
By this time, Deane was on a bit of a roll. My old favourite came up; immigration is ignored. Let's see what 'ignoring immigration' looks like.
To her credit, Baker spotted that and mentioned that immigration had indeed been on a few front pages.
But. And there's always a but when an apologist in in the room.
'...and you would say that's contributed to a climate of things you would find unpleasant and want to have less of it... its expressing the concerns of readers and expressing something that's a genuine story (whip up outrage and then report on said outrage)... what has been done is the left hand side of politics; The Guardian, the Mirror, the Observer and so forth (unintelligible) certainly the F.T. People have sought to dismiss those concerns as being the concerns of those who judge others on race, rather than making a simple evaluation; this country has got enough people already'. -
Mr A Deane.
Well. Let me see if I've got that right; Newspaper create the outrage and then report on it and that legitimises the story. People who judge others by race and have it pointed out to them are complaining about it?
Oh sorry. It's pernicious.
Maybe it's just me. Sometimes it feels like I'm the one taking crazy pills. The UK, has, and this is uncontroversial, as ageing population and a declining birthrate. Has anyone desperate to pull the drawbridge considered what will happen to all those old people when there aren't enough people in the population to allow provision for care through taxes? See? Immigration is good! Plus, as Baker rightly pointed out several times, but since was the wrong narrative was er, dismissed by Deane, immigrants put in more than they get out. Look at me. I'm first generation Irish. Mum and Dad came over in the 50's and was met with...
But back to Mr Deane. I love it when I hear the resources argument. it's like the government have no influence over NHS funding. Lets face it; the PERFECT scapegoat. Chronic underfunding? Bollocks mate! Blame Vlad!!
Bear in mind, Chomsky has described what's happening to the NHS perfectly. Starve it of funds and say the private sector will take over.
Don't believe me? Read Hunt's co-authored book.
And don't worry about having any rights to the NHS. That got flushed down the toilet in 2012.
Amazing eh? What a safe pair of grubby hands the NHS is in.
I was particularly intrigued by Deane's statement that Farage/ UKIP aren't associated with the Leave campaign. So what? Do you think that a normal punter, like me, sees ANY difference between them? Their platforms are the same with really close world views so it's quite natural to see the two as the same. They do themselves. Even more so that Farage is allegedly being offered a role in Prime Minister Boris' cabinet of who-knows what. It must be to make him feeling better after his I am a man more sinned against than sinning bullshit. Is that enough obfuscation for you ACDC?I think that's fairly outright.
Then, bizarrely, Greece was being spoken about. Basket case Greece. Deane proclaimed 'they sacrificed a generation on the alter of the EU'. Did they? Now, I may have this wrong. Greece is an extremely complicated mess and I wouldn't want to be accused of making a monumentally insincere and glib summation of the situation. However, the GLOBAL financial 'credit crunch' of 2007/2008 caused by a perversely under regulated AMERICAN banking system had something to do with it. Yes, the irregular debt recording by the Greek government allowed it to borrow well in excess of EU borrowing limits. But think about PFI's over here before you get too high and mighty. Not to mention 'Generation Rent' Zero hour contracts, workfare and the criminal treatment of disabled people.
'We are in it together'. What a perfect example of double-speak.
My worst case scenario prediction; Brexit wins by a sliver. We still have open borders because hey fuck it, it was only promised it would end in a referendum. Like they're binding! Cameron/ Osbourne out. Boris and shuddering Gove in. Farage as Home secretary. No holiday pay. No maternity or paternity leave. No weekends. Return of capital punishment. Scotland and Wales go off to the EU. A one tory party state. 12 hour work days. Zimbabwe levels of inflation. Social apartheid. Certainly no human rights - get real!
Roll on the 23rd - lets get this circus on the road!
