What is a caring man to do. Worried about the kids getting too fat - and then Rhodri Morgan gives them sweeties, big fattening sweeties. Free swimming, free breakfasts, free prescriptions, free bus travel, etc., etc.. You know that you should take the sweeties back for their own good - but you realise that you just can't. You know from experience that, once given, sweeties cannot be retrieved.
Of course, one of the reasons Rhodri handed out sweeties to all in the first place is that he could threaten voters that you would take the sweeeties back if you had the power to do so - and when you are pragmatic and say that you will not, what is Rhodri to do. His cunning plan is 'stuffed'. His fox has been shot. I suppose it depends just how desperate he is.
I suspect that this man is so desperate that he will resort to lying through his teeth. I suspect he will try to persuade the kids that they would lose their sweeties if they do not vote for him - even though he knows this to be a blatant lie. I suspect he might try to persuade Welsh voters that Tories would end free bus travel - even though he knows this to be a blatant lie. He might even try to persuade voters that we would start charging for prescriptions again - even though he knows this to be a blatant lie as well. A little bird has told me that Rhodri intends to do these things tomorrow. I hope that he won't resort to such depths. We shall have to wait and see.
It might be possible to fool the kiddies about sweeties. It won't be so easy to fool voters. The question is "Is this desperate man really stupid enough to gamble?"
4 comments:
There is no such thing as a free this or that. They are all paid for from UK tax payers money. The problem will occur in the next few years when the increase in public sector money will decline. The Assembly will face year on year 3% efficiency savings. It will be interesting to see how services are then prioritised. In Scotland one of the more interesting arguments from the right for independence is that it will end the dependency culture. The same could be said for Wales where too many people expect the state to provide them with free goods at no cost to themselves. It will be interesting to see what happens to the free bus pass as the car generation reach 60. Many will accept the pass as a right but will hardly use it. As for free prescriptions perhaps as a Conservative you should read the articles by Irwin Seltzer regarding payment for certain health services. The free this and that culture is also acting as a substitute for real policy thinking on the part of politicians. The idea of free light biulbs Glyn is frankly risible.
Anon, I agree with the thrust of your comments. The point of my post was to point out the political difficulty of withdrawing 'freebies' once given.
I have not opposed 'free' swimming or bus travel, - where increased cost is marginal. But I did oppose 'free' prescriptions and breakfasts.
Freebies will only be withdrawn when (and if) the public realise that the 'price' in lost investment elsewhere is greater than the 'benefit'. The willingness of the taxpayer to pay will not be an issue in the Assembly because of its fixed budget.
The western mail has covered rhodri's lies on the front page. you were very quick off the mark with your blog on this. congrats
I've just read the Western Mail article. There must come a stage where 'spin' becomes downright lying. I'd be surprised if any other media pick up this story - which tells us more about Labour's state of mind than about other parties policies.
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