Personally I think Tony Blair is a competent politician. It's his supporters I don't like. The towne "lets stop the foxhunting, and control everyones behaviour" mob. I know the lunitic fringe lefties too. They would vote for Tony B on anything because the spectre of the Tories returning to power is still a deep fear in their psyche. I think the city financial boys control him more then anybody. Thats not his fault though.
He's a very competent politician. Much better than Clinton, IMO. I'd vote for Blair, not too surprising since he's a stealth Tory. That's what the article I referred to was about. Tony's a middle road guy, coopts the Tories and makes both moderate Labour and the Tories happy because he keeps the socialists under the lid. Labour has to love him because he's crushed the conservatives. He's in a rare position for a politician - right where everyone is comfortable with him! :)
When it comes to health and education I just would like to see minimum corruption. Government bonds and private cos bidding for business looks like the simple and best route. I do know USA health plans are much cheaper then what we pay for the National health. The service in the USA was first class too. Same for dentists.
That's funny to hear on this side of the drink. Some people are still beating the war drum about socialized medicine, and how the British NHS is the best in the world and we need to do it like that. They don't read British newspapers online, obviously, because the NHS is constantly getting ragged on for cost and inefficiency. Health care is expensive as hell in the States, IMO, but from what I understand of the alternatives, its a lesser evil and you get good care.
I really just don't understand the fox hunting issue, PB. Isn't there better things to worry about than some folks that want to go chasing a fox with dogs? Seems pretty silly to me, but I grew up in gun country. Don't understand the fear of guns and hunting at all. To think that someone could be surrounded by police with automatic weapons for carrying a gun safely, legally, and harmlessly, is beyond my powers of comprehension. :/
Derek |
