Category Archives: Idiocy

The Republican war on the poor

Posted on March 19, 2011 by David

More depressing news from across the pond. Not content with defunding Planned Parenthood and attempting to deny rape victims access to abortion, the Republicans are now demanding that federal tax inspectors intrude into women’s reproductive lives. It transpires that the … Continue reading →

Posted in Idiocy, Politics, Social justice | View Comments

More xenophobic idiocy

Posted on March 15, 2011 by David

The Home Office has decided to impose still-tighter restrictions on economic migration to the UK, with an announcement yesterday that new economic migrants from outside the European Economic Area will no longer be able to work in a number of … Continue reading →

Posted in Idiocy, Politics | View Comments

Simon Heffer: authoritarian wingnut

Posted on February 19, 2011 by David

I’ve devoted a lot of space on this blog lately to covering the dire political situation on the other side of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, I was reminded this evening that it isn’t just American audiences who willingly lap up the … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal justice, Idiocy | View Comments

The Republican war on women

Posted on February 12, 2011 by David

Across the pond, having taken control of the House of Representatives, the Republican Party are busily trying to pass measures on reproductive health that can only be understood as deliberate, calculated attempts to hurt women. Opposition to abortion has long … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil liberties, Feminism, Idiocy | View Comments

On schools, gay relationships, and the Mail’s profit margins

Posted on January 25, 2011 by David

In general, I rarely link to Daily Heil Mail stories unless I have no alternative: having no particular desire to give more page-traffic, and hence more advertising revenue, to Britain’s leading purveyor of sexist, racist and homophobic bile. However, a … Continue reading →

Posted in Idiocy, LGBT | View Comments

Incompetent bigot appointed as government drugs advisor

Posted on January 23, 2011 by David

From time to time, reading a news story causes me a deep-seated feeling of personal anger and sorrow which I just can’t shake. This is one of those times. A GP who is an outspoken anti-gay activist has been appointed … Continue reading →

Posted in Criminal justice, Idiocy, LGBT, Politics, Social justice | View Comments

Tim Pawlenty: homophobic bigot

Posted on January 17, 2011 by David

Via Ed Brayton: Minnesota state governor Tim Pawlenty, widely favoured as a potential Republican presidential candidate in 2012, today announced his support for reinstating the recently-scrapped “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, under which gay, lesbian and bisexual personnel in the … Continue reading →

Posted in Idiocy, LGBT, Politics, Social justice | View Comments

In which Ed Miliband continues to miss the point

Posted on January 15, 2011 by David

Writing in the Guardian, reflecting on Labour’s by-election win in Oldham, Ed Miliband acknowledges that the Labour Party still has to change. Yet he fails to address any of the real failures and power-abuses perpetrated by the last Labour government. … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil liberties, Idiocy, Politics | View Comments

Another example of the absurdity of our criminal justice system

Posted on January 11, 2011 by David

Student protestor Edward Woollard, aged 18, has been sentenced to 32 months’ imprisonment, after admitting throwing a fire extinguisher from a roof during November’s protests against education funding cuts. The judge, Geoffrey Rivlin QC, said: “It is deeply regrettable, indeed … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil liberties, Criminal justice, Idiocy | View Comments

In which Jack Straw shows his true colours as a bigot

Posted on January 8, 2011 by David

Jack Straw is among the most contemptible people in British politics today. From 1997 to 2001 he earned, perhaps, the title of the most authoritarian Home Secretary in recent British history (rivalled only by the equally appalling Michael Howard). Under … Continue reading →

Posted in Civil liberties, Idiocy, Social justice | View Comments