Blair – ‘just a nice guy’ or the devil’s lieutenant…?

[Cyclefrance]

I was on the point of posting the thread title ‘Blair – nice guy or the antichrist incarnate’, when I saw on the net that Mr Dubbya had himself already enjoyed that accolade. So, risking, as a result, that this may now become a tangled thread, the question becomes as titled. Interesting to hear the views of those abroad and therefore not so closely affected.

Mr Teflon Trousers as he is known here in the UK to both friends and enemies alike (goes nicely for a guy using ‘seat-of-your-pants’ modus operandi), manages to retain a sufficient level of voter support in spite of all his blunders. They still lurve our Tone. Lord knows why, as there is hardly anything I can think of he hasn’t bodged and basically screwed up – such as:

Billions extra spent to turn around the health service – it turned…but the wrong way. Money gone, problems just as great (some say greater).

Pensions reform – the only ones that seem to have gained are the MPs who now qualify for a 50% pension for 4 years work (basis they don’t get re-elected), the rest of us have had billions raided from our investments through tax changes and are left having to work another 5 years to age 70 to qualify for State pension

Protection of socialist ideals – the family has been decimated through tax changes while single parenthood is rewarded with generous handouts. Unemployment is down but disability benefit payouts have soared by almost the same amount as unemployment payments have fallen – funny that.

Dealing with terrorist activity within our borders – we have new legislation, great, only it’s at odds with the European Human Rights Act (another mess Tony provided us with), so any attempt to enforce it will involve a three to five year battle in the courts during which time the suspects remain installed and likely free to come and go as they please..

Targets – the man’s obsessed with them, but they’re not thought through so all we have are ill conceived objectives, and then organisations devising efficiency flouting schemes to ensure that these are ‘met’ by hook or by crook so that the penalties of failure are avoided.

I won’t even mention the big’I’ as there’s enough about that on this site already.

So how does he do it? Maintain the support I mean. Well for one thing, he just always says the right thing at the right time – you know what I mean: violent crime is up? ‘we are introducing measures to bring down violence on our streets’; education is failing? ‘we are setting basic standards which all pupils will be required to attain’, and so on, but these are seldom more than just what they sound, words, with no resources or viable plan to see the proposals achieved.

So nice guy or devil’s lieutenant? What do you think? Me? I go for nice guy, as the devil would have it worked out a lot better, I reckon. Tone just has to feel wanted so he says what needs to be said to feed that requirement. Unless of course he has some real ulterior motive, you know, like being the only/best/most deserving/competent person capable of taking on a four-year European presidency - I mean, what was all that support for Dubbya about if not for something as important as this…. ???

Over to you...