to think this country isnt 'going ro rhe dogs'

[Boomba]

going to the dogs!!!

I hate that phrase

No its not!

No denying, it isn't a time of plenty. And some people are really struggling

But, compared with what? 90% of the rest of the world, most of us here are alright

[specialsubject]

no, ryanboy, but equally none of us are being shot at or bombed by our own government, we all have drinkable water and access to a toilet, and if we get ill we will be treated without paying out.

there are quite a few people in the world for whom the above do not apply.

[Boomba]

Don't get me wrong, I hate this government and what they are doing. The inequality is sickening. We need a revolution. But all the same...

[Chipstick10]

Depends where you live.

[Smartiepants79]

I completely agree. And this has been bugging me for a while.
I know that things are not great. There are many people and families for whom things are very tough right now and I understand that in certain circumstances it is almost impossible to see the good things. However..
Healthcare for all.
Education for all.
Relatively corruption free police and government.
The safety net of the welfare state.
Freedom of speech.
I think it is foolish to keep thinking that it must be better somewhere else. It very rarely is.
The consequences of losing your house/job in this country are crap but just imagine how it would be to lose these things if you live in South Africa or India or South America.
I can moan with the best of them about cuts etc but I try very hard to never lose sight of how lucky I am to live here.

[Beehatch]

"The scum of the earth are procreating in their masses, whereas the naice people are choosing to have less children."

Did you mean that seriously Charliefox?

[Dawndonna]

The scum of the earth are procreating in their masses,

[FoundAChopinLizt]

Does anyone here think there was a time in the past where things were better in this country?

I'm no historian, but I'm not sure I'd like to go back in time, particularly as a women.

I sometimes wonder if this financial crisis might knock the whole consumerism philosophy, in that having lots of stuff makes you happy. To me, the worst answer to the recession would be to rewind ten years.

I'm not trying to minimise the suffering of people who are struggling to balance, rent, bills and food just now, I think is horrific that we have such an obscene gap between rich and poor.

However I hope we can realise in the future that our personal happiness does not depend on buying stuff, but on the quailty of our relationships and how we actually spend our time rather than our money.

[theodorakisses]

I recently had an op in Qatar on my insurance. They gave me a breakdown of the cost to sign: swabs x 4, hypodermic needles x 2, disposable intubation x 1, disposable gas/oxygen mask x 1, 3x syringe, 1 x incontinence sheet, 1 x room, 3 x nurses, procedure x 1, porter x 2, meal x 1, cup of tea x 3, liquid meal x 1, tv in room x 1 and so on. I don't have a great deal of time for the NHS but I wish people realised what a massive privilige they have. Most of the world pay although in fairness then they are not rationed.

[Boomba]

My SiL has a broken back and can't afford a second operation. She can't walk and is in tremendous pain

[Boomba]

I agree Chopin

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

My BIL was in hospital in DH's home country in N Africa and we went to visit him regularly. Its times like that you realise what a marvelous thing the NHS is. He was provided with no food, medication once a week, no painkillers etc, a family member slept at the hospital on the floor to look after his basic needs.

At DH's family home they have running water ever other day, sometimes the lights go out for hours. There are police and military check points everywhere. Corruption is rife.

This country has its faults and some people are really struggling but getting ill won't bankrupt you with medical expenses. The police won't arrest you on a whim. If an MP fiddles their expenses they can be sent to jail.

[andubelievedthat]

This country has absolutely no chance of paying its ever increasing debt, which is going up by £millions every day ,this country is ,a Banana Republic by any other name.

[limitedperiodonly]

We need a revolution.

That's just silly, isn't OP? Even in my wildest fantasies about Gideon I have to rule out putting him up against a wall. I'd give him a good kicking behind one though, but only if I could get away with it.

IMO we need a stimulus to the economy and IMO the government are best placed to do that and they aren't.

But that's just my opinion. But saying things are worse in other countries is pointless. It's not a race to the bottom. Oh, hang on. ATM it is.

Am I right in thinking your SIL is in another country? Her situation sounds tragic.

Do you think it would be better if that happened to people in Britain too so they didn't get well enough to work again and pay taxes and so their entire family descended into poverty, wage depression, low consumer growth and lawlessness.

That would waste our chance of increasing the number of law-abiding consumers and producers which is the essence of Capitalism, isn't it?

[PoppyWearer]

I agree with your OP. My DH and ILs keep banging on about it.

The economy definitely has much to answer for wrt the doom-mongering.

[limitedperiodonly]

The economy definitely has much to answer for wrt the doom-mongering.

Sorry, what?

[Boomba]

Sounds very familiar chaz

No of course I don't think that should happen here limited....just pointing out that 'the way things are' doesn't equate to 'going to the dogs'

I don't think capitalism, has anything else to offer us though

[limitedperiodonly]

I'm generally okay with Capitalism boomba. What political system do you espouse?

I also don't think things 'are going to the dogs' either. Mainly because I think it's a lazy expression.

I do think things could be better. How would you do that?

[Boomba]

Doesn't it believe? What is your prediction, of what will happen?

I'm not sure, I fully understand the implications of coming out of EU?

[Boomba]

I don't know limited

A lot of models, seem good in theory don't they, and crap in practice

I do know that a capatilist system isn't sustainable, in the true sense.

I think the problem is probably with the people who want to lead, intrinsically?

I saw a good poster this morning...capatalism is chaos, organise for anarchy!!!

( I'm not an anarchist, I'm pretty sure)

[MoodyDidIt]

"The scum of the earth are procreating in their masses, whereas the naice people are choosing to have less children."

shock Did you mean that seriously Charliefox?

^^ i know. wtf :(

[helenaconhambarter]

The fact that so many people from all over the world want to live here and will do almost anything to get here (think man falling out of plane's undercarriage last year) just goes to show what an amazing country we must have.
Let's hope it stays that way.....

[Madamecastafiore]

I think we have a fab country.

I always think about that lady having a baby in a hurricane up a tree when I hear people moan about the nhs and epidurals and the weather and think fuck me life's grand here!

[Didactylos]

My grandpa notes the world's worn cogs
And says we're going to the dogs

His grandpa in his house of logs
Said things were going to the dogs

His grandpa in the Flemish bogs
Said things were going to the dogs

His grandpa in his hairy togs
Said things were going to the dogs

But this is what I wish to state.
The dogs have had an awful wait

[AThingInYourLife]

It reads as if the dog who could say "sausages" (rhorhares) on That's Life started this thread :o

And who better than a dog to know whether a country is going to the dogs?

[marjproops]

just watching the queen on the news in parliament going on about helping carers/pensioners/etcv etc etd....

oh look, a flying pig.

like she and all those there know about housing/joblessness/redundancies/caring for disabled/rant rant rant rant!

(and its not cos i have pmt!!!)

this country's run by snobs FOR snobs.