A while ago ed@perc responded to an invite to chat to a politician hosting a late phone-in / chat show.
"Austin - " he asked of Austin M* , (he knows who he is, and so do several million UK listeners) " - why don't you MP's insist on working from home?"
1) "it's been possible for a long while;"
2) "it's very economic;"
3) "you don't waste two days a week on travel - and you will have all week to see your constituents instead of one day per month" (or per year, depending on the politician's idleness);
4) "you can be with your family, like any normal person." (note:- British politicians are always complaining of the strain long separations put on their marriages).
[A sharp woman studio-guest made an aside - "that's just what he's worried about!" or some such remark.]
What ed@perc could have told them was that allowing British MP's to work from home would save:-
a) £millions per year immediately [cost of MP's travel and accommodation]
b) another immediate £10 billion per year [cost of central administration, bureaucracy, subsidised fancy food and booze for "Parliament" - see "The Independent"]
c) a further £30 billion per year ! [estimated to be lost by inefficiency and corruption due to all the bureaucrats and politicians being in the same place and at the same time]
"People of the same trade seldom meet together, even for merriment and diversion, but the conversation ends in a conspiracy against the public, or in some contrivance to raise prices." Adam Smith (1723-1790). (The Wealth of Nations, vol. I, bk. I, ch. 10.) |
Austin M* reacted with genuine shock - horror - "I don't think I'd like that very much" -
probably thinking of all the `good times' the older generation of male politicos have with cheap (subsidized by us) booze and fancy (subsidized by us) food, convivial `all night' drinking and afterwards out on the town visiting houses of ill-repute.
And then maybe contrasting that with :-
a nine-to-five attendance at his local Town Hall,
and safely home to wife and family every night,
and more efficient representation of his constituents.
Well folks - as a citizen I know which I would prefer for my local politico!
Just think - we could have two new hospitals in each area - with just the first year or so's savings.
Just think - we could have lots more jobs, more new schools & colleges & hospitals in each area - with each subsequent year's savings.
Just think - instead of the (too often) debauched or depraved pervs of MP's we have now - we could have happy, contented, honest hard-working representatives!
So, why not write, e-mail, graffiti the local
politician?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the local press?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the local radio station?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the local TV station?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the national politician?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the national press?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the national radio?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the national TV?
why not write, e-mail, graffiti the national political leader(s)?
THE OBJECT:-
THAT POLITICIANS "WORK FROM HOME"
so
THAT OUR POLITICIANS ARE KEPT SAFE FROM SELF-HARM
and
WE IMPROVE THINGS ALL-ROUND
Note:- some years before this late-night radio chat, the same MP had admitted, in a daytime interview - possibly in response to this author's goading - that "most MPs are corrupt"!
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