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News & politics

Private wealth and public squalor

(204 Posts)
whitewave Wed 01-Nov-17 19:29:47

We have Galbraith to thank for this theory, and I think that far from being a theory of the past it is so apt for what is happening in this country.

I am watching the BBC programme about the super rich.

Today I have also seen on a report about people resorting to living in vans and caravans because they cannot afford anywhere else to live.
Our young are struggling.

The cuts have resulted in poorer welfare system, a struggling NHS, pot holes in the roads, and so on.

Today I visited Wells and in the Cathedral precinct there were homeless people begging -shame on the church. And don’t say the homeless have always been with us.When we were growing up we had tramps who we almost knew by sight as they were so unusual.

Food banks ?

Whilst we have just been told that the super rich wealth rose from an average of 2bn to 5bn within two years of the recession. Their wealth has continued to grow to the extent that now the top 1% own more than everyone else. Marx said that wealth will always become concentrated at the top, but for many years he seemed to be wrong, I wonder if he is so wrong now?

And no I’m not envious, just demanding fairness.

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 16:46:24

And as for who funded the research, you said you knew it was publicly funded - surely you didn’t make that up. shock

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 16:47:22

Waiting for all the frothy shock horror posts now - you dish it out but can’t take it can you?

petra Tue 19-Dec-17 16:53:12

Maryeliza54
I've been called worse grin

petra Tue 19-Dec-17 16:57:53

Maryeliza54
I'm getting the feeling that your not full of xmas cheer?

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 17:04:52

Only towards posts like yours petra

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 17:05:25

Luckily in RL I know lovely people

durhamjen Tue 19-Dec-17 17:10:59

Obviously was on the right thread. I just meant some of you ought to calm down.

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 17:16:05

You shouldn’t explain yourself to them dj - they probably wouldn’t understand anyway

lemongrove Tue 19-Dec-17 17:21:06

Petra yes, so have I.

A large Baileys has a very soothing effect I find, much better than Marmite.

lemongrove Tue 19-Dec-17 17:22:48

Well, looks like we can take it after all Maryeliza so you will be waiting for ‘frothy shock horror posts’ for a long time.

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 17:23:36

Well I expect you both thoroughly deserved it

lemongrove Tue 19-Dec-17 17:24:56

Yes, Miss, I expect we did.grin

petra Tue 19-Dec-17 17:29:37

I'll be ok with the explanation as long as it's versed in little words grin

petra Tue 19-Dec-17 17:35:57

Maryeliza54
I know my place. I'm going to the back of the class now grin

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 17:43:20

If only

Jalima1108 Tue 19-Dec-17 18:57:30

Obviously was on the right thread. I just meant some of you ought to calm down.

Actually durhamjen I was thinking about this as I was having a leisurely bath (going out in a minute) and, thinking laterally, I wondered if you meant that if people ate a lot more Marmite or food with B vitamins, they may become less stressed, unable to cope and less likely to turn to drugs as a prop.
That's what I thought you may have meant anyway.

The other thing that puzzled me about the research is that Marmite is relatively unknown in Australia although it has been imported and I believe is now made there, although the taste is apparently different from that made in the UK. (Different brewing methods perhaps?, the beer certainly tastes different.)
The yeast spread of choice is, of course, Vegemite.

but that won’t make up for your post demonstrating complete ignorance about university research and as for criticising my posts for being personal and rude you ought to look at your fellow playground mates
Have some Marmite on toast meliza

maryeliza54 Tue 19-Dec-17 19:00:04

Well of course if you’d bothered to read up about the research you would have seen that it was into yeast based spreads which in Australia includes Vegemite.

durhamjen Tue 19-Dec-17 21:30:39

All the Australians who used to come and stay at my guest house used to say that Vegemite tasted better.

www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/conservative-party/news/91570/former-theresa-may-aide-nick-timothy-says

It looks like Nick Timothy has been in the wrong party all along.

Primrose65 Tue 19-Dec-17 21:41:08

Australians who used to come and stay at my guest house used to say that Vegemite tasted better
Just shows how wrong an entire nation can be grin grin

durhamjen Tue 19-Dec-17 22:26:15

No idea. Which nation did you think was wrong?
I didn't argue with them because I don't like either.
Quite a few of them returned, so Marmite must have been alright for them.

durhamjen Tue 19-Dec-17 22:35:07

"What did David Gauke admit to Andrew Marr on Sunday? A 134 per cent rise in rough sleeping since 2010."

Just before Gauke said this on Marr on Sunday morning, a homeless man was found dead near Wagamamas, Birmingham Bullring.

Jalima1108 Tue 19-Dec-17 22:51:13

No contest, Marmight wins every time!

Jalima1108 Tue 19-Dec-17 22:53:41

Perhaps the party needs to listen - and act?

He is only saying what a lot of people are saying, not just the Labour party.

durhamjen Tue 19-Dec-17 23:19:14

kittysjones.wordpress.com/2017/12/19/its-david-gauke-and-the-government-that-need-to-change-their-behaviours-not-poor-people/

An interesting idea - perhaps the UN are Momentum supporters.

durhamjen Wed 20-Dec-17 19:53:32

www.24housing.co.uk/news/pm-dismisses-2000-homeless-children-as-not-actually-sleeping-on-the-streets/

May thinks that homeless children are only those sleeping on the streets. So those in hotel rooms and hostels and B&Bs are only pretending to be homeless.
This was said on the day the government was criticised for lack of urgency in housing the homeless.

www.24housing.co.uk/news/commons-committee-accuses-dclg-of-lack-of-urgency-on-homelessness/

I hope she watches the alternative Christmas message, given by Grenfell children, who have far more humanity than she has.