Living in the Real World

Politicians have to make decisions that affect the lives of others every day.  That's part of their job.  And sometimes such decisions will be unpopular.  But at the very least, those affected by the decisions have the right to expect that those making them will have some idea what they are doing.  Not so with cuts to disability benefits however.

Today in the Daily Mail we read how Mr Cameron is hiring a personal trainer to help him deal with stiff muscles and joints.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394417/Keep-fit-Dave-calls-250-hour-physio-tummy-trim.html

This trainer is apparently costing our intrepid leader £250 per hour.  PER HOUR.  That's pretty close to the amount paid per month to someone claiming DLA at the highest rate for mobility (and you need more than stiff muscles and joints to qualify for that) and the lowest level of care.  Imagine.... one hour against a whole month.  Better still, take time to do some maths here.  If that trainer worked just 8 hours a day, five days a week for four weeks it would be £10,000!  Staggering stuff, eh?

Yet this government has presided over - and encouraged with all its 'government sources' leaks - the most shameful villification of the sick and disabled in living history.  Even though DLA is given to those who can work (as well as those who cannot) it is to be replaced by a personal independence payment.

Think about it.  Personal Independence Payment.  Well, it all depends what you mean by independence, really, doesn't it?  Because the sort of independence one can buy on £275 per month is quite different from the sort of independence you might expect for £250 per hour.

We're all in it together?  Live in the real world, Dave.

I've been away

Well, not anywhere nice unfortunately.  Just unable to muster any sort of energy to do very much at all.  Meanwhile the level of bile and general hysteria is rumbling on but I seem to have noticed a little sea change.  Perhaps it is to do with the fact that the vile face of disablism is finally becoming apparent.  Look at the awful scenes in the Panorama programme.... then look at the 'care home' providers who ripped everyone off and then left the very people they were supposed to help facing homelessness.  Because this is what happens when you are driven by money.  People no longer matter.

Are people finally beginning to see the human face behind the disablism?  Few of those young people brutalised and tormented at Winterbourne would eveyr be able to work.... are they just scroungers?  Workshy?  Or can people finally see the human face?  I live in hope.

In Ancient Rome the Stoics argued against slavery not because it was wrong per se (in their eyes), but because it was morally harmful to the slave owner.  That's an interesting  take on it.... do you think we could persuade the Con Dem coalition to drop some of their planned cuts on the grounds that it will be morally harmful to them (rather than just physically harmful to us?)  Now there's a thought. 

I'm not going to hold my breath though. I can't.  It hurts too much.