Question

I have read today about the scandal of care workers not being paid for travel time and on zero rated hours.

People pay 16 per hour to the council, who subcontract to ‘for profit’ companies who pay the workers less than half of this.

Why do people not hire the care workers direct and get more for their money?  Why do care workers not make their own rounds of customers up and become self employed? People hire their own domestic cleaners direct why not care workers?  I understand this would not be a choice if you do not pay for care but seemingly most people have to contribute something per hour so why not?  Anyone got any insight into this?

If you ask me, zero rated hours should be made illegal, disgusting abuse of labour.

An unpalatable alliance

It seems that Donald and Vladimir might strike up an ‘arrangement’ to sort out ISIS. Shock horror and o me miserum I hear.

But hang about, as we say. There’s nothing unusual about marriages of political convenience. Boa and Christopher will cite a couple of dozen from the annals. As a layman I can think of a few. Between Winston and Josef for one. Nobody wanted to associate with the Russian Bear but when a common foe appears…..

It is equally concerning for the European bloc that Trump seems rather slow to recognise their star qualities and would rather pacify Russia than protect the endangered.

Different – but not necessarily impractical. Isn’t that what politics is about?

Reductio ad nauseam et absurdum

Imagine it’s one of Christina’s town meetings, redolent of popular meetings on the hill in ancient Athens. It’s government in action. We vote on municipal decisions, talk to friends, go shopping and feel involved in public affairs.

Yes, very democratic. Power wielded by the people. So should we give the town elders a bit more help by voting on the detailed implementation of decisions too? It might include a retrospective veto on a plan if we don’t like how it’s being carried out.

It is of course a recipe for administrative chaos. If an approved town plan can be un-approved, can it be re-approved too? Why not?

So, back in Westminster, could the barmy bremainers please wind their necks in and see how ridiculous they are. This town ain’t big enough for the both of us. It was high noon on 23rd June 2016 – and y’all lost. So do one.

 

Get Intae Them!

I am almost sure that I posted on this before. I also think. however, that said post shuffled off the Internet coil when MyT (may the Barclay Brothers rot in Hell and/or Sark) pulled the plug.

My Dad was British to both the depths of his soul and to the sole of his Army boots. Never altered the fact that he was ecstatic if a Scot or Scots team shoved it right up the fundament of the relevant Southron opponent. Continue reading “Get Intae Them!”

Was America EVER great?

Trump promises to return America to greatness. A marvellous political slogan simply because it means anything that blows yer dress up, as some say.

From a foreigner’s viewpoint it is easy to refute. The US of A has not been ‘great’ at so many of the features of national greatness. At home: social integration, social welfare, equal opportunies. Abroad: support for the UN, effective post-conflict management of war zones, consistent foreign policies.

Maybe global trade and finance tend to dictate policy more than we care to admit – so states wield less power than ever before. Ten food corporations dominate grocery marketing worldwide! Big Oil calls many shots too. Not to mention the pharmaceutical giants and the everpresent banks.

So greatness is a political pipe-dream – whatever Trump says.