Galloway is back

[joolz]

<snips> Anyway, here's Paxman and Galloway.

Thanks, haven't had much time for TV this week so I missed this. Amusing. Field and Abbott both said Galloway's win was sending the main parties a message, but Field was predictably full of excuses and Abbott just toed the party line. Neither spoke of how they want things to change for the better in response to 'the message'. Will Self, tells it like it is! His points about the 'disconnect' were interesting, guess it explains the Tory u-turn on the NHS. 'Safe in our hands'? Yeah, right. Thank goodness we have a separate NHS up here under sensible management.

Tweedledee and a half!?? Three bum cheeks!?? You can't say gorgeous George doesn't have a memorable turn of phrase! I wish he'd be more consistent though, I've been alternating between liking him and loathing him for ages. He was great interviewing with Frank Duggan and before the Senate C'ttee, but he does some barmy things too like the argument someone posted upthread. Looking at Respect's policies they could have picked up a lot of disaffected Labour voters. We have an alternative in Scotland so maybe that's why Respect are sticking to England and Wales.

 

[jiggeryqua]

George's voting record here:

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/george_galloway/bradford_west

Darat already raised Theyworkforyou. I repeat what they say on their own site:

Why should I read in more depth than just the numbers?

A few people have asked why we publish statistics on how often MPs use alliterative phrases, such as "she sells seashells". It has even been mentioned in the House of Commons.

Simply put, we realise that data such as the number of debates spoken in means little in terms of an MP's actual performance. MPs do lots of useful things which we don't count yet, and some which we never could. Even when we do, a count doesn't measure the quality of an MPs contribution. After reading media reports like this one in The Times, and hearing from real MP's researchers who have admitted to tabling questions to increase their boss's rankings, we became concerned about the use of these statistics.[...]
Our advice — when you're judging your MP, read some of their speeches, check out their website, even go to a local meeting and ask them a question. Use TheyWorkForYou as a gateway, rather than a simple place to find a number measuring competence.

The question, of course, was whether he was more or less than average in fulfilling the obligations to which he was elected - ie, representing his constituents. I'll not beat about the bush, he has a poor record of intervening in parliamentary debate and asking oral questions. He has asked written questions, but your link doesn't readily allow comparison. Apparantly "People have made 24 annotations on this MP’s speeches — well above average amongst MPs." - but that doesn't speak directly to representation of constituents either. Is there an indicator we can agree on?

But hey, a link to some raw numbers that suit us might fool some people who like to think of themselves as skeptics.

I called your point cheap because it takes very little intellectual effort to put someone down by comparing them to people on the autism spectrum.

That's in direct response to a post where I explain (as I have never shied away from) that I am autistic - I have Aspergers syndrome. Did you not read my response to whatshisface? How can I be putting someone down by saying they are like me? I don't think it's offensive to say someone is autistic because I don't think it's offensive to be autistic...because I am.

If I'd attached some negative connotation to that, maybe you'd have a point. But I wouldn't, would I?

You think it's offensive to note that someone shows autistic patterns. Ergo, you think it is offensive to be autistic. Funnily enough, as an autistic person, I find your remarks offensive. I look forward to your amusing attempts to dig your way out of that hole.

 

[joolz]

If some of you Yanks would stop being so unconsciously hilarious, maybe fewer people would get their kicks out of winding you up.

 

[Virus]

It's a bit like calling someone a neoconservative socialist, but if you insist..

I'm not aware of Neoconservatives striking up alliances with socialists, giving them sacks of cash and marching in support of Fidel Castro but whatever.

 

[trustbutverify]

Tweedledee and a half!?? Three bum cheeks!?? You can't say gorgeous George doesn't have a memorable turn of phrase

Seems mundane and corny to me. I don't see the fascination some people seem to have with this gasbag.

 

[angrysoba]

How can I be putting someone down by saying they are like me?

Dear readers, wouldn't you feel offended if compared to jiggeryqua?

 

[Sword_Of_Truth]

Muslims have a problem with them, that was his point.

Indeed... this is what would happen to Galloway* and his friend in the above photograph in Assad's Syria that he is so fond of:

Article 520 of the penal code of 1949, prohibits having homosexual relations, i.e. "carnal relations against the order of nature", and provides for at least three-years imprisonment.

The Syrian authorities, namely the Secret Service, uses individuals' sexual orientation to blackmail, harass and eventually use members of the LGBT community. Law enforcement officers have zero tolerance to the LGBT community.

In other words, being gay in Syria is a death penalty offense**.



*I don't believe Galloway himself is gay, but Syrian courts aren't big on standards of evidence or burden of proof either.
** if you believe a Syrian convicted of homosexuality has a better than 50/50 chance of surviving three years in a Syrian prison, I have a bridge to sell you

 

[angrysoba]

It means I'll laugh as all "normal" Brits elect a parliament full of Galloway clones just to spite me for being uncomplimentary.

On the bright side, there wouldn't be as much insane legislation being passed as one might think. The Galloway clones might never show up in sufficient numbers to form a quorum.

Plus, the collapse of the UK could then be blamed on me, an American, for forcing Brits to commit national suicide to spite me.

I take it, then, that you are not one of those "normal" people you say I am driving into Galloway's arms?

It's as if blaming Americans is an unconscious response with you people. I actually wonder if you are conscious of the behavior when you do it.

Not as hilarious as your proposition, true though it may be, that the mere fact of an uncomplimentary American posting on the internet is aiding Galloway's quest for power over all of you.

Give the persecution complex a break, eh Toontown?

...And prancing about on TV with gay men in skin-tight leotards while shutting out his constituents.

[qimg]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c345/Kilstryke/ad60fbbb6c783d8f64167d7bed323022.jpg[/qimg]

Oooh, Matron! Although the less I can see of his constituents the better.

I'm not one of Galloways constituents or one of his buddies who hear the voices of trees telling them to kill people..

You should be asking them that question.

Muslims have a problem with them, that was his point.

So, it's teh Muzlin you have a problem with?

 

[angrysoba]

Seems mundane and corny to me. I don't see the fascination some people seem to have with this gasbag.

Neither did the three main parties.

 

[trustbutverify]

For me, it's really all about his pro-baby-eating policies.

So the U.S. must have recently come out against baby-eating then.

 

[trustbutverify]

Neither did the three main parties.

I didn't see the fascination and outright love Americans had for Reagan during the 80's either. I suppose he had a talent for telling his constituency exactly what they wanted to hear.

The fact that Galloway won an election doesn't improve his so called wit. He just seems like a self important bloated gasbag to me. Not especially clever or witty at all imo.

 

[trustbutverify]

He is committed to supporting Palestinians

If the the U.S. and the Palestinians were strongly allied, with Israel a sworn U.S. enemy, Galloway would be planet Earth's most fanatical Zionist.

 

[angrysoba]

It's a bit like calling someone a neoconservative socialist, but if you insist..

As it happens this is really not that unusual. Most of the original neoconservatives were International Socialists, Social Democrats, Trotskyists or even further to the left when they first got into politics.

 

[angrysoba]

So the U.S. must have recently come out against baby-eating then.

Oh, get over the self-pity. I would have thought most Americans would have thicker skins than this.

If the the U.S. and the Palestinians were strongly allied, with Israel a sworn U.S. enemy, Galloway would be planet Earth's most fanatical Zionist.

Actually, there may be some truth in it. I think one of Galloway's first girlfriends or one of his early wives was a Paletinian nationalist. On another forum, someone suggested that if she had been Jewish, Galloway would have started his own settlement on the West Bank.

 

[Virus]

I didn't see the fascination and outright love Americans had for Reagan during the 80's either. I suppose he had a talent for telling his constituency exactly what they wanted to hear.

He was crucial in the destruction of Communism.

 

[Virus]

Indeed... this is what would happen to Galloway* and his friend in the above photograph in Assad's Syria that he is so fond of:

All the Islamo-left have to eventually pick one or the other. Islam or gay rights, women's rights and religious freedom? They choose Islam.

 

[Cleon]

So the U.S. must have recently come out against baby-eating then.

We tried, but the Republicans decided it was a state matter and fought against it.

 

[trustbutverify]

Oh, get over the self-pity. I would have thought most Americans would have thicker skins than this.

What self-pity? My remark reflects the belief that Galloway bases his "opinions" on a reaction to the positions of the US and it's allies. It's a reasonable conclusion. Are you just projecting?

Actually, there may be some truth in it. I think one of Galloway's first girlfriends or one of his early wives was a Paletinian nationalist. On another forum, someone suggested that if she had been Jewish, Galloway would have started his own settlement on the West Bank.

Since it's my opinion that Sir gasbag couldn't care less about the Palestinian cause outside of it being a useful weapon against The Great Satan and it's minions, I don't think the nationality of his lady-friends is important. It's not a question of "some truth". If it served his ideological needs, he'd tattoo the IDF insignia across his chest.

 

[trustbutverify]

All the Islamo-left have to eventually pick one or the other. Islam or gay rights, women's rights and religious freedom? They choose Islam.

And Gallowschmuck has thrown his gay and Lesbian fans under the bus more than once.

 

[angrysoba]

What self-pity? My remark reflects the belief that Galloway bases his "opinions" on a reaction to the positions of the US and it's allies. It's a reasonable conclusion. Are you just projecting?

Projecting what?

Since it's my opinion that Sir gasbag couldn't care less about the Palestinian cause outside of it being a useful weapon against The Great Satan and it's minions, I don't think the nationality of his lady-friends is important. It's not a question of "some truth". If it served his ideological needs, he'd tattoo the IDF insignia across his chest.

Yes, I (partly) agree with you. That's why I said I think there is some truth in what you say. I also think he doesn't really care that much about the Palestinian cause but people usually adopt for political stances for non-political reasons. You suggest that anti-Americanism is his primary driving force. I don't particularly think so (I think your own propensity to see this from a US-centric viewpoint is what I mean by self-pitying). I think he's something of an egomaniac who loves being the centre of attention and he's quite successful at drawing the attention of those who loathe just as much as his fans.