The Political Thread

[Steven Denton]

Why give at all? why try to make the world a better place? why try to improve the quality of life for every one?

Probably the simplest answer is the EU were, for a long time, able to sell the advantages of the EU to the rich over it's 'generosity'. It has been worth more to those giving the tenner to give it than not.

[Dandontdare]

You give me a tenner and I'll give you a fiver back, that's a great deal for you.

the fiver/tenner argument is irrelevant - so assuming that by not sending money to EU to be sent back to us in project funding, let's say the UK/Welsh government are spending it directly - if leisure centres and rail links are useless, how would YOU spend all this Brexit windfall to regenerate S Wales?

[Tjm86]

Rather than using funds to regenerate the local economy and develop jobs in the community they spent it on a single track rail line to Cardiff.

They would argue that they did the latter to achieve the former.

What do you think they should have spent money on? It's easy to create subsidised, uneconomic jobs but that's not a long term solution. Business relies on transport links so it's not uncommon for regeneration to involve investment in roads and railways.

Maybe in the short term with the longer term view of growing a local economy, keeping money and talent in the community and giving kids a future that doesn't involve leaving their homes?  Granted effective communication links are essential for a modern economy.  This is why Beeching has to be the greatest act of political vandalism of the post war era in Britain.  We are now reaping the benefits of that decision.  Having said that, what was put in has clearly been shown to be anything but a long term solution.

I can't believe nobody's done the "what's a Welsh leisure centre?" joke yet...

It's almost as if offensive racial stereotyping was a thing of the past!

Still considered appropriate when it comes to the Welsh for some reason.  I know its a bit dated but think of all the old Blackadder references.  There was also a run on the West Wing of anti Welsh sentiment for some strange reason.  Never did get that one.

[Old Tankie]

I didn't say the leisure centre or the rail links were useless.

[The Legendary Shark]

...how would YOU spend all this Brexit windfall to regenerate S Wales?

Machine gun nests to keep the English out.

[Tjm86]

That's why the Severn Crossing only has charges one way.  No one wants to pay to go to England.   

[Dandontdare]

I didn't say the leisure centre or the rail links were useless.

The locals interviewed obviously didn't think the leisure centre was for them.

okay let me rephrase that:

So what WOULD be for them assuming we can stop those evil European dictators giving us squash courts that we don't want?

[Old Tankie]

I didn't say anything about evil European dictators either.

[IndigoPrime]

In the same way that I'm a net contributor to every club, journal or service I subscribe to. But I do it because I receive non-financial benefits that outweigh the cost.

This. But also beyond this, because membership fees provide full access to a massive market of people, eradicate rules of origin for manufacturers, enable Brits to punch well above their weight in sciences, and many more things besides.

The argument I heard from Leavers is akin to Tankie's: we give them a tenner and get a fiver back! Retainers  went with: we give them a tenner and get considerably more back (values varying depending on the person saying it). The real issue is that when we leave, we won't have the tenner to send anyway, because we'll be poorer.

[Dandontdare]

I didn't say anything about evil European dictators either.

Oh forget it. I've obviously misinterpreted every one of your pearls of wisdom and can't be arsed trying to wheedle out what you actually ARE saying. Easier to just post snarky comments about what infrastructure and regeneration have been provided rather than actually discuss the subject constructively. I wwas trying to encourage some ideas about what SHOULD be done to regenerate south Wales, whether in or out of Europe, but let's have a traditional Brexit pedantry contest instead..

[Old Tankie]

Hang on, I am happy to have a good discussion with you but don't put words in my mouth that I didn't say.

[The Legendary Shark]

To regenerate South Wales: Allow a free market.

[Hawkmumbler]

I didn't say anything about evil European dictators either.

Oh forget it. I've obviously misinterpreted every one of your pearls of wisdom and can't be arsed trying to wheedle out what you actually ARE saying. Easier to just post snarky comments about what infrastructure and regeneration have been provided rather than actually discuss the subject constructively. I wwas trying to encourage some ideas about what SHOULD be done to regenerate south Wales, whether in or out of Europe, but let's have a traditional Brexit pedantry contest instead..

Tanks doesn't debate. He takes a hit and run technique that reveals nothing about what he thinks and very little about what he doesn't think, then plays the victim card. Rinse and repeat, none of us will ever be any the wiser.

[Old Tankie]

Victim card 

[Jim_Campbell]

Oh forget it. I've obviously misinterpreted every one of your pearls of wisdom and can't be arsed trying to wheedle out what you actually ARE saying.

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