marky wrote:What I am not saying is that the Iraq War is totally unimportant. Indeed, I can see why it is such an important issue to you given that none of the other issues I mentioned affect you. The only major area the UK government has any jurisdiction over the Isle of Man is Foreign policy. However, I do believe that domestic matters are far more important than those oversees, especially a war that is now pretty much over as far as the UK is concerned. For reference, I never supported the Iraq War and I still believe it to be a mistake, but I would never base my vote on it.
The Iraq war is a strong indication as to the 'trustworthiness' in general of the current administration. They lied and sent people to die based upon that lie. For oil. That tarnishes them beyond reproach apart from a few who were prepared to stand up.
marky wrote:In terms of constitutional reform, I include a wide variety of issues within this, from replacing the House of Lords with a fully elected upper chamber to replacing the First Past the Post system to totally reforming the way parties raise their funds.
Which is in whose manifesto? First past the post and an elected second chamber are not pledges of either main party are they? So you are saying something that isn't government policy is more important than foreign wars?
marky wrote:I note that you haven't chosen to comment on the other areas I mentioned so I can only assume that you realise they are more important.
Not really, I was just more stunned that you thought 179 dead British service men & women were less important than constitutional reform, which isn't Labour or Conservative policy anyway!
I could just as easily shown disdain for the fact that you think "regional development agencies" or a "fairer local tax system" are more important than illegal wars. As for NHS, do you think it will fair any better or worse under the Tories than Labour? In a decade of power, Labour have increased the pay and numbers of managers disproportionately compared to nurses & doctors. New hospitals will still be getting paid for when they are past their useful life and need replacing. PFI initiatives are simply a way of buying on HP to keep the debt off the balance books. I left the UK because of the damage Thatcher was doing to the NHS, meaning there were only temporary jobs available there for newly qualified psychiatric nurses. I haven't seen anything since I've been away that would tempt me back. I really hoped that Labour, when first elected, would have sorted the NHS out, instead they put it on life support.
The rest of your 'more important than war' issues are all similar, either not a major manifesto issue or both parties are so close together that they are one and the same. Classic case of '
it doesn't matter who you vote for, the government always wins'.
marky wrote:
As for the US Presidential elections, of course I had an opinion. I followed that election very closely as I have most of the national elections in the US since I studied US politics back in 1998. Besides, I don't think that is a fair comparison. US foreign policy affects us all. Our supposed 'special relationship' ties us to the United States and I rather suspect we will always be their lap dog when it comes to foreign policy no matter who was in government. A fairer comparison would be my opinions of French presidential elections.
How would the French presidential election be a "
fairer comparison"? I'm British born, my passport is Manx but under 'British issue' as a crown protectorate. Due to financial agreements our rate of VAT, fuel & alcohol duty are pegged at the same rates as the UK. UK domestic policy has a massive impact upon the Manx economy. I was interested in British politics long before I left school, let alone chose to move here. I also visit the UK (mainly to watch a certain football club play) far more frequently than you travel to America! And as long as this forum is an open one, then anyone is entitled to post any opinion that isn't abusive or illegal... and that includes mine!