Across the Pond Politics

[Funke88]

Vote Bush? or Vote Kerry?

 

I work in a hotel and we can't get Americans to work for minimum wage. Some positions warrant responsibilty and experience, so these workers get a few dollars above the minimum, which is $5.25. Depending on the rate of exchange it's about 2.70 uk pounds. Anyway, we are now hiring foreigners to do jobs, while people moan about not being able to get a job. Right now we have 8 Russian students here on temporary work visas. They speak English so have been given jobs working on the front desk and in the restaurant. We have a Croatian, a Dominican Republican, plus a bunch of Koreans, all of whom do not speak English. Therefore, they work in the laundry and maintenance. We actually all work for Manpower and everyone is legal. The point is that foreigners have a totally different work ethic and upbringing. They work longer hours and accept lower wages. Kids these days seem to think they can get a job with no experience and no education and still get paid like they have a college degree. So maybe Americans should vote Democrat so that the minimum wage will be increased. Right now I see the poor getting poorer and the rich getting richer. Minimum wage has not been increased for years. Inflation goes up leaving people earning below poverty level. Can the Republicans change that? Haven't seen it happen yet.

Any comments Buck? you've been here long enough to see the changes with every new President. Should we be worried?

[buck]

We most certainly need to worry. Even with both spouses working, it is becoming impossible to afford a house. I live in the richest state in the union, the very rich enclaves being near the border with NYC. A house in Greenwich would cost you at least a million. Some of the poorest cities in the Country are also in Connecticut. The taxes here are outrageous. In my town , a small industrial place, a home will cost anything from 150,000 to 350,000. A family would need to be jointly earning about 50,000 a year to qualify. How do you do that on 7 bucks an hour.

Manufacturing jobs are disappearing at an alarming rate, so all the jobs Bush is spouting about are in service, and you know what they pay. Unfortunately, we have raised a bunch of spoiled brats who expect their own car at 16, with Daddy providing gas and insurance, kids who cry if you ask them to mow the lawn.

The problem is our politicians, republican and democrat, are concerned only with how much they can wheedle out of the richest companies, and of course who will vote for them, then who they forget for the next four or six years. If we were ever to go to global war again we have no steel industry, a military already stretched to the limit, and presidents who can only posture in flight suits rthat never saw a shot fired in anger.

[Funke88]

Buck,

 

You need to move south and live on Pensacola Beach. It's exensive but here in Florida there are no State taxes. We pay only Federal. We live in Gulf Breeze, which is 10 minutes from the beach. House prices are reasonable. We live in a modest 3 bedroomed ranch style house in a nice quiet neigborhood for $80,000. We bought it for 50,000 3 years ago. I think of Gulf Breeze as the "Fulwood" of the south. Low, low crime and nice friendly people. We can leave our doors open at night and my husband rarely locks his car door. For exercise we walk the streets at night time too. Middle class average income families live here. We border on million dollar homes and there are the snobs. But you get those everywhere. Beach ones are more down to earth and less showy.

 

I couldn't move back to city life and Sheffield City Center scares me now. I hear of all the crime and think of the areas that my family live in. I'm just not used to it anymore.

 

Anyone else care to emmigrate? Ignore politics - The beach is wonderful!

 

The Funkes

[buck]

We are frequent visitors to Florida, with family in Melbourne. ( No folks not Australia), who have begged us to come down, and I wouldn't mind snowbirding (coming for the winter). We are retired and it would certainly help us financially, but my wife hates the idea of leaving our little granddaughters at the mercy of their parents, and I'm not ready to become an old fogey yet, and I love my little girls too. So it's snowdrifts for three months a year. I am fortunate to have had enough money in my 401K to live in my lovely Colonial comfortably, and Connecticut is beautiful, with its stone walls to remind me of the Peak District. I think there are more British in Florida then any other state, though there were plenty in California when I was there, mostly illegals dodging the INS. There was a pub in Cupertino called the Britannia Arms, and when I first went in was asked by some if I had a green card, I said no and they said "Illegal like us" I said not exactly I'm a citizen! Most of them lived by doing home improvement projects under the table, I felt really sorry for them, cos they had no chance for accreditation, having come in on tourist visas, and had no money to go home

[Snook]

Very funny video, well worth a watch!!!!

 

 

http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/this_land

[royjames]

Just been looking at the Democrats convention and watched bill clinton give his speach,you have to hand to the man he is real quality.

It's funny how a few yrs ago he might have been looked on as a embaressment yet now he is paraded as the saviour of the democrats.

Mind you he knows how to deliver a speach,which seems in stark contrast to the man who is trying to get the job.

I feel sure that if clinton was able to take on bush he woul'd get the democrats back in the oval office,no problem.

[Snook]

Noticed that Bush is still winning in the polls, and with not too long to go now. Maybe the adverts saying Kerry is a lier and coward actually worked?

[DerekH]

Originally posted by Snook

Noticed that Bush is still winning in the polls, and with not too long to go now. Maybe the adverts saying Kerry is a lier and coward actually worked?

 

Character assasination seems to be the way forward in politics.

 

You only have to look here to see the long knives out and the scandal being put out between the parties.

 

At the end of the day they are all liers......Winning an election is based of who's lies are more convincing..

[Phanerothyme]

Originally posted by royjames

Just been looking at the Democrats convention and watched bill clinton give his speach,you have to hand to the man he is real quality.

It's funny how a few yrs ago he might have been looked on as a embaressment yet now he is paraded as the saviour of the democrats.

Mind you he knows how to deliver a speach,which seems in stark contrast to the man who is trying to get the job.

I feel sure that if clinton was able to take on bush he woul'd get the democrats back in the oval office,no problem.

 

You're not wrong - Clinton is a talented statesman, politician and speaker. In many ways, a proto-blair.

 

the trouble is, that as far as foreign policy practice goes, you couldn't get a blue rizla between the republicrats and the democans anymore. It's even worse than here, especially since the US will never, ever move to fully representational national government.

[Greybeard]

Originally posted by evildrneil

Hmmmm wonder how long before he declares a state of emergency and postpones elections indefinately?

 

Well if he thinks he's Julius Caesar he'll hopefully meet the same fate.