The "Down with this sort of thing" picket. There is a burger van and you can wear your donkey jacket and fingerless gloves

[KatieMiddleton]

Fed up of the cuts? Fed up of the mislead bigotry? This is your sanctuary. Unwind. Vent. Pop over to the frothers thread if you feel like getting organised and doing some proactive stuff or just chill out with a cup of builders tea in a polystyrene cup.

Welcome.

You will not have THE rum, you will have a share as this is not about entitlement, or who deserves the most.

RUM!!!

I am so enjoying my unemployment figures vs job vacancies stats though.

It's pretty hilarious (in the grimmest way imaginable)

They are good good Shirl.

Clear short facts are much more effective than long stats because the thickies can't cope with long stat posts.

Bloody hell, best get more rum in then.

RUM!

Someone asked me why I was using stupid logic and someone else why I was going on about unemployment.

HA HA HA! Just, like, What?

Why am I going on about there not being enough jobs to go round when you're all squealing about the lazy fuckers getting a job?

Erm!

And for those that can't understand the clear short facts and words, I shall translate via the medium of dance and mime.

Hi. Hope you dont mind me joining in.
Ive been so angry since the fuckers came into power. But I can't vent to anyone in real life as I'm forrin and single mother.

General population rightwingerness is quite scary really. I know they have to have a scapegoat bit it's sad how easily is to manipulate people into blaming immigrants, single parents, disabled etc for the state of the country.

And cheers!!
I like rum. And southern comfort too

Tatty, will I need to order more rum?

Ah. Question answered.

anyone for more butter? salt and pepper?

Hello all, can't keep up with all these fast threads cos of RL so have been staying away, but just wanted to post some moral support.

It just seems so short sighted to me- like the govt really have not looked beyond the first rank of people who are affected. For example:

1. Part of the problem seems to be that private rental costs are high. If people are no longer able to afford to live in these houses, are there people who will be able to afford it or will Landlords be forced to drop their rents?

Whilst this might not necessarily be a bad thing overall, especially for Landlords that own the properties outright, there are several thousands of people who have buy to rent properties who only just cover the mortgage costs with the rent they charge.

Has the impact of these people being forced to sell or having their houses repossessed been taken into account? What percentage of people will it affect? What will it do to the availability of private rentals in that area? What effect will it have on the house prices of that area and in turn the ability of other people who own their homes in that area to move?

2. If people on low incomes are forced from high cost areas due to HB caps, what will be the impact on the businesses that need cleaners and other low skilled workers, if the people who are currently doing those jobs can't afford to live close enough to carry them out? Will public transport be able to cope with more people travelling further to get to work? If people have to put more of their income into transport rather than, disposable items, what will be the impact on the economy? If more people have to try to cram into cheaper areas of London, for example, what will it do to the society in those areas? Will there be more money for skills, healthcare, amenities in already underprivileged areas that will become more crowded? What effect will it have on children who live in those areas? If the only unskilled workers who are able to afford to live in central city areas are single people prepared to house share, what will it do to the social structure of those areas?

I am not at all convinced that these sorts of questions have been looked at, and less convinced still that the answers have shown a net benefit to society. For that reason, I see the cuts as purely about yet more redistribution of wealth from the poor to the very well off, and not something that has been thought through for the benefit of society as a whole.

May I join in too please? I find these days that MN is the font of all knowledge, and I learn all my political know how from here

Carol McGiffin is fully supporting the cap BTW. Surprise surprise.

Someone up thread said that the government have packaged this very well and I agree. The amount of things that aren't reported/wrongly reported staggers me - it's all shocking propaganda and people don't believe that it happens. I didn't before I read the Frothers thread.

Carol McGiffin "these people KEEP having babies and KEEP diddling the state and IT HAS GOT TO BE STOPPED"

FFS.

I don't know why I'm watching this, she is spouting all the stuff that I have seen on and around the threads recently "go and live where you can afford to live" "poverty these days means sharing a bedroom" god she is vile.

I just turned the telly on to see Jenny Eclair about to murder Carol McGriffen. About time too. Carol has let me down by buying into the mindless rhetoric without actually looking at the facts. Apparently she was banging on in an informed way about Workfare the other day as well.

Anyone else thinking that's rather biting the hand that feeds?

Because if your job is in London you can just pack up to the Midlands can't you? Never mind that you have no family and can't be back before 6pm to pick up the kids. FFS twat-faced McGrifin get an education!

You lot are all far better at this than me.
I tried to remain calm, quote facts without emotion but dear lord it was just too difficult.

I wanted to just yell at them that they are idiotic and ignorant.

Do they not realised that they are SO close to having to claim benefits? in this economic climate no job is safe. people are facing redundancy day after day, I doubt any of the workers at major high street chains like Peacocks expected to lose their jobs until the day the letter came.

They are but a car crash or sports injury from being disabled.

The baby they have been oh so patiently budgeting and planning for could be born with disabilities.

The house they live in could be repossessed or hit by lightning.

Their husbands could leave them and their entire fucking world could crumble around them.

If they cold remove their heads from their rectums long enough to take a glimpse of the real word they would soon change their minds.

Oh, and can i just state for once and for all I AM WORKING!!

Actually anyone that even hints at advocating Workfare as a viable solution is likely to get me punching them.
The notion just doesn't even warrant argument or debate

I can sort of understand why people get so worked up initially though, because if Mr Important High and Mighty tells you that all these dirty good for nothings are living the life of riley on £30k + and we don't think that's right so we are going to cut their money to £26k, then youa re going to be angry about it.

But surely, after a while, you start to think, hang on, I don't know enough about this to be being so vocal and righteous about it, why don't I do some of my own personal research, just so I can justify my own opinion when I get all sweary and offensive

There are plenty of statistics out there, like the unemployment vs job vacancy ones. Why is it such a big ask to expect peopel to educate themselves?

because TwllBach the laziest people are the ones who are being told they are working really hard and being 'shafted' by benefit claimants?

why look at a problem when the 'nice' PM is on the TV you've worked hard to pay for is telling you all about it?