Non spiky Politics

Fallingstar

That might have been a bit spiky 🫣

I doubt anyone will be offended Cossy but this is a good place to get anything off your chest ( politically speaking) about something you dislike that needs government attention or even policies that you’re really happy with or would like.
I don’t think it’s Stepford Wives to think we can get along in an amiable way for once.

Galaxy

Do people who are usually comfortable talking about tricky issues have a subject area where they are reticent? I have one subject where I dont say what I really think ( am not saying what it is! ) and I like to think otherwise I usually say what I feel.

Yes, it’s not health, politics or religion though ssssh secret 🐿️🐿️🐿️🐿️

Please don’t be offended anyone, it’s not an insult honestly, it’s all feeling a teeny tiny bit “Stepford Wives” in here 😜😜😜 🤣😂🤣

Galaxy

I am an atheist but I think because most people have moved away from religion that politics has some how become a religion. So it is generally very spiky because to criticise someone's politics has somehow become a criticism of something fundamental to that person. I am not articulating that well but I think it has become very tricky. Good luck fancythat

I kind of understand where you’re coming from, (yes I know I was going but …….. too curious I guess, or as very DH would say “nosy”)

Do people who are usually comfortable talking about tricky issues have a subject area where they are reticent? I have one subject where I dont say what I really think ( am not saying what it is! ) and I like to think otherwise I usually say what I feel.

Maremia

Now, that is not a failure of policy, but of management.

Well top strata of management are answerable to someone, the Civil Service to Ministers surely? So shouldn't they make it their business to keep some sort of reign on expenditure, it's not their money, does no one get sacked in the public sector for gross incompetence

BlueBelle

*Well, we are three pages in, and no bust ups*.

Well that’s because no one’s talking about politics Maremia 🤣 but just about whether or not politics should be aired in the cafe
Would you go with friends to a cafe and start talking about politics I was always told don’t discuss politics or religion in a social setting and it’s right they don’t go together with a relaxing snack out

Good point.

However, how can this be a café? There's no sign of those essentials, coffee or cakes.

Here you are:

🍩🍪🎂🍰🧁☕☕🥤

Fallingstar

That might have been a bit spiky 🫣

I think you got away with it 🫣

Oreo

..and don’t get me started about that vast white elephant HS2

Why does it cost 10 times as much to build a railway as any other European country.
HS2 is just a joke, slower than glacial pace and no trains for at least 10 yrs, a lot of activity locally nothing moves for weeks.

Unfortunately it's not only only trains, there is a bridge across a dual carriageway locally that is going to cost £80m

..and don’t get me started about that vast white elephant HS2

I took this thread to mean that we can air our thoughts on many political subjects rather than a thread about one subject.
Our own hopes and also bete noires😁
So far so good.
Another beef of mine is the building of big new estates all over the place and usually with no infrastructure to go with it.
There has been so much building of expensive houses in every village and town in the South East for the last ten years.They all sell.I often wonder where all the people are coming from.

Galaxy

Just a bit. I have sat on my hands

🤣🤣🤣

Just a bit. I have sat on my hands

That might have been a bit spiky 🫣

Galaxy

I am an atheist but I think because most people have moved away from religion that politics has some how become a religion. So it is generally very spiky because to criticise someone's politics has somehow become a criticism of something fundamental to that person. I am not articulating that well but I think it has become very tricky. Good luck fancythat

I can understand what you are saying, I mean politics has always been tribal but for some it has become almost cultish devotion, as with Trump supporters, indeed Trump once boasted that he could shoot a man dead in the street and his supporters would still support him. Am afraid I can believe that. But am positive this has never been the case with previous presidents. And equally supporters of political parties here have become a bit too worshipful, though I think is mainly Reform with Farage, the UK version of Trump, becoming
something of an evangelical leader with an unquestioning flock.

Well, we are three pages in, and no bust ups.

Well that’s because no one’s talking about politics Maremia 🤣 but just about whether or not politics should be aired in the cafe
Would you go with friends to a cafe and start talking about politics I was always told don’t discuss politics or religion in a social setting and it’s right they don’t go together with a relaxing snack out

I am an atheist but I think because most people have moved away from religion that politics has some how become a religion. So it is generally very spiky because to criticise someone's politics has somehow become a criticism of something fundamental to that person. I am not articulating that well but I think it has become very tricky. Good luck fancythat

BlueBelle

I once went out with a guy who I found out was claiming all sorts of benefits including a car because of his bad back (the car got changed for a better one every year or two) He had nothing wrong with him and I found out he carried a stick in his boot for when he was called in to the benefits office.
Of course I didn’t continue going out with him but this was about 35/40 years ago so it’s been going on a LONG LONG time Terribull

Careful bluebell as you may be slated on here for saying all that!

All good, Maremia.

Well, we are three pages in, and no bust ups.
Are you getting answers you can work with, to your questions, fancythat?

I agree with AGAA4 and petra. It says: a space for you to pop in for a cuppa with some virtual friends, seek out advice for a particular problem, or share an update on your life - important or trivial. Feel free to have your say and chat about your day.

Unless GN objects[highly doubt it but someone can ask GN if they want to], I , and whoever else, will continue with it.
For as long as anyone whatsoever would like to use this particular thread.

I dont think I need to say anything else again, about this aspect.

Now, that is not a failure of policy, but of management.

TerriBull

Thanks for your reply Cossy to my previous post which I thought was nicely couched, insomuch as no visible spikes, well nothing that Vlad would find at all useful

So I'll take on board what I've learned about the Mobility scheme, in fact to be honest I didn't really know much about it at all. It's just we've had friends staying, it came up in conversation, my friend's husband said he knew someone gaming the system, it was quite a complicated story. So we were having a general conversation about how tax payers' money is wasted in certain areas. He, is recently retired from the MOD and told us the money that gets wasted there is epic, not just millions but possibly billions. He went there from the private sector and almost in every respect he was of the opinion that there is a laissez faire attitude from ordering equipment costing millions that's not fit for purpose right through to fiddling expenses. His thoughts were where he'd been employed previously there was far more scrutiny and far more accountability. In many respects he found the way public money is wasted was a complete eye opener, not in a good way because he was very shocked at what he perceived as a cavalier attitude.

I can only imagine

TerriBull

I admire your optimism fancythat, I think the politics thread may start off in fairly calm waters but gradually the spikes develop to such an extent Vlad the Impaler would have found a good use for them

😂

I agree with AGAA4 and petra. It says: a space for you to pop in for a cuppa with some virtual friends, seek out advice for a particular problem, or share an update on your life - important or trivial. Feel free to have your say and chat about your day.

It isn’t the sub-forum for political discussion because political discussion is all about argument, a civilised exchange of views and attempts to persuade. That’s how people come to a better understanding and maybe even consensus.

Gransnet Café is barely used. Look at some of this year’s subjects so far: washing machines, ironing boards and haircuts. Chat is far more popular.

When a discussion appear on the Active Discussion list or Trending it doesn’t show what forum section it has been started in. I doubt many take any notice of where it has been started.

Politics is a massive subject. Some would argue that everything is political. People are already talking about several different things. Because there is no function for thread branching so that people can response to specific posts, this will soon become a big mess of umpteen tangled topics with confusing nested quotes and people talking over one another.

In just two pages there has been mention of ICE, ADHD, Motability, vape shops, Turkish barbers and nail bars, the NHS and welfare system, political party leaders and climate change.

The vast majority of News & Politics discussions on specific topics are conducted in a civil manner even when views are polarised. The number of regular contributors is small. People are family with one another’s general political leanings.

There are a few people who engage in juvenile name-calling and personal remarks but if it becomes a personal attack, something which is very much against talk guidelines, the mods can deal with it.