That is your counterargument?! That if you (as I do and I’m pretty sure DK does) consider the choice voters face in 2008 Britain to be downright unacceptable, you are ‘against representative democracy’? Uh, I take it LPUK doesn’t fit your conception of democratic?

The rest of it, and your second post, is ad hominem bullcrap that doesn’t dignify a response.

BTW I also think you’ve been rather naughty in that quoted post. You say ‘representative democracy’ the first time and just ‘democracy’ the second time…

“Eton College currently boards 1,308 boys (15 per cent from overseas) between the ages of 13 and 18 (roughly 260 in each year) at a charge of £26,490 (approximately US$54,000 or €39000) per year.”

26 grand!!! A year!!! So your education would cost me £132,450 if I were to allow my son the benefit of it? Do you have any siblings? Did Pater have to fork out for DK x2 or x3?

And, I have to say, having read your blog and the standard of argument therein, I’m absolutely flabbergasted that this is the product of a £132k education. Most of the Bash St Kids would be able to wipe the floor with you in open debate once you’ve finished swearing or asking people who give you a bit of lip back to leave you alone.

You know what? You make libertarians look ridiculous. If your comrades have got any sense, they’ll dump you sharpish before they become a laughing stock by association.

Remind me again, are you for or against representative democracy? Last time we exchanged on this, you thought it was rude of me to suggest that you weren’t keen on democracy, but you seem to be doing it again.

Oh, and a follow-up question: How much does it cost to go to Eton these days?

Yes, it is. That’s what ethics is all about. It involves discussion and mudgement of each other’s behaviour and our own. It does not stop at some artificial barrier marked THIS IS MINE. It involves pondering motives and consequences. It involves defence of our own decisions rather than avoidance of same. For this reason, it is adult.

I am happy to pay a certain amount of tax to fund things like education for all

That’s enormously good of you. A functioning education system, I may add, like a functioning ethical system, requires a notion of the common good.

but I want to know that my money is doing the job that I would wish it to do

As does everybody, educationalists especially. They would presumably welcome your constructive suggestions as to how this might be accomplished, based on your well-informed and experienced views.

the class war is still relevent (sic)

One reason it is still relevant is that it is remarkable how many people benefit from expensive educations and affluent backgrounds, and then, when they are well-placed for a successful future for themselves, decide that what everybody else needs is to have their social supports removed so that they may free themseves from dependency.

Sorry, all the wants make that sound entirely contradictory. What I meant is that it annoys me that children are leaving school being unable to read and write, because it ruins their entire future.

As someone who was fortunate to have an excellent education, I know how much it benefited me and I really believe that everyone should have that chance.

I don’t think then, that it is unreasonable to look at the system in general and point out that it isn’t working and that this or that idea is better. Paulie calls this negativist: I call it common sense.

DK

It’s not that everybody’s spending decisions are great. It’s just that, if it is your money, it is no business of mine what you spend your money on. Do you see?

“Secondly, for pretending that government simply “milks us”, as opposed to, say, making decisions according to the responsibilities it possesses and intermittently having to apply to the electorate for permission and approval.”

This government gained the “approval” of 21.6% of the electorate. And that electorate were, realistically, faced with a hgh-spending centrist Labour Party or a high-spending centrist Tory Party. It’s not exactly a wide choice, is it?

“It’s a crude and self-serving view which is, as it goes, precisely the sort of infantilisation to which I referred. “I want” is the motivating pricniple behind everything: but wider questions beyond that don’t exist and a replaced that it’s all the horrid goverment taking MY money away. It’s MINE. It’s NOT FAIR.”

No, I don’t WANT. I would like to be able to keep my money so that I can, for instance, pay for my own healthcare, unemployment insurance, etc. I am happy to pay a certain amount of tax to fund things like education for all, but I want to know that my money is doing the job that I would wish it to do, i.e. I want children to learn, not for some fifth of them to leave school after 11 years of compulsory education being functionally illiterate.

Paulie,

“Hello dipshit!

Have you sought treatment for that yet, by the way? You should you know…”

Um… I’m emotionally incontinent?

Good to see that, as far as you are concerned, the class war is still relevent…

DK

Now, which one sounds more like the child?

Well, to be honest, it’s you.

Firstly, for deciding that as long as somebody’s worked, any subsequent spending decisions they make are “great”.

Secondly, for pretending that government simply “milks us”, as opposed to, say, making decisions according to the responsibilities it possesses and intermittently having to apply to the electorate for permission and approval.

It’s a crude and self-serving view which is, as it goes, precisely the sort of infantilisation to which I referred. “I want” is the motivating pricniple behind everything: but wider questions beyond that don’t exist and a replaced that it’s all the horrid goverment taking MY money away. It’s MINE. It’s NOT FAIR.

What’s the diffence between libertarians and six-year-old children? Six-year-old children at least know better even if they don’t always do it.

Have you set up this party of yours because you’d prove to be an electoral liability to UKIP if you ever stood for them again?

And I didn’t realise you went to Eton. I’d have been a lot ruder to you if I’d known that. What a waste of Pater’s inherited moolah!

I think I’ll run a sweepstake to see how long it takes Patrick, Andrew and Tim to realise that you’re emotionally incontinent.

Have you sought treatment for that yet, by the way? You should you know…