Comments on: Why I’m joining the Conspiracy http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/ If there wasn't one before, it's time we started it... Wed, 07 Jan 2009 08:39:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Matt Munro http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-802 Matt Munro Wed, 14 Nov 2007 16:28:46 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-802 How about 1. The abject failure to reform public services 2. The ever increasing tax burden 3. Rising crime - I'm not interested in debates about stats or blaming the media - crime is rising, ask any policeman 4. Nannying - I don't expect the government to be involved in my diet, my leisure habits or my family . 5. The smoking ban - to me it epitomizes everything that's wrong with the sort of people who now ruin the county. Smug, hypocritical, self-satisfied, sanctimonious and humourless. 6. The feminization of culture and institutions and the way it's been used to justify the abandonment of a generation of children How about

1. The abject failure to reform public services

2. The ever increasing tax burden

3. Rising crime - I’m not interested in debates about stats or blaming the media - crime is rising, ask any policeman

4. Nannying - I don’t expect the government to be involved in my diet, my leisure habits or my family .

5. The smoking ban - to me it epitomizes everything that’s wrong with the sort of people who now ruin the county. Smug, hypocritical, self-satisfied, sanctimonious and humourless.

6. The feminization of culture and institutions and the way it’s been used to justify the abandonment of a generation of children

]]> By: silent_observer http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-389 silent_observer Thu, 08 Nov 2007 17:43:28 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-389 "Can you have a section on this site for disaffected Labour voters to say why they won’t vote Labour next time?" Excellent idea. My contribution: 1. The ongoing disaster of Iraq. 2. The total failure to challenge the runaway rise of consumer capitalism and the decline in our shared morals, values, and culture it has brought with it. Moral cowardice. 3. The degradation of political discourse. All the parties are at fault here, but NuLab set the pace. The reasons for this are complex and have a great deal to do with the mass media (mis)representations of politics and politicians, but whatever the cause, the effect has been that almost all public political discourse is now conducted in bland, vapid terms that almost by definition exclude genuinely radical or challenging ideas. In other words, the whole tone of debate is geared towards preservation of the status quo. 4. The absurd levels of bureaucracy and over-regulation introduced by NewLab, apparently in the belief that if you employ enough people to fill in enough forms, you will eventually create a better society. “Can you have a section on this site for disaffected Labour voters to say why they won’t vote Labour next time?”

Excellent idea.

My contribution:

1. The ongoing disaster of Iraq.

2. The total failure to challenge the runaway rise of consumer capitalism and the decline in our shared morals, values, and culture it has brought with it. Moral cowardice.

3. The degradation of political discourse. All the parties are at fault here, but NuLab set the pace. The reasons for this are complex and have a great deal to do with the mass media (mis)representations of politics and politicians, but whatever the cause, the effect has been that almost all public political discourse is now conducted in bland, vapid terms that almost by definition exclude genuinely radical or challenging ideas. In other words, the whole tone of debate is geared towards preservation of the status quo.

4. The absurd levels of bureaucracy and over-regulation introduced by NewLab, apparently in the belief that if you employ enough people to fill in enough forms, you will eventually create a better society.

]]> By: Mike Homfray http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-330 Mike Homfray Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:27:12 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-330 Like many on the liberal/left, I am no longer a member of the Labour party. However, I would baulk at any thought that the conservative party could, or ever will be, a vehicle for our concerns. I think there has to be a degree of tribalism - despite the warm words, they are still Tories, and their instincts are not liberal. Like many on the liberal/left, I am no longer a member of the Labour party.

However, I would baulk at any thought that the conservative party could, or ever will be, a vehicle for our concerns. I think there has to be a degree of tribalism - despite the warm words, they are still Tories, and their instincts are not liberal.

]]> By: A range of reading - Philobiblon http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-317 A range of reading - Philobiblon Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:09:18 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-317 [...] blog, which is explicitly trying to take on the right-wing bias of the blogosphere, as explained here. And yes, I am part of the conspiracy, just because I have lots of spare time… but no, I do [...] [...] blog, which is explicitly trying to take on the right-wing bias of the blogosphere, as explained here. And yes, I am part of the conspiracy, just because I have lots of spare time… but no, I do [...]

]]> By: Paul Linford http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-98 Paul Linford Tue, 06 Nov 2007 09:59:51 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-98 Peter, you've touched on something here that may well become a lively issue for us here at Liberal Conspiracy, namely our attitude to the Labour Party. Sunny has stated in his preamble that the Labour Party currently represents the best vehicle for our aims and ambitions because it is in power, and I would agree with that as far as it goes, but I don't think it necessarily represents the best vehicle for our aims and ambitions for any reason other than that it's in power! On many issues, the Liberal Democrats and even conceivably the Conservatives might have policies that are closer to what we might define as "liberal" or "progressive." That's why I think it's very important that this does not become a party political blog in the way most of the right-wing uber-blogs are. Peter, you’ve touched on something here that may well become a lively issue for us here at Liberal Conspiracy, namely our attitude to the Labour Party. Sunny has stated in his preamble that the Labour Party currently represents the best vehicle for our aims and ambitions because it is in power, and I would agree with that as far as it goes, but I don’t think it necessarily represents the best vehicle for our aims and ambitions for any reason other than that it’s in power! On many issues, the Liberal Democrats and even conceivably the Conservatives might have policies that are closer to what we might define as “liberal” or “progressive.” That’s why I think it’s very important that this does not become a party political blog in the way most of the right-wing uber-blogs are.

]]> By: Peter Davis http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-56 Peter Davis Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:34:55 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-56 As a long term member of the Labour Party, I watched as the authoritarian right of the party took over. It had always been there, but the extreme and incompetent left provided it with a perfect excuse after the antics of Militant and other 'entryists' gave the right a gift in terms of 'loony leftism'. I was an active member, a councillor and branch representative. I have withdrawn my support , and I know many others who have. I haven't voted labour since 1997 and I believe the core of labour support will collapse even further at the next election. If you can collect on this site some indication of just how many votes the labour Party might lose at the next election, it might stiffen the nerve of the MPs who after all put Blair in power and allowed Brown to take over unapposed to stand up in greater numbers. Can you have a section on this site for disaffected Labour voters to say why they won't vote Labour next time? It might get some attention in Westminster. As a long term member of the Labour Party, I watched as the authoritarian right of the party took over. It had always been there, but the extreme and incompetent left provided it with a perfect excuse after the antics of Militant and other ‘entryists’ gave the right a gift in terms of ‘loony leftism’. I was an active member, a councillor and branch representative. I have withdrawn my support , and I know many others who have. I haven’t voted labour since 1997 and I believe the core of labour support will collapse even further at the next election.
If you can collect on this site some indication of just how many votes the labour Party might lose at the next election, it might stiffen the nerve of the MPs who after all put Blair in power and allowed Brown to take over unapposed to stand up in greater numbers. Can you have a section on this site for disaffected Labour voters to say why they won’t vote Labour next time? It might get some attention in Westminster.

]]> By: OliviaS http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-35 OliviaS Mon, 05 Nov 2007 12:18:04 +0000 http://www.liberalconspiracy.org/2007/11/05/why-im-joining-the-conspiracy/#comment-35 Great post Paul, you certainly describe my reasons for wanting to be a part of this. As someone who isn't a regular blogger, I think the challenge is also to find a wider public liberal-left audience for this site, and to think about what happens further down the line. Can we turn broad consensus by bloggers and readers on the aims of Liberal Conspiracy (assuming we can get it!) into action, and what would such action look like? Great post Paul, you certainly describe my reasons for wanting to be a part of this. As someone who isn’t a regular blogger, I think the challenge is also to find a wider public liberal-left audience for this site, and to think about what happens further down the line. Can we turn broad consensus by bloggers and readers on the aims of Liberal Conspiracy (assuming we can get it!) into action, and what would such action look like?

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