Author Archives: Steve Trevethan

Steve Trevethan

Suggestions for constitutional changes after Brexit and Chilcot

By Steve Trevethan | Sat 23rd July 2016 - 11:20 am

The EU referendum was both democratic and dictatorial.

This form of democracy was, is and will be profoundly self-harming of our nation. It destroyed opportunities, such as negotiating for a more democratic and less finance controlled EU, and precipitated unnecessary difficulties, such as having to deal with a massive range of trade negotiations from a position of weakness.

It was imposed unilaterally by the then Prime Minister, David Cameron, in an inept and selfish attempt to cohere his party and keep in his job. It has cost us our powerful place in Europe and may cost the United Kingdom the kingdom of Scotland and lead to problems resulting from an intensified Anglo-Irish border.

The Chilcot Report proves that Great Britain was misled into a bloody war by the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and an unaccountable clique of cronies and apparatchiks. Its dangerous and cruel consequences increase daily. The costs to our armed forces were, and are needless death, mutilation and mental damage.

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Posted in News | 15 Comments
Steve Trevethan

Post-Brexit questions on immigration and emigration

By Steve Trevethan | Tue 12th July 2016 - 9:35 am

 

Migrations, big and small, have causes, so let’s start by looking at them.

War or military conflict, with and without “boots on the ground” is an all too frequent cause. The huddled masses trying to escape from the war torn and terrorised Middle East provide a pressing example.

“Real Estate” or land-grab forced migration is another category, of which the evictions of Native Americans by US governments provide examples. Not all examples are historic.

Politically purposed, forced migration was used in the Scottish Highland Clearances of the 1740s. The UK government forced Scots to emigrate to weaken and punish actual and potential Jacobite rebels. It is possible that the refugee precipitating conditions created in Iraq, Libya and Syria etc. may be similar. To wreck one country may be regarded as a misfortune: to wreck at least three looks like policy.

Religious and ethnic intolerance can be a people mover and divider, as the partition of India into India and Pakistan indicates. Managed bigotry is a powerful political tool.

The consequences of Global Warming are causing increasing numbers to move.

With sufficient perception, will and power all of these human-made migration-causing activities could, at least, be reduced. Prevention is better than cure.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 11 Comments
Steve Trevethan

Cakeonomics and Free Trade

By Steve Trevethan | Thu 19th May 2016 - 12:34 pm

 

Crumbs!

Not heard of Cakeonomics?

Cakeonomics is a simplified, quick and sometimes fun approach to economics and its connections with everyday life. It uses the metaphor of cake in an effort to make Economics more accessible and attractive, so that more of us can ask better questions about it and be sharper at assessing any answers. We need stronger, more confident knowledge to better analyse and help address the problems of our times, which are also likely to be the problems of our children and theirs.

Your piece of cake depends on various factors. Two crucial factors are the size of your slice and the size of the cake from which your slice comes.

Here’s some data and information about the global economic cake:

The richest 1 per cent increased its income by 60 per cent in the last 20 years (1992-2012) with the financial crisis accelerating rather than slowing the process.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged , and | 10 Comments
Steve Trevethan

Some TTIPQs

By Steve Trevethan | Tue 10th May 2016 - 8:56 am

Puzzled of Lyme Regis writes:

Information and interpretation relating to the TTIP (Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) seems confusing/conflicting, despite coming from reputable sources. Can any Lib Dem Voice followers help with their information and interpretations?

Here are some particular statements and questions. Corrections/Improvements to the statements, answers and observations mightily appreciated!

The Department of Business, Innovation and Skills opines that the TTIP will bring personal savings and general economic benefits etc (see Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) benefits and concerns  and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership: What’s in IT for Me?). 38 Degrees opines that it …

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Posted in Op-eds | 21 Comments
Steve Trevethan

Value for Money and Power Education

By Steve Trevethan | Tue 19th April 2016 - 8:55 am

No action can have a single consequence.

Can the stated purpose of an action distract us from considering its several unstated/understated consequences?

Can unstated consequences be unstated purposes?

Can/does the iceberg profundity of the governmental decision/action to academise all English schools have a single consequence/purpose?

Academisation of our schools involves more than education. It also involves money, property, power, politics, cartel-control, democratic freedom, governance and accountability, to name but some of the areas of our lives it affects/controls, now in the future.

Some questions:

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 17 Comments
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