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<font size="-1"><font face="Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif">The Internet
isn't a power but rather a resource, and unusually for a resource is
not subject to scarcity. Artificially imposing scarcity on it is just a
bloody silly idea, which I hope is doomed for failure.<br>
<br>
I can be so idealistic some times.<br>
<br>
The New Deal isn't really a good example of Labours activities, since
it was put into place by John Major's government. I'll agree that they
have done a lot for vulnerable people, but that has included widening
the definition of vulnerable to damn near everyone. It doesn't make
them liberal, it makes them (vaguely) benevolent. To paraphrase: a
benevolent authoritarian is still authoritarian.<br>
<br>
Council housing and unemployment benefits might be nice, but we've also
had war, paranoia, the undoing of centuries of citizens rights, being
party to torture and murder, and the surveillance society. Yon Tony has
been one of the great prime ministers in a similar, although slightly
less extreme way, to how Hitler was one of the great German
chancellors: he's achieved some quite spectacular things, some of them
even benefited the world at large, but a lot of it wasn't nice and has
been carefully ignored.<br>
</font></font><br>
Toby Whaymand wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:20080615120931.CPHA16854.aamtaout01-winn.ispmail.ntl.com@smtp.ntlworld.com"
type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I your points are very vialed. With regards to the data protection Act I'm not saying it right or wrong but just that how it is.
Sadly with great power, (being the internet) comes great responsibility (can't remember which movie or TV show I got that from, prob Star Trek) and there needs to be some kind of control even if it means having new laws that make exceptions to the Data Protection Act.
With regards to Labour without a huge debate they have done a lot for vulnerable people.
The Council have a legal duty to house anyone who lived in the area for 2 years or have a connection like family members in the area, who have live in the area for over 5 years.
With regards to the unemployment New Deal started within days of Labour coming into power back in 1997 and millions of under 25 years old got into employment and higher education. The type of vulnerable people who otherwise would have been pushed aside. - To me that very liberal.
I know Labour have made mistakes and I don't want to go into a debate but it is important to remember all the good stuff Mr Blur has done for us. I would even say he was one of the Great Prime Ministers of are time.
Thanks
Toby
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