Comments on: China Arms Embargo http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555 Every day the Prime Minister's Spokesman meets a small coterie of political journalists known as 'the lobby' for a topical chat, or 'briefing'. Sat, 30 Aug 2008 02:37:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: PapaLazzzaru http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2898 PapaLazzzaru Wed, 23 Mar 2005 19:19:13 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2898 Mr. Pooter says: I fear you may be trapped in a Woodward and Bernstein fantasy. Pretty soon you'll be thinking that MP's are there to hold the government to account. You're absolutely right; I'm dreaming, really. Chuck Unsworth; I know all this - I was merely venting. The cyber equivelant of having a good hard scream. It's a sad inditement of our political system in general though. It should not be up to the government to tell us which issues they think are important. The government is there to serve, not to dictate. It should be up to the electorate to decide exactly which issues we want our government to sort out for us. I know, I know; that would be dependant on the average voter possessing a little more knowledge than the headlines in The Sun. And also dependant on MPs starting to actually live up to the title of "Right Honourable". And upon the media from distorting things. And the government. None of which is likely to happen, because all are happy the way things are. Just winds me up, that's all...! Mr. Pooter says: I fear you may be trapped in a Woodward and Bernstein fantasy. Pretty soon you’ll be thinking that MP’s are there to hold the government to account.

You’re absolutely right; I’m dreaming, really.

Chuck Unsworth; I know all this - I was merely venting. The cyber equivelant of having a good hard scream.

It’s a sad inditement of our political system in general though. It should not be up to the government to tell us which issues they think are important. The government is there to serve, not to dictate. It should be up to the electorate to decide exactly which issues we want our government to sort out for us. I know, I know; that would be dependant on the average voter possessing a little more knowledge than the headlines in The Sun. And also dependant on MPs starting to actually live up to the title of "Right Honourable". And upon the media from distorting things. And the government. None of which is likely to happen, because all are happy the way things are. Just winds me up, that’s all…!

]]> By: Chuck Unsworth http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2896 Chuck Unsworth Wed, 23 Mar 2005 15:09:14 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2896 Except in a very few instances career journalists never concern themselves with stories which will not make tomorrow morning's headlines. Let's not forget that Journalism is a living, not a social service. Career politicians have a time horizon of the date of the next General Election, only, and there are no votes in the topic of Global Warming for any of the main parties. Except in a very few instances career journalists never concern themselves with stories which will not make tomorrow morning’s headlines. Let’s not forget that Journalism is a living, not a social service.

Career politicians have a time horizon of the date of the next General Election, only, and there are no votes in the topic of Global Warming for any of the main parties.

]]> By: Mr Pooter http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2893 Mr Pooter Wed, 23 Mar 2005 11:52:12 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2893 PapaLazzaru asks: WHY AREN'T OUR JOURNALISTS NAILING THE GOVERNMENT TO THE WALL ON A DAILY BASIS????? I fear you may be trapped in a Woodward and Bernstein fantasy. Pretty soon you'll be thinking that MP's are there to hold the government to account. PapaLazzaru asks: WHY AREN’T OUR JOURNALISTS NAILING THE GOVERNMENT TO THE WALL ON A DAILY BASIS?????

I fear you may be trapped in a Woodward and Bernstein fantasy. Pretty soon you’ll be thinking that MP’s are there to hold the government to account.

]]> By: PapaLazzzaru http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2891 PapaLazzzaru Tue, 22 Mar 2005 20:30:06 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2891 http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0219-01.htm Link to story about global warming survey http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/031805_world_stories.shtml#1 Link to peak oil presentation http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0219-01.htm

Link to story about global warming survey

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/free/ww3/031805_world_stories.shtml#1

Link to peak oil presentation

]]> By: PapaLazzzaru http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2890 PapaLazzzaru Tue, 22 Mar 2005 20:17:28 +0000 http://downingstreetsays.com/briefings/2005/03/22/1555#comment-2890 A couple of points about this. Firstly, it's a pity that the government weren't so intent on achieving a consensus of opinion between the EU and the US in the lead up to the illegal invasion of Iraq. It's obvious that the "consultations" with the US are to find out if the US will be willing to get involved should China get out of hand - or to ask Big Brother whether they think China ever WILL be a threat, in view of the US drive to corner for themselves the worlds remaining oil supplies. But the other point is more relevant, I think. In Tuesdays lobby briefings, Britains journalists managed to ask 2 questions?! That's it??? There's nothing going on in the world that they (and by extension, we the country) want or need to know about??? Recently we had the results of a big scientific survey (partly funded by the White House) which proved unequivocally that global warming is a man-made problem. Even more recently there was a presentation made in the US Congress, no less, about Peak Oil and about how it is a real problem which the whole world needs to look at NOW. 2 inter-related issues of more long-term importance than any others in human history, and not a word from our or the US government about either; WHY AREN'T OUR JOURNALISTS NAILING THE GOVERNMENT TO THE WALL ON A DAILY BASIS????? A couple of points about this. Firstly, it’s a pity that the government weren’t so intent on achieving a consensus of opinion between the EU and the US in the lead up to the illegal invasion of Iraq. It’s obvious that the "consultations" with the US are to find out if the US will be willing to get involved should China get out of hand - or to ask Big Brother whether they think China ever WILL be a threat, in view of the US drive to corner for themselves the worlds remaining oil supplies.

But the other point is more relevant, I think. In Tuesdays lobby briefings, Britains journalists managed to ask 2 questions?! That’s it??? There’s nothing going on in the world that they (and by extension, we the country) want or need to know about???

Recently we had the results of a big scientific survey (partly funded by the White House) which proved unequivocally that global warming is a man-made problem. Even more recently there was a presentation made in the US Congress, no less, about Peak Oil and about how it is a real problem which the whole world needs to look at NOW.

2 inter-related issues of more long-term importance than any others in human history, and not a word from our or the US government about either; WHY AREN’T OUR JOURNALISTS NAILING THE GOVERNMENT TO THE WALL ON A DAILY BASIS?????

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