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Brexit -am I stupid or what

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussion' started by wiseowl, Dec 10, 2018.

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  1. Fat Controller

    Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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    I'm fairly sure that it has been discussed a number of times on this thread, but the UK is and always has been a net contributor to the EU - - we pay in more than we get back, an analogy that I put on this very thread (or maybe the old one):

    It is like belonging to a club where you pay in £1000, and then ask for that £1000 back; but to get it back, you have to tell them what you want to use it for, agree to the clubs design changes and specifications which increases the cost of the project, and you have to pay a £300 fee for them to agree to give you your £1000 funding. Oh, and you also have to be sure to advertise the fact that the lovely club funded your project, and if the methods you use for construction don't meet the clubs specification, they will fine you.

    However, (and this will shock @longk), I do actually 'get' the net contributor part to a degree - there are times when the larger, better off countries should be paying in more than they get back to make sure that the smaller, less well off countries can have funding (speculate to accumulate and all that) - - but, that is not happening. The only people getting richer is those in the middle controlling all the funding, and making up jobs to keep themselves on the gravy train.

    And I completely agree about the squeals that we are supposedly skint, yet can seemingly find money down the back of the sofa when it suits - - what really pees me off is things like the £33m bung that the government had to give to Eurostar to settle out of court because of Chris Grayling & Co giving out contracts under the table, the £300k that was wasted by the aborted merger of two police forces, the £1bn bribe that the Tories gave the DUP to allow them to form a government, the BILLIONS we waste on projects in the name of climate change (not all of them are bad, but a hell of a lot of them are!), the millions our public health system is having to pay on things that should either be insured or elective, but yet we cannot pay for Ethel to have cancer treatment because the drugs are too expensive for her health authority to afford.
     
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    • misterQ

      misterQ Super Gardener

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      In other words, we are in no fit state to do brexit at this moment in time because fighting the EU head-on from the outside is the harder option.

      Going it alone is a noble endevour for any nation and I thoroughly endorse it but preparations were not in place, we were not secured against defeat of all kinds at the time of the referendum and even after it.

      I may change my mind and endorse brexit only if these minimum conditions are met:

      1. We have a powerful army and in large numbers capable of atleast shooting down any trespassers that incur into our territorial waters and into our air space - even if it is a Russian aircraft carrier on manoeuvres;

      2. No foreign company is allowed to control or own the basic utilities (gas, electric, water and telecoms);

      3. No foreigner is allowed to purchase or own UK property if they do not live in the country for atleast 6 months of the year;

      4. Repeal the Freedom of Information Act. Too much transparency is bad for business and for government - both need a place to hide truths that absolutely can not see the light of day;

      5. UK citizens need to be more hard hearted and more resilient. The fact that a law on trolling even exists is indicative of the snowflake softies we've become. Remember, we might need to resort to more exploitative dodgy dealings once we're free to do our own trade deals.
       
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      • LauraRoslin

        LauraRoslin Gardener

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        So... start a war with the Russians and cheat everyone in sight.

        Yeah......
         
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        • Mike Allen

          Mike Allen Total Gardener

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          Either way the future doesn't look rosey.
           
        • misterQ

          misterQ Super Gardener

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          It's obvious that a fight against a much larger force will result in our eventual defeat.

          But, my point is about giving a bloody nose to anyone who intends to bully us. We can not always count on our American allies for protection, and probably less on our European allies if we're out of the union.

          In essence, life is about survival of the fittest - the law of the jungle prevails. So, it does not matter to me how resources are acquired, as long as it benefits the country, anything and everything is ok in my book.

          The direction of travel is for fair trade and equality for all - this is why I said we are in no fit state to do brexit because we may need to do things that go against the direction of travel if we leave. Unless you can these things, then the logical thing to do is to remain in the EU.
           
        • LauraRoslin

          LauraRoslin Gardener

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          A bloody nose? Are you the reincarnation of General Haig?
           
        • Perki

          Perki Total Gardener

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          I have to disagree Mister just because we are leave the EU ( unlikely ) doesn't mean we are leaving planet and starting everything again in a new world. Britain main military allies are the 5 eyes ( Canada - USA - NZ - AUS - UK ) then European allies in NATO etc. Agree defence investment should increase because the Armed forces are a shadow in size of what it were 20 years ago, but they are in much better state than probably all of EU ally forces with the acceptation of France. Frankly I feel rather safe from Russian military aggression on this small island, their navy underfunded and full of rust buckets, much safer here than being on the continent.

          The rest isn't going to happen Tory love selling everything off, and like it are not globalisation is unlikely going to stop, money makes the world go round unfortunately.

          People do take offence for to easy today some people need to just get a grip.

          The country is in no fit state for brexit because like Cameron didn't prepare for brexit to win or possible no deal adequately, they fail to see past their own ego and incompetents .

          As far as I am aware Brexit more a less dead , its going to be softened down so much it be pointless leaving . Not surprising when the House of commons is 80% remain
           
        • misterQ

          misterQ Super Gardener

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          No, I am just a simple gardener who considers the lay of the land, makes many calculations and balances chances before exerting effort into planting.
           
        • lolimac

          lolimac Total Gardener

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          I'm getting extremely p'd orf with the situation,mainly because folk went through wars and didn't carry on as they are doing now.Just where has the great British spirit gone,fight the good fight and all that ? very disappointed ...
           
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          • Jiffy

            Jiffy The Match is on Fire

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            Well, there isn't any Great left that's for sure
             
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            • lolimac

              lolimac Total Gardener

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              As cynical as it sounds it's the people of this country I'm disappointed in.
               
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              • pete

                pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                In what way?
                You have got me guessing?
                 
              • LauraRoslin

                LauraRoslin Gardener

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                Well you shouldn't be. We aren't donning yellow jackets and setting fire to stuff and having riots and getting arrested on mass and causing havoc. We are acting with dignity and disappointed in our politicians not doing we expecting them to do. We aren't the ones throwing trantrums and behaving like spoilt children. We were asked to vote, we voted, and now we are in the hands of incompetence. And none of it is our fault.

                As for 'two world wars' no-one alive has been through two and most people alive haven't been through one. From Baby Boomers onwards most of us have been protected from real hardship by the NHS and the Welfare State. So let's not start throwing around insults like 'snowflake'. It's my generation and, especially, the one before it that have built the society we have now. Let's not pretend otherwise.
                 
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                • lolimac

                  lolimac Total Gardener

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                  Because there are many including politicians who are turn coats,say what you mean and mean what you say not all this pussy footing around.I'm a leaver and proud of it,too many folk changing their minds because of all this scaremongering.
                   
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                  • pete

                    pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

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                    I dont think many people thought that leaving would be plain sailing, I know I didn't, but I thought it was a risk worth taking, we leave now or we will never get another chance.
                    A few years of problems i'm thinking, but long term, if we can escape I think it will be better.
                     
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