A *bad thing*.

Throwing out files, I came across a folder containing the three political party manifestos of 2010.

Here is the opening statement from the Conservative party.

Britain needs change: few can doubt that. Our national finances are mired in massive debt. Millions are living the misery of unemployment. Communities are shattered by crime and abuse. People in the public services are trapped in a web of rules and regulations. People have lost faith that politics can fix our problems, or that politicians can lead us into a better future. There is a feeling of helplessness. Once again, there is a mood afoot that the decline of Britain is inevitable

Even if people felt that life was that way (and I for one most certainly didn't feel like that) was it true?

By the way, I like the line about..

"Millions are living the misery of unemployment"

...it is all too clear that the manifesto summed up the future in that paragraph, rather than the present of April 2010.

It goes on:

We will use the state to help stimulate social action, helping social enterprises to deliver public services and training new community organisers to help achieve our ambition of every adult citizen being a member of an active neighbourhood group. We will direct funding to those groups that strengthen communities in deprived areas, and we will introduce National Citizen Service, initially for 16 year olds, to help bring our country together.

I have a severe dislike, mistrust (nay) loathing of the concept of The People.

'Active neighbourhood group' means what exactly? Why should I prefer an active neighbourhood group as opposed to an active council?

The council is elected and the council employs people.

Oh sorry, that last statement is incorrect, the council used to employ people....

A central coordinating body is a good idea, it isn't a power hungry monster consuming the energies of the poor and disaffected.

When I did the *bad thing* (have I ever confessed the bad thing? can't remember!) it was because a person who bugged me anyway started a Facebook group as an add-on to the Yahoo group. This would mean two places for information to be posted.

Meaning, in effect, a Venn diagram of information pooling in different locations and only some of it being in both places.

How does that help anyone!

Diversity, and more isn't always a good thing.

So I went into admin', made her the owner of the list and left the group.

When I read her email saying that she had complained to Yahoo about me, was too busy, didn't know how to use Yahoo Groups etc I thought, tough! If you can set up a Facebook group you can do Yahoo.

And if you can't do both....well....now you have learnt a valuable lesson.

So anyway, yeah, yeah, lots of private groups "every adult citizen being a member of an active neighbourhood group" having turf wars over who controls the street


This whole sorry edifice of power to the people has been distilled from emotive television images and balances precariously on key words, rather than logic.

Bloody exodus myth: