I would happily get behind a conservative agenda such as this one

[billyskank]

This article is talking about Britain, but you will all identify with many of the ideas here.

Quote:

I've noticed that the Conservative party has been rather at a loss recently. It doesn't know what it stands for or what it ought to be proposing to do in government.

So in a friendly spirit of helpfulness, I thought I'd point out some policies that resonate with old-fashioned ideas of the sort that a truly conservative party might well feel at home with. By good luck, these policies are without a current champion, and any party taking them up would find a natural body of support ready and waiting.

To start with, then, there's the notion of noblesse oblige. For those who can't remember, this is the very good and centuries-old idea that privilege imposes obligations. That was ditched over a quarter of a century ago, and since then we've suffered under the revolting principle that we should all be intensely relaxed about people getting filthy rich.

A genuinely conservative idea would be to restore the principle that the wealthiest people should bear more financial responsibility than they've been required to do under the filthy-rich system: so income tax for the rich should go up.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,3604,1569288,00.html

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. I could support that!

I remember the day when it was considered part of the gentleman's duty to support the local tailors, shoe makers, artists, silversmiths, haberdashers, etc. Not just so they would have the fancier stuff, but also so those artisans could stay in business and be able to afford to make the regular clothing/stuff that others need.

So the gentleman always had more clothing and stuff than the poorer people, sure - but partly that was their "community tax" they were expected by their peers to pay for the privelege of having money.

[billyskank]

2. Petulant KICK

I'm having a lot of trouble getting replies today!

[billyskank]

3. This is PANTS

I'm going to have to start a progmom "look at ME!" thread soon. :cry:

[dorktv]

4. Poor kid

Hey, we should start reminding the rich why they need to do that and they need to start being better toot sweet! :D

[tjwmason]

5. Quality threads just don't get replies.

Look what happened to the discussions of the Ashes. :pals:

[billyskank]

6. I know

Philistines! :pals: