A novel idea from India
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, a Hindu nationalist group is just a bit underimpressed with Indian politicians: "The corrupt politician who would not be noticed even by a crow, demands and gets a huge security cover and drives the busy city roads with sirens and gun-toting black cats." I believe the cats in question are miltary types rather than especially talented felines.
Its suggested approach is that "all the security provided to politicians should be withdrawn. Let the political parties spend on private security arrangements or deposit the money spent on security in the government account". That does seem a little drastic, but I do wonder quite how many senior British politicians would be prepared to go out and about without a plethora of security goons trailing them.
Labels: South Asia
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on Saturday, January 06, 2007 at 5:32 pm.
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C, your blog has gone very Indo-centric of late. Any particular reason?
Well, I wish any visiting Indians who know would write in and let me know why the Indian government does not allow foreigners to buy property in India. Given that Indian nationals are allowed to buy property in our countries ...
Back on topic, we spend too much taxpayer money protecting people who put themselves forward to be important. I think a lot of it is just for show, anyway. I mean, why would anyone want to shoot rag dolls like Patricia Hewitt? Tessa Jowell, yes, maybe, because of her husband's dealings and because of her involvement with gambling makes her a rather sleazy target. And John Prescott for the gambling connection. As the British never wanted giant gambling casinos, why should they have to pay to protect these people from the mafia? They chose to get involved and should pay for their own protection.
BTW, does David Blunkett still have a ministerial car and driver? If so, why?
During the early days of the United States, people used to go right up to the windows of the White House and look in.
G = E (x3)
G is goons.
E is politicians ego (with a standard constant of 1)
Thus it is easy to deduce that your average politico will demand 3 goons to secure his self-esteem at any given time. Of course, those such as Blair with affected massive ego issues, will have an E or 10. thus needing 30 goons to sate thier self-esteem requirement.
I am sure we could complicate this formula a little...
Yes and the goon show protecting Salman Rushdie cost a significant portion of the GDP ,…I think it is fair to say my feelings about that were “conflicted” . Rushers was one of the marvellously self regarding charter 88 named as if to imply a few London Luvvies Pinter and Bully Brag were a dissident cell in an iron curtain dictatorship ..charter 77. They thought that was clever . Everyone else on this greeny blue orb called earth thought they were a so lost in themselves that sanity would have to be sent in a bottle .
I have never quite been able to rid myself of a sneaky liking for Niel Kinnock , I think it was the Conservative Party were attacking for not being an intellectual that this began and today has been no help.
Kinnock is alleged to have denounced Charter88( the harem of preen) as a movement of "Wankers, whiners and whingers."……sothere must have been some good in him . After all anyone who leaves us with the joy of the Sheffield Conference, losing the election and blaming the Sun, I have one thing to say .
WeeeeellAaaalllllriiiiiggghhhtt!!!!!!!!
Makes me sweaty with embarrassment even now
Despite your funny post, Newmania, the Kinnocks out-claimed on expenses anyone else on the gargantuan EU gravy train. Now, that takes some doing and as far as I am concerned, cancels out the very few vaguely intelligent things he ever said, encased in terminal loquacity.
Quite so V, take off his clown make up and he`s an evil worm like the rest of them.
Verity did you see this ?I don’t do cunning linkery and you don`t miss much , still it is a striking piece. The madness coming from the Islamic loon factory is almost Gothic ; a ghostly pale rider ? I sometimes have thought your “medieval” jibes were literary hyperbole but this reminds me of the children’s crusade of 1212 except there were apparently only about 20,000 involved.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2007/01/05/do0502.xml
Almost unimaginable horror.
No, I hadn't seen this but it doesn't change my mind about islam, which is a personality cult for the purpose of conquest of territory.
If the RoP was so peaceful, why didn't they stay peacefully in the Middle East instead of heading West to conquer Spain and convert people to islam at the point of a sword? (Today, it's the point of a nuclear warhead. Nothing changes in islam.) What other "religion" gets people to blow themselves up on the promise of a post-mortem brothel in the sky?
Did you follow the six flying imams in Minneapolis? The aggression of these people is interesting. They are in the West to conquer.
I think it is a matter of some importance that we thrash out what to call islam. In other words, I would like to see it declassified as a religion and reclassified as a dangerous cult. This won't happen because the appeasers (socialists) have long guarded the dyke which has leaked millions of them through into the West. Now, it would be almost impossible to take away their religious status.
The left has been using muslims as a threat and a weapon in Western countries for at least 20 years.
I wonder whether Islam of the sort Michael Burleigh desribes is really Islam . He makes the point that a Western educated middle class were influenced by the "Academic craziness " of the Sorbomme like Pol Pot. Marxist revolutionary clap trap as espoused by Jean Paul,Satre has been reformulated and dates back only deep into the mists of the Iranian revolution.
The ancient religion has some unattractive aspects to it but it might have evolved away from its past like others have.
Much as I rejoice in the death of Hussein in many ways he and his kind worry me less than Mahmoud Ahmandinejad.
Perhaps it will give you food for thought to note that, by and large, the Persians are on a different intelligence level. They really did invent things, and they really did have beautiful architecture and they really did create lovely art, whereas most Arabs think creating art is a sin as this is allah's gig.
And the Iranians don't think, even today, that creating an image of mohammad is wicked. So these are broader and more worldly people.
I don't know anything about how the average Iranian feels about this bomb deal. I think, like most people, they probably just want to get on with their lives. But they may have been convinced that, in order to get on with their lives, they have to bomb Israel.
I highly recommend 'Among The Believers' by VS Naipaul. He took a long trip through the islamic world 20 years ago, after the Iranian revolution and it is interesting to note the continuity of 20 years ago with today.
I think the islamics need, with some urgency, to be put back in their box and denuded of the advantages they have gained in the West by lying and false representations. Their koran allows them to, indeed prescribes that they do, lie when swearing on the koran if it is in the cause of advancing islam. This means we cannot trust anything they say under oath.
I recommend you to go to (as someone else who can't do cunning links) dhimmiwatch.org and have no doubt that you will find it enlightening.
What I do deduce from my own reading, is that Israel is not the problem. Islam is the problem and has been a problem for Europe since the Dark Ages, hundreds of years before they had Israel to hang their grievances on. It is now a worldwide problem.
There are brave muslims who want islam to have its own reformation. One of these is the fascinating and witty Canadian, with her spikey hair and loads make-up, Irshad Manji, whom you can find by typing her name and adding dot com. She's a Sunni and very clever she is, too.
PS - you say "Academic craziness " of the Sorbomme like Pol Pot. Marxist revolutionary clap trap as espoused by Jean Paul,Satre has been reformulated and dates back only deep into the mists of the Iranian revolution.
The ancient religion has some unattractive aspects to it but it might have evolved away from its past like others have."
No, because there was no progress of thought between the year 900 (or maybe it was 800)and the Sorbonne, for example. Same old, same old. Set in stone.
Thanks Verity I always enjoy your posts and its very kind of you to mention sources.
And while I `m thanking Verity ,your post on the Iain Dale Westham thread is really public spirited.
To be honest I`m keeping out of "his" way.
Back to the Kinnocks, Verity is right. Isn't their whole extended family employed by the EU gracy train? Also, Lord Kinnock was responsible for sacking the (vindicated) Marta Andreasen for whistle-blowing on fraud and inadequate financial systems in the EU. I am waiting for a Labourite to do a glowing tribute to Kinnock, before I go on the attack properly.
newmania - susanne lambido - any comment?
Quite a good meander there. I do approve of CU's equation, meanwhile per Rigger's point I'm not sure that there is a grand scheme to hike the Indian content in these parts.
P you really are quick aren`t you . Yes indeed but I am drafting a letter for the Gazette today. the arreer of Hitchens is of interest tol his old "chums" and this incident nicely describes the illiberality of the Liberal Party.
I have alreqdy extended to the warm hand of friendship to Suz and invited her to join the Conservative Party. Suggestions that this was prompted by a malicious desire to drive her potty are ,......true.
Its a question of how much gloating you can get in and still get published really. Bit of an islignton day today with Hodge y on Sky expressing her deep concern for children.Perhaps you will recally her fine record on the caring for the children in her charge.
Presume you're fully aware of the steve Hitchens situation. I saw the post before it got taken down
PT - sounds intriguing. Care to e-mail me the details, please?
P and C please please send me anyhting you have I `ll have it in the paper by the middle of next week ....they will have kittens.
C has my email address which I would vaguely rather not post..don`t know why I `m not ecactly as mystery.Don`t forget it will be such fun...
What Hitchens situation? PT, Newmania, Croydonian. What is going on?
If you don't want to post it, Croydonian, you have my email address.
I just checked and no email from Croydonian. Can someone please tell me what is going on with PHitch?
Which Hitch are we talking about here?
What is going on? What post was taken down? From where? Where is our Peter Hitchens? Newmania, you seem to know something.
V - I've e-mailed you. Nothing to do with 'our' Hitch.
The Hitch is back
I went to school with a fair few Iranians in the 1970's , Manchester was full of them , this was a private school for the sons and daughters of Cheshire residents who couldnt face the prospect of their precious darlings attending a state school nor packing them off for months at a time.
Most of us were too thick/lazy to get a place at William Hulme or Manchester Grammar so there we were.
Most of the Iranians were very pleasent and very western , although it was disconcerting to meet the odd 14 year old with a full beard and a body like the incredible hulk (naveed)
We all used to wonder if he was actually 21 and a spy.
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