DD306 - Living Political Lives - Last TMA submitted

That's that then, the last TMA has been submitted, only the EMA to go.

I have been concentrating on the TMA and its question,
"What is the relationship between politics and violence? Discuss using at least TWO theorists and TWO case studies discussed in Room 5."

Since submitting the TMA I have had a good look at the EMA question in more detail, and its blah, blah, blah, blah explore the extent to which the state as a solution to violence is a living political idea. 

To say there is quite a lot of overlap is an understatement, although for the EMA I need another 2000 words and significantly more nuanced argument.

The last TMA was sort of dashed off, but still took a load of time. Not too concerned about the mark, but would like above 75%, we shall see, the returned TMA is probably 3 weeks away, and we have to get through the last tutorial/day school first.

DD306 - Living Political Lives: How much busier can things get.......

Things are not going to plan.....

• Changes at work have led to multiple foreign visits over the last month, and this will continue into May.
• I am 50 in May and so we are going on holiday the two weeks before the EMA is due - looks like I will be studying on holiday which will not go down well with the Mrs.
• I am a member of the Labour Party, so trying ti help leaflet and canvass for the County elections on 4th May. 
• AND NOW a General Election on 8th June.........

This is quite possible the definition of the perfect storm.

Why is Mrs May(hem) calling the election when she stated on multiple occasions that she wouldn't, there are many theories,

1.  Well ahead in the polls and a chance to put Labour to the sword.
2.  Several (maybe 20) Tory MPs about to be prosecuted for electoral fraud from 2015.
3.  Just had a brain fart when on a walking holiday

but whatever the reason...... please Britain, and when I say Britain I mean England and Wales, look into the party manifestos and compare them with what is being done.... and don't fuck it up this time.

Mrs May(hem) appears to be getting an easy ride from the right wing media and is being allowed to clam she is for social justice....... seriously where would you start with this,

• Loss of housing benefit for the young.... where are they supposed to live.
• Bedroom tax.... 'cos the poor shouldn't have a guest room.
• Reduction of carers allowance.... they are saving the country millions on care costs and deserve more support.
• Reduction of disability allowance...... 'cos the most vulnerable on society are easy to shit on.
• School budgets rising below costs increased by this government such as NI
• NHS funding stagnant and a creeping privatisation of services to companies trying to make profit from care service.
• Tax beaks for the super rich and big business....
• A general demonisation of the poor, disabled and vulnerable in society - these people did not cause the financial crash.........

The people that caused the financial crash are.....

• Those that fast tracked Cameron to power, and once he could no longer protect the non-doms and tax avoiders he was of no further use..... and his desire to be a constituency MP and fight for his constituents, the people of Whitney, lasted possibly weeks.As did Osborne.
• Mrs & Mr May(hem) both city brokers are obviously on the side of the JAMs - my arse - another Tory appointment to protect the super rich at the expense of the general public

For heaven's sake people, look past the right wing and Linton Crosby inspired attacks on Corbyn.

They won the last election on lies, a photo of a bacon butty and xenophobic fear of the SNP, don't let them do it again.

Corbyn is not FAR LEFT. In Scandinavia, where fairness, equality and opportunity for all is common, he would be seen as middle of the road. What is wrong with expecting the richest to pay more tax to help these least fortunate in society. The richest and the big business take the most from society and rely on societies institutions and frameworks which are paid for by all tax payers, even though most don;t benefit directly from them.

I don't need a trading standards, port authority, a comprehensive transport network, customs, the judiciary and UK financial institutions on a day to day basis, but I pay for it, and at a higher rate than the businesses that rely on them for their massive profits.

Teresa May (as Cameron before her) talks about getting the best deal, but the best deal for whom.  Society is fragmented, there is no one best deal...... could the deal she is talking about the best deal for the super rich Tory donors - it must be - they are paying all of this money to the Tory party for something - what do you think it is.......

WAKE UP ENGLAND...... look past the sound bites and right wing press headlines, the Tory's are taking you all for a fool.

If you do nothing else please, please, please do this. 

Read Rawls........... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veil_of_ignorance

Rawls suggests that you imagine yourself in an original position behind a veil of ignorance. Behind this veil, you know nothing of yourself and your natural abilities, or your position in society. You know nothing of your sex, race, nationality, or individual tastes.

Behind this veil of ignorance you are then asked to vote in the County elections on May 4th and the General Election on June 8th, you don't know if you are.....

• On a zero hours, minimum wage, contract trying to provide for your kids and wife.
• A full time carer for your spouse who has a severe condition.
• A hard working 'JAM', in mortgage poverty due to untenable house prices.
• An unemployed graduate with crippling student debt forced you live back home with parents.
• Somebody with psychiatric problems discharged from a care unit due to cuts and without any support plan.
• Somebody with a good job who is worrying about their elderly parents care, their children's education and housing, and their own pension provision and retirement date.
• A German surgical consultant wondering if BREXIT will mean exit for their career in the UK - their are no shortage of jobs back in the EU.
• One of the 4% to 5% of super rich who are banking (quite literally) on Tory councillors and government to slash funded services but privatise what's left to G4S as lots of Tory's have invested in them.

Given you don't  know who you are from the above suggestions...... who would you vote for...

There is only one main party committed to a better fairer Britain, the other will look after their donors, grandees and friends through the old boys network.

This is not a forgone conclusion. In the last election more registered voters didn't vote, than voted for the Tories

So...... people of Britain, you have a choice, please have along, hard, think about things......

.............and don't fuck it up this time.

I understand that not everyone will agree with this, if you don't agree please leave a comment and then we can have a discussion......

DD306 - Living Political Lives - where did that week go.....

Spent a week in Nepal and with one thing and another, time difference, jet-lag, work, sight seeing, I managed to do not a bit of study.

Better crack on today then

DD306 - Living Political Lives : TMA06 Tutorial

Last TMA tutorial today which was disappointingly attended.

I don't understand why more folk don't go, I got some good ideas for the TMA and the discussions were, on the whole, informative.

So, just the tutorial for the EMA to go and that will be my face to face interaction with the Open University finished.

So, the plan is to churn the TMA out in the week after Easter, and try and get the EMA written in rough form before I go on holiday in May. Don't expect, or want, to do anything on holiday, so will have 36 hrs when I get back to re-read, polish and submit.

DD306 - Living Political Lives - Room 5 (the final module)

I've been at this degree for six and a half years, basically a module a year and a year off to concentrate on my Edinburgh Fringe show, and now I am starting the last module and have only 1 TMA and 1 EMA to go to finish the degree.

TMA is due before 8th May, and the EMA before 30th May. I have made this a bit more difficult by booking holiday 12th to 28th May, and regardless of my best intentions, I never get anything done on holiday, so best get it sorted as soon as possible.