(Politics) Glenda Jackson: A rare moment of honesty in the House of Commons

In light of the widespread adulation and commiseration in light of the death of Margaret Thatcher on Monday, at least in the press, Labour MP Glenda Jackson gave voice to a large chunk of the British public who had less than fond memories of her reign and even less friendly words in light of her passing.

Margaret Thatcher death: Why Margaret Thatcher was one the most hated yet amongst the most admired prime ministers in British history

There is much that could be said about Margaret thatcher from her personality to her policies when she was in power, but what cannot be denied about the former prime minister is that she has left an indelible mark on British politics that has yet to cede its influence. Thatcher was Britain’s first female leader yet she lead with a brutal toughness rarely seen in her male predecessors as well as her successors.

It is a credible argument to suggest that in the last 100 years only two governments were truly revolutionary, the post war Atlee government that introduced a number of social reforms including the NHS and the Thatcher government that largely hacked its way through of the Atlee’s government’s achievements.

While Thatcher will always divide opinion as much in death as much she did in life, a statement all sides can appreciate about the former prime minster is that she held firm to her convictions, even in the face of serious opposition and social consternation caused by her policies.

There will always be conflict as to what is to made of her political legacy but what all sides can admire, regardless of political position or affiliation, is that she was a woman of ideas, a quality that must be appreciated in an modern age bereft of any as powerful as hers.  

Politics has always been the playground of irony, few more poignant than the fact that British society saw it one of its greatest social, economic and indeed cultural changes during the 80’s thanks to a woman who believed it didn’t exist. She believed in the individuals above all else and sought to individuals to encourage private enterprise and innovation.

However, this innovation played into the hands of financiers and speculators in the city, which would come back to burn the Iron lady and her successors ever since. It is not far stretch to suggest that many of problem that modern Britain were instigated by Thatcher namely unrestrained banks and an ingrained ambivalence towards the working class and the poor.

The real winners under Thatcher’s rule was a middle class who fell hook, line, and sinker for Thatcher’s powerful pitch that only individual achievement and aspiration will drive Britain into the future. However there were many losers under Thatcher who have been disenfranchised in her absence by successive governments who have largely gone farther than Thatcher ever did in shredding the public sector through spending cuts.

In sum, rarely does a prime mister really preside over a paradigm shift that is still in place and is largely unchallenged by both Labour and Conservatives long after they leave power and eventually pass away is exactly what makes Margaret Thatcher a revolutionary force in British politics.

As a consequence of her convictions, which many of her fellow citizens disagreed with, she never back down a political dogfight with unions or any other vested interests, even those of business friendly nature. Finally, the world has been the last real politician with real ideas and current British politicians, regardless of political affiliation should take note of her conviction, and more importantly, her willingness to enter a political dogfight because of it.

(News) Raw Footage: that sinking feeling

Sunderland Complete Classic Blunder Firing Martin O'Neill

The English Premier League is a cruel place for managers. It needn't be. The English Premier League is a place of constant chopping and changing. It needn't be. The proven recipe for success in the country's top league is to decide upon a vision for your club, invest in that vision and stay the course with that vision.

Sunderland were a team that had the opportunity to do that. They've had money to spend, some good base talent and they had the opportunity to hire a proven Premier League manager in Martin O'Neill. However, a slip on that way to the vision has led to a desperate change that may or may not work out for the best in the short-term, but definitely cannot be good in the long-term.

O'Neill has perhaps sometimes been a little over-rated as a manager. However, there's little doubt that he knows exactly what he is doing when it comes to the EPL. He knows how to build a squad, manage players and put together a decent tactical base. He has demonstrated those qualities conclusively during spells with Leicester City and Aston Villa.

O'Neill was given money to spend last summer and he spent it. His signings and overall squad did not produce the expected level of results.

Sunderland's last win came on January 19 in an important 3-2 decision away against Wigan. It looked at that point like O'Neill's team were on the path to a solid mid-table finish. However, their next eight games would see understandable losses against Man Utd, Arsenal and West Brom; tough draws against Swansea and Fulham, a bad draw against Norwich City and bad losses to Reading and QPR. Those results have left Sunderland only one point clear of the relegation spots.

It was another for the club as they dismissed O'Neill and hired Paolo Di Canio. There are two crucial factors in determining the better manager for Sunderland. First, which is the better man for the job in the short-term and second, which the better man for the job in the long-term.

Di Canio and his flamboyant personality might ignite some short-term energy out of this team. It is equally likely that the lack of higher level managing experience will have a negative impact on his performance. In the long-term, he has no knowledge of building a successful Premier League team and he struggled to operate a successful relationship with the executive in Swindon. His temperament will be seriously tested in Sunderland as well.

Meanwhile, O'Neill is a man used to handling clubs of Sunderland's size. He is used to the battle for survival in the Premier League and knows what the next seven games will be like. He has also been a part of several longer building processes both at Leicester and Aston Villa. He brought European football to both of those clubs.

Sunderland should have too much talent to suffer relegation this season. However, it's hard to reconcile their decision to fire O'Neill and hire Di Canio as a positive one.

(Politics) “Mansanto protection act” and assault weapons ban abandonment: two examples of why Americans have no faith in their political class

Congress has long been one of the most unpopular political bodies in the free world and in the last few weeks, it has earned it’s status as the body dropped the assault weapons bill and effectively gave a corporation a bye from reprimand should it’s products harm the American public .

There has much made of the fact of how beholden America’s political class is to the interest of big business to the detriment of their fellow citizens, but the actual protection of corporation from reprimand  if it’s products have adverse effects on the public’s health has to be one of the most shocking instances yet.

In an eager rush to get a funding bill passed or face a government shutdown, President Barack Obama signed the bill that had “language” that “effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of GMO of GE crops and seeds, no matter what the health consequences from the consumption of these products”[1].

Food safety advocacy groups  have made their disgust for this bill clear as it serves as a major “gift to Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) and other firms that produce genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) seeds and crops.”[2].They expected their government would be cognizant enough to spot devious ‘language’ buried in legalese but, no surprise to anybody paying attention over the last five years,  the public interest is the last thing on the minds of members of  it’s political class.

It’s safe to say that the US public are aware that their political leaders could care less about the public interest as congress’s approval rating, according to public policy polling, is only a shade more popular than  “Lindsay Lohan, the Ebola virus, the Kardashians and North Korea” and is bested by “Genghis Khan”[3].

Any dissenting doubt of this fact was quashed just several days before the Monsanto debacle as Senate majority leader Harry Reid publicly gave up on the assault weapons ban citing a lack of votes for the measure.  However this should be no shock to anybody as democrats already gave up on passing an assault weapon ban a month in advance.  Contrast the difficulties of getting votes for a assault weapons ban in the wake of multiple mass shooting s including the tragic events that took place in new town and the near consensus in both houses to protect Monsanto form legal reprimand goes to show where congress priorities lie. 

In sum, it has not been a very good week for congress as the body has shown why it is one of the most unpopular democratic bodies in the free world as it dropped the assault weapon ban in the face of  a number of tragic mass shooting and granted immunity for a corporation which goes to show that the political class are beholden to anything but the public interest.

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[1] C. A. Sheets, 2013, Farmers and food safety advocates lead Monsanto blacklash, http://www.salon.com/2013/03/27/farmers_and_food_safety_advocates_lead_monsanto_backlash_partner/

[2] Ibid

[3] J. Stephens, 2013, Congress Approval Rating Lower Than Cockroaches, Genghis Khan And Nickleback, Poll  finds,  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/congress-approval-rating-nickelback-cockroaches_n_2435601.html