They made a difference - Lady Margaret Thatcher

photo courtesy: BBC Radio 4 cc

13 October 1925 – 8 April 2013, age 87

The events of this week surrounding the death of the Lady Margaret Thatcher cannot go by without comment. 

First, the sadness of her death and how very tragic and ironic that her failing health in recent years was accompanied by Alzheimer's, such a terribly cruel disease to afflict a woman lauded for her mind.

I feel no sense of surprise that many expressed satisfaction at her dying but what I am utterly shocked by is the strength of feeling and vitriolic outpouring of bitterness and hostile loathing for a woman who has been out of the political arena for 20 years.  This says more of them than it does of her, but perhaps most appalling of all is the sheer viciousness of those who were not yet born during her tenure as Prime Minister.  I feel sure few of them truly know who she is.

Without doubt, she will be remembered in the history books.  She made a difference and so few politicians, alive or dead, can claim the same.

Despite the insensitivity of the media, I struggle to empathise with her children, Mark and Carol and not only their crocodile tears but the tears of her many enemies, including those within her own party who brought about her down fall.  Many of the views expressed in Parliament earlier this week served only to demonstrate how far Britain has fallen, the utter lack of respect in using such a forum to incite hatred was shameful and sad to see, especially from those who have nothing to be proud of.  The nation is hardly at its peak, thanks largely to those who led the pack.

How sad that a woman so patriotic, who adored and loved her country above all else should be so vilified in death by a nation she fought for and made Great again.  Even in death, her funeral, at her own request, will include the singing of "I Vow to Thee, My Country".

photo courtesy The Prime Minister's Office cc

 In contrast to this, David Cameron's speeches, immediately following her death and in Parliament were impressive and dare I say, heartfelt? 

That Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II has agreed to attend the funeral says a great deal.  Makes a mockery of the rumours of discord between the two awe-inspiring leaders.  That she enjoyed a good political fight, there can be no doubt but her respect and admiration for the monarchy and especially the Queen can never be questioned.

photo courtesy: The Prime Minister's Office cc

The respect around the world is heartening, as ever, the esteem for Maggie overseas outweigh's that of her own country.  For myself?  Well.... I would not have chosen a different era in which to live and I could not have been inspired by anybody better, man or woman.  She put the Great back into Britain, demonstrated strong leadership, became a victim of envy, inspired passion, both good and bad and above all, she made a difference that will be remembered long into the future.

May she go down in the history books for the things she got right, not the hatred, disrespect and rioting of the ignorant.

Inspirational Quotes

"What is success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a certain sense of purpose"

"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it" 

"The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other peoples' money"

"I love argument, I love debate. I don't expect anyone just to site there and agree with me, that's not their job" 

Read more at brainyquote.com

Useless Facts:

• Sun sign (astrology): Libra
• Myers Briggs           : ENTJ

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So very sad, Margaret Thatcher

photo credit: roberthuffstutter cc

So very very sad to hear Margaret Thatcher has passed away.

An inspiration for many of us and even today, her strength is unparalleled in modern times.

A woman who made a difference.

May she rest in peace

UK Independence Party - Manifesto

I am outraged to see the apparent support for the UK Independence Party (UKIP)!  The British public are being blindly sucked in by their promise to 'get us out of the EU'.  Well that is all well and good, but there are serious implications of doing that and the British people need to make an educated decision.

And my vote? Well, I agree, we need to change our relationship with the EU.  Renegotiate terms, take back our own governance and protect our borders, we clearly cannot sustain benefit payments to masses of lazy people inbound from Europe but not through an extremist right wing political party like the UKIP.

So what about the rest of their policies?  Have you actually read their Manifesto?  Here are just a few:

"Save up to £120BN by leaving the EU, no British jobs or trade will be lost" 

"Reduce everyone's taxes with a 31% flat tax" 

"Replace VAT with a 'Local Sales Tax' to help councils and local businesses"

WTF? HOGWASH!  Firstly, they give no indication of how they plan to protect British jobs or how they have drawn this conclusion.  Reducing tax and abolishing VAT?  Where precisely will the Government get its funding from? 

"Create 1 million new skilled jobs with public and private investment..."

Ermmm??? And these public funds will come from where exactly? At the same time, UKIP make it clear that they will be preventing foreign investment so dig deep Brits!  Perhaps voluntary contributions, funded from your tax savings?  Yes - I can see that happening!

And so to Immigration and Asylum.... "expel Islamic extremists".... yep - let's target a specific minority group and endorse and promote racial discrimination.  Sounds like a similar approach to one adopted in Germany in 1932!  Oh... and hey - they will "triple the number of UK Borders Agency staff to 30,000".  Don't expect to get paid, but at least your tax will be low!

"Demand zero tolerance on crime and double prison places to assure this" - and this will be funded how exactly?  Voluntary donations again?  At least we won't have to worry about feeding the prisoners as they will also "Scrap the Human Rights Act".  It just gets better and better! NOT!  As the Crown Prosecution Service will also be abolished we won't have to worry about a national approach to crime so this should help keep the prison numbers down!

Anything left in the public coffers will be aimed at increasing the military, expanding the army by 25%, double the TA and boosting nuclear deterrent.  Why?  Again echoes of Germany 1932.  Frightening!

Need I go on????  Sorry .... I can't bring myself to discuss their approach to Healthcare, the NHS, Education, Welfare or Social Security and Pensions.  Investing £3BN in the road and rail systems sounds like a great idea - but where is the funding coming from - not taxes obviously?  Making foreign lorries pay to use British roads?  Yeh clever - that will stop them coming over in their droves, slow up the economy and of course, ensure similar charges are introduced for Brits traveling abroad!! If you can get a visa that is!

"Build more social housing" - oh great... a return to the days of sprawling council run estates, yippee!  Lots of local and national referendums and let's introduce Proportional representation?  Not very efficient but expensive... funded how?

And so finally, to their thinking on multiculturalism!  Well that will be banned and no need for political correctness either.  No doubt they have an enthusiasm to get women back where they belong too -  barefoot, pregnant and tied to a kitchen sink perhaps?

What a country they plan to create - full of racial prejudice, parochial, devolved and broke!

I find this future terrifying and almost an inevitable result of the ongoing financial crisis.  It is at times like this that these radical extremist groups gain power - again let me quote - Germany, July 1932.