Ham_N_Eggs Posted August 9, 2021 Share Posted August 9, 2021 1 hour ago, code99 said: I think that Mr Thomas is a conservative. What gives you the idea that he is not? I could be wrong, but I can't remember him ever expressing any socialist, let alone Marxist, views. He's very much a centrist. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 IMHO, 'Centrists' = People who sit on the proverbial political fence and tell everyone to the left and right of them what they want to hear. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the stinking enigma Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 Everybody is a centrist in their own mind 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 16 hours ago, code99 said: I think that Mr Thomas is a conservative. What gives you the idea that he is not? I could be wrong, but I can't remember him ever expressing any socialist, let alone Marxist, views. The political opposite of conservative is progressive, not socialist or Marxist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 59 minutes ago, SleepyJoe said: The political opposite of conservative is progressive, not socialist or Marxist The two terms 'progressive' and 'socialist' are largely interchangeable. Americans on the left describe themselves as progressives because the term 'socialist', unlike in Europe, is historically toxic. Therefore, they invented the new political term i.e. progressives. When you look at what American progressives are fighting for (e.g. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) almost all of it is a socialist agenda. As a leading figure in the IOMG, until he was sacked, Mr Thomas supported everything the IOMG was doing. What is so 'progressive' about him? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 The two terms 'progressive' and 'socialist' are not largely interchangeable - that's bollocks Mr Thomas didn't sit comfortably in Quayle's conservative government in my very personal opinion - perhaps he hoped to help remove some of the 'parasitic inequalities' 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 6 minutes ago, SleepyJoe said: The two terms 'progressive' and 'socialist' are not largely interchangeable - that's bollocks What does it mean to be a progressive in the US? Perhaps Bernie Sanders can explain: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35467470 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 Bernie is a socialist - of course he is going to see progressive politics from a socialist perspective What it means to be a progressive in the USA is not really relevant to our west European context Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 31 minutes ago, SleepyJoe said: What it means to be a progressive in the USA is not really relevant to our west European context So what does it mean to be a progressive in 'our west European context' and how 'progressive' is Mr Thomas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 4 hours ago, the stinking enigma said: Everybody is a centrist in their own mind Whatever that means Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 2 hours ago, SleepyJoe said: Mr Thomas didn't sit comfortably in Quayle's conservative government in my very personal opinion - perhaps he hoped to help remove some of the 'parasitic inequalities' That is all very well, but it is also very vague. Just sitting 'uncomfortably' is not the same as doing something to make things better such as improving inequalities. If I am wrong and he actually did do something 'progressive', I apologise, but would still like to know what is was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted August 10, 2021 Share Posted August 10, 2021 Don't think anyone actually described Mr Thomas as a progressive, but nevertheless he is expected to put forward an Agenda For Change that instigates more robust & immediate action on climate change & them parasitic inequalities I hope that this will form the basis of the next Programme For Government Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
code99 Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 17 hours ago, SleepyJoe said: Don't think anyone actually described Mr Thomas as a progressive, but nevertheless he is expected to put forward an Agenda For Change that instigates more robust & immediate action on climate change & them parasitic inequalities I hope that this will form the basis of the next Programme For Government I generally agree with your posts, but on this occasion I do not. I hope I am wrong because this Island needs people in public office who not only say what they will do, but also can get things done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wrighty Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 On 8/10/2021 at 10:25 AM, the stinking enigma said: Everybody is a centrist in their own mind 23 hours ago, code99 said: Whatever that means I think it's a particularly pertinent point, that applies in many walks of life, not just politics. Everyone sees themselves as 'spot on', with views either side as wrong. Take driving. I often joke there are 3 types of drivers - idiots who drive too fast, morons who drive too slowly, and me. Same can be said over political views, or in fact anything that can be ranked or placed on a spectrum based on largely subjective opinion. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleepyJoe Posted August 11, 2021 Share Posted August 11, 2021 4 hours ago, code99 said: I generally agree with your posts, but on this occasion I do not. I hope I am wrong because this Island needs people in public office who not only say what they will do, but also can get things done. Would that the furtive conservatives put forward their own Agenda For Change so we can see what would be in store for Hard Working Families and how they plan for the rest of us to pay for it Hope Mr Thomas will publish at least a penultimate draft of his by the 23rd of this month Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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