The UK Politics and EU Referendum thread - merged

[DaveShoelace]

Question of the day

Which poltical writers/journalists/media figures and politicians do you respect a lot, even though you don't agree with the bulk of their specific political views?

One thing i note, particularly now with social media, is that people follow commentator's views that they agree with and (the 2015 general election was a good example of this) are then hugely surprised when a result is different than expected by their "circle".

Bang on, precisely why I asked. I have no respect for anyone who willfully puts themself in a bubble like this (However, I understand how one can unwittingly do it, as the internet and society in general is kinda geared to steer people towards the thing they like).

[DaveShoelace]

owen jones of the guardian

Just read his first, now reading his second book, really like him though I don't agree with everything he says. He was born on my road by all accounts.

[TightEnd]

The European Union or democracy

so we have the edifying spectacle in this country of right wing anti-eu commentators espousing a left wing cause and left wing pro-europeans espousing the portugese president

fun times.

[DaveShoelace]

Question of the day

What major political issues do we have a wealth of information about their importance, but are still being completelty ignored and maybe even covered up by the government?

[AlunB]

Question of the day

What major political issues do we have a wealth of information about their importance, but are still being completelty ignored and maybe even covered up by the government?

The myth of trickle down economics....

[DaveShoelace]

Question of the day

What major political issues do we have a wealth of information about their importance, but are still being completelty ignored and maybe even covered up by the government?

The myth of trickle down economics....

Can you elaborate on what has brought you to this conclusion?

Trickle down economics is something I haven't spent much time thinking about, but my gut has always felt that is correct.

[AlunB]

Question of the day

What major political issues do we have a wealth of information about their importance, but are still being completelty ignored and maybe even covered up by the government?

The myth of trickle down economics....

Can you elaborate on what has brought you to this conclusion?

Trickle down economics is something I haven't spent much time thinking about, but my gut has always felt that is correct.

Pretty much everything I've read or heard about it in the past five years or so.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22630182-500-tax-cuts-for-top-earners-fail-because-the-theory-is-broken/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/the-wealth-that-failed-to-trickle-down-report-suggests-rich-do-get-richer-while-poor-stay-poor-9989183.html

Interestingly we're seeing some on the right now do an interesting sleight of hand and suggest that's never what they said (when it is exactly what they said for years). Hence the talk of "wealth creation".

http://blogs.new.spectator.co.uk/2015/04/sorry-but-trickle-down-economics-doesnt-exist-and-never-has-done/

The trouble with this is that what we're seeing is not wealth creation, it's wealth addition (the rich getting richer).

[AlunB]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

[DungBeetle]

Question of the day

What major political issues do we have a wealth of information about their importance, but are still being completelty ignored and maybe even covered up by the government?

That Government doesn't have to "balance the books".  As long as GDP grows you can run a perpetual deficit.

Obvious this doesn't excuse Brown running a deficit during a credit boom when in receipt of monster tax receipts.

[DungBeetle]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

Indeed.  We're going to die from routine operations in the future if antibiotics are over used.  Can anything be done to reverse this?

[DaveShoelace]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

This, I think about this all the time. I think it is a big political issue, we could very well become a post work society where we would all need a basic state income.

Futurology is fascinating and scary, read a few decent books on it recently, one very uplifting, one very depressing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Machine-Age-Prosperity-Technologies/dp/0393239357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445871708&sr=1-1&keywords=new+machine+age

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-THE-FUTURE/dp/1611450136


What's the anti biotic stuff?

[AlunB]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

This, I think about this all the time. I think it is a big political issue, we could very well become a post work society where we would all need a basic state income.

Futurology is fascinating and scary, read a few decent books on it recently, one very uplifting, one very depressing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Machine-Age-Prosperity-Technologies/dp/0393239357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445871708&sr=1-1&keywords=new+machine+age

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-THE-FUTURE/dp/1611450136


What's the anti biotic stuff?

As per the comment above. Really quite scary you don't even know. Overuse of them has meant resistance is now at a truly scary level.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/blog/2015/aug/21/antibiotic-resistance-the-race-to-stop-the-silent-tsunami-facing-modern-medicine

[DaveShoelace]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

This, I think about this all the time. I think it is a big political issue, we could very well become a post work society where we would all need a basic state income.

Futurology is fascinating and scary, read a few decent books on it recently, one very uplifting, one very depressing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Machine-Age-Prosperity-Technologies/dp/0393239357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445871708&sr=1-1&keywords=new+machine+age

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-THE-FUTURE/dp/1611450136


What's the anti biotic stuff?

As per the comment above. Really quite scary you don't even know. Overuse of them has meant resistance is now at a truly scary level.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/blog/2015/aug/21/antibiotic-resistance-the-race-to-stop-the-silent-tsunami-facing-modern-medicine

Nope sorry, I did actually know about that.

[AlunB]

Ah OK. Was a little shocked.

Antibiotic resistance is really the same old sad human story.

Something is invented that is life changing for all. Then through laziness, greed and selfishness we abuse it to the point where it (almost) ceases to exist.

[AlunB]

Two huge issues, neither of which is political as such, for me are antibiotics and the concept of AI and a "post-work" society.

This, I think about this all the time. I think it is a big political issue, we could very well become a post work society where we would all need a basic state income.

Futurology is fascinating and scary, read a few decent books on it recently, one very uplifting, one very depressing.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Machine-Age-Prosperity-Technologies/dp/0393239357/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1445871708&sr=1-1&keywords=new+machine+age

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BRIEF-HISTORY-OF-THE-FUTURE/dp/1611450136


What's the anti biotic stuff?

Which book would you recommend to read first?