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...

[Cyclefrance]

Now, look, I mean Tony is going to be very disappointed at the lack of interest he has generated so far. I mean, you know, he's a regular sort of a guy and this is just not the sort of response he's used to. Really, I can only speak for myself and not for the rest of you - I know where I stand, but people have just got to make up their own minds about this, and when they have all the facts I am sure that they will agree I've done the right thing here.

[Trilby]

I like Tony.

I think he's GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!

I'd say Mr. Blair is a self serving egotist which is a required attribute of any politician holding office at the national level in any country you might name. Going by what I have gathered on the Net from friends in the UK, your pal Tony is NOT very nice. As you have pointed out, if he were one of the devil's own, one would expect him to be somewhat more capable in his conduct of evil duties. I believe these folks might be able to help you out with your philosophical quandry.

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by Brianna

I like Tony.

I think he's GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRREAT!

I'll let Kellogg's know...

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by marichiko

I'd say Mr. Blair is a self serving egotist which is a required attribute of any politician holding office at the national level in any country you might name. Going by what I have gathered on the Net from friends in the UK, your pal Tony is NOT very nice. As you have pointed out, if he were one of the devil's own, one would expect him to be somewhat more capable in his conduct of evil duties. I believe these folks might be able to help you out with your philosophical quandry.

A pleasure to meet someone from the 2.15% (see 'a must read for all americans' if further explanation needed)!

PS - Thanks for the link - something to add to my Christmas list so I get something really worthwhile from the offspring this year!

[Undertoad]

Mr. Blair (my own name is Tony so I can't call him that) is a remarkable speaker, maybe the best I've ever heard. Clinton was like that - they say his political skills were so sharp that he could walk into any room and instantly become what the room needed him to be. That's a two-edged political sword because it permits you to lead, which you need to do regardless, but if you don't truly have the answers it makes you look bad. Mr. Blair didn't come up with the idea of pushing more money at the problem, he just led the country into it and from a big politician point of view that is usually the solution of choice.

At the end of the day, though, it's only the results that matter and we should throw away the politicians' convincing words.

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by Undertoad

they say his political skills were so sharp that he could walk into any room and instantly become what the room needed him to be. That's a two-edged political sword because it permits you to lead, which you need to do regardless, but if you don't truly have the answers it makes you look bad.

I think you are right in this respect about Blair being similar to Clinton. At the outset of his premiership, with this skill, he was believed en masse and so he became all things to all men. As his presence has persisted though, the number who are aware of this trait is growing - not enough, clearly, that he loses an election but sufficient to be more concerned that he should be achieving your last point:

At the end of the day, though, it's only the results that matter and we should throw away the politicians' convincing words.

... something he has failed consistently to do (get results), and also that sufficient of the electorate has yet to do (throw away the politicians' convincing words).

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Cyclefrance

Now, look, I mean Tony is going to be very disappointed at the lack of interest he has generated so far.

Not being British, my main concern with the PM is that he is a horrifying war-monger who makes the best interest of his people subservient to his own political interests and by extention subservient to the interests of that clique of Americans who believe a US empire is good for the world.

Originally Posted by Cyclefrance

PS - Thanks for the link - something to add to my Christmas list so I get something really worthwhile from the offspring this year!

Be sure to tell the offspring to include The Small Barking Dog . Apparently, no British holiday correspondence is complete without it.

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by marichiko

Be sure to tell the offspring to include The Small Barking Dog . Apparently, no British holiday correspondence is complete without it.

Our dog is too large to entice inside any envelope (maybe the snout) - rather, they usually go inside him (helps keep the bills down and certainly wouldn't touch those that complete a circuit of a canine's alimentary canal). We do however have a small but extremely vocal cat (well two actually - so could send two forms) who has a penchant for carrier bag accommodation - think I could shoehorn her into an envelope with the minimum of feline disapproval. Will file this message in Outlook December calendar accordingly and set for timely reminder.



(sorry, cat pic on another pc)

[Cyclefrance]

Originally Posted by Griff

Not being British, my main concern with the PM is that he is a horrifying war-monger who makes the best interest of his people subservient to his own political interests and by extention subservient to the interests of that clique of Americans who believe a US empire is good for the world.

Most I agree with but IMO his involvement in war-mongering was/is an unfortunate side effect of certain aspects of his primary desire to be all things to all men - the pertinent ones here being his need to be seen as an ally to the USA, an international spokesman (European presidency ambitions), and an amazing leader capable of making difficult decisions (although some might want to swap positions on the words 'difficult' and 'amazing'). As one notable US president once remarked -'you cannot please all the people all of the time', and unfortunately Blair takes this too literally to heart, so that he doesn't worry that some (many) of his decisions leave him out of step with the majority, at odds with the electorate and totally ignoring his manifesto commitments. His popular/regular response when asked about such incidents is: 'people will have to make up their own minds', etc (see my 'what, no replies' entry for for the rest of his rhetoric) - a weak get-out but one he feels content to believe justifies his attitude and actions.

Equally if not more worrying is the fact that, not only are we gullible enough to be conned in the first place to elect the man to lead our country, but even after we become all too aware of his untrustworthiness, enough of the electorate vote appropriately to ensure that we suffer yet another four years of the same (perhaps that comment is a bit to close to home for some of the US members of this forum!)