bandrui

Once again "too many immigrants" is being interpreted as "immigrants are a bad thing". These are two different situations.

Yes, having immigrants is a good thing. No, they are not doing all the menial work. There are hard-working Brits, hard-working immigrants; lazy Brits and lazy immigrants. But whichever way you slice it, there is no doubt that too many immigrants were let into Britain and it is putting a tremendous strain on the economy. This is no secret.

Editha

Utter rubbish. Prejudiced, ignorant opinion wrapped up as fact.

sallysimmons

It's certainly the popular opinion that "too many immigrants were let into Britain" and that they have put a strain on the UK economy, but this is historically what always happens whenever a country hits hard financial times. The people who get the blame are always the immigrants and they're never the actual problem. The same is happening here in the US to the Latino population. But I haven't seen anything to establish what you said as an undisputed fact. Perhaps you have economic or academic studies you can cite?

The economic troubles the country is currently facing can actually be directly attributed to the global financial crisis brought on by the US government's lack of regulation over the financial system, and made worse by the deregulation that took place in the UK starting with Thatcher and continued by successive governments. Once the financial markets around the world collapsed there were huge job losses across the UK and the tax revenue plummeted. This was then followed by an - in my opinion - misguided austerity strategy, where the government pulled even more money out of the economy. All of this has caused economic pain for the British people and none of it has anything to do with immigrants.

bandrui

I learnt a long time ago that the use of the words "always" and "never" are rarely true. I will respond in greater detail but I am just taking my computer in and will be without it for 2 days. I'm already late.

Gabgoeshome

I agree.

Looking at the weather map , it brings it home just how tiny the UK really is.

The UK has been very kind, but it is now over stretched...

bandrui

Hope you are feeling better now Gab, and the children. Is your son OK now?

Lucky you being back there. Are you in North Dorset? I keep having dreams of England. Usually I am shopping with my Mum (who died 16 years ago). But in the last one I was at the Olympic games, or some other event at Henley-on-Thames . About 30 of us went into a palace with the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh. I was sitting next to the Queen telling her about Canada and how much I missed England. I thanked her for the wonderful job she had done. We were having tea and white chocolate gateau. Yum.

Editha

Well, when you are back in the UK, and being treated by a surgeon born in Asia, I hope he remembers to thank you for the generosity of your country, in allowing him to live there.

bandrui

Again Editha, no-one is suggesting that this is not a good thing.It's the number of immigrants that got out of control. Too much of a good thing.
Why is this poinht so hard to get .

UkWinds5353

All nicely said.I will never understand why so many Americans fight against the concept of universal health care being under the control of government.One of the biggest concerns a society will face is health care cost. A nation that is not healthy will only create added drain on a national GNP. For some reason in America those who fight against a single payer system have the louder voice in this debate.And I also believe the republican dominated United States Supreme court will strike down Obama's newly created health network. I'm not sure America will ever grow-up.

jasper123

Obama has done his best in the time he has been in office I think to get a single payer system for health care,
he has helped so far in helping some kids get health care where they didn't have before, but Im afraid the U.S. will never have a universal health care system for there people, sadly the majority of the people have been so brain washed by the governments both republican and democrats for decades to believe that America has the best health care system in the world, and most havent a clue that the rest of the free developed world have had universal health care for (ALL) there peoples for a very long long time ---- whether there working or not,
Im afraid that corporate america will never allow wide spread single payer system health care to ever get a grip on the country, all the time that they are allowed to make trillions of dollars on providing there so called health care to the nation it will never get any better,
The terribly sad thing is that when you hear people say that they are paying say $700 to $1500 per month in health care premiums for there family, and on top of that all the co-pays they have to pay for every single thing from a simple visit to the doctor or specialist to big buck co-pays for MRI'S to out of pocket operation costs, all the way down to prescription co-pay costs, OMG the out of pocket co-pays just go on and on for everything, ----- and not to even mention certain prescription drugs are not even covered by there provider and they find that they have to pay full price for that particular drug, ------- and on top of all this they will tell you that they are getting a good deal, even though the providers put up there premiums like every year.
Corporate America at its finest Hmmmm

Gabgoeshome

Snippy response indeed.

Also nothing to do with my point.

Gabgoeshome

We are back in North Dorset Yes, its beautiful...we are so grateful to my family for helping us get back on our feet.

Yesterday my husband has been taken on in a full time position, it works on a monthly contract -but is a full time job none the less.

So...it took exactly one month to get full time, and he had been temping from the first week!

That dream of yours is very funny, and it also makes me think your heart is still here. I hope things come together very soon for you...

Oh and yes, the children are doing very well *even* our eldest who tolerates school

We should have moved here from London, but as they say ,hindsight is a wonderful thing

Beedubya

Oh well done Mr Gab!!!!

And it's so good the little Gabs are settling in too, are they finding much difference with the school curriculum?

Ah yes that old hindsight.........mmm ...........I try not to think of how much $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ my ping pong life has cost.

sallysimmons

I so agree with you and Rodney. The news out of the Supreme Court is so depressing.

Meantime, I am sitting here with a migraine because the insurance company won't pay for any more pills this month, and suffering from pain in my shoulders because the insurance company won't pay for physical therapy. At least I know I have a way out - I feel so bad for the people here who do not.

sallysimmons

Excellent news for the Gab family! Give us lots of details about England when you have time