You have to remember that in 1948 there was a huge swing to a socialist government, everyone had expected Churchill to be elected as a formality but after six years of war, loss of life and demolition of huge swathes of inner cities there was a dire need for social housing - rented property was the norm for working class folk and the percentage of those who would call themselves "working class" to middle or upper class was huge, far greater than I suspect it would be today, the main aspiration to that trenche of voters was a rented house, a job and if a political party had promised all of that plus a health service for all, free at the point of delivery from cradle to grave then you can imagine that that really would be the cherry on the cake.

Churchill didn't know what hit him and neither did the Americans who immediately shat themselves at the thought of those billions of dollars of war loans being owed to them by a government that looked liek it was turning communist.

To add to what Jerry has posted, after Lloyd George's post-WWI promise of "a land fit for heroes" became a tragic farce, there was a definite mood that such a betrayal would not happen again.

IIRC, there had been soldiers' parliaments taking place during the last days of the war and the immediate aftermath, and a great deal of political education.

Most doctors weren't in favour of it simply because they couldn't see the sense in getting paid by the government to see lots of people was worth more to them than only seeing those people who could afford a doctor and even then being at the end of a long queue of people to pay.

[url=http://www.upworthy.com/mitt-romney-accidentally-confronts-a-gay-veteran-awesomeness-ensues?g=2When Mitt met a gay Viet Nam veteran[/url

At least he was honest, even if his answer did belong in Victorian times.

He certainly was honest but as the veteran said Romney wouldn't be interested in a conversation about it.

Found this funny

Richard Cheese

Did anyone hear Clinton's speech about Romney's proposed military spending?

Which religion sorry country does he want to wipe out?

All that skiing sent him over the edge.

The moron religion?

Or is that his?

Levels ya devils

[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19415745[/url

[url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/texas-gop-rejects-critical-thinking-skills-really/2012/07/08/gJQAHNpFXW_blog.html'We want stoodents to be kept stoopid'.[/url

Texas GOP objects to 'critical thinking'.

Another Romney [iown goal[/i?

[urlhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19631430[/url

While in the US, my son stood on glass and cut open his foot.
In the ER, they gave him an anti-biotic shot, local anasthetic, and 4 stitches.
The bill for this was 1800USD. On top of that we had to buy dressings, and were given prescriptions for more painkiller and more anti-biotics. The drugs alone were over 50USD.
I don't know how anyone can afford to be ill or injured in the US.

Most have medical insurance. If you're lucky and have good employers, then the employers will pay the insurance usually for your immediate family (spouse and kids). My Uncle worked for General Motors and had a very generous medical insurance with minimal excess that also covered the family and still covers him now he is retired.

My Aunt does know of a family who can only afford medical insurance for their kids so have sacrificed their own.

Its a sad state of affairs in the US when you are rushed into the Emergency Room and the Doctor gets straight on the phone; to your insurance company to see what level of insurance you have and how much/far he can treat you

The 47% figure (which hasn't AFAIK been verified to anything) includes the retired and students. But it also reflects the huge concentration of wealth in the US - the reason so many people pay no federal income tax is because they earn about $20k a year and are on the breadline. Whilst you can find examples no doubt, they're not feckless or unemployed, they are caught in the joke that the American dream has become. The idea that they should be brought into the income tax system - as many Republicans claim - is insane; but then the party is that far gone.

Ironically even if 47% is an accurate figure many of those will be the white working class poor in the South who vote for the Republicans because of the religious fundamentalism with which they can identify. So the whole idea that those in this category are down the line Democrats can be dismissed - they probably [ishould[/i be but have come to think the party which works against their interests is somehow standing up for them.

What's Mitt Romney's beef with 47% of the population not paying income tax?

Does he want to make more people pay tax? Does he believe that government can spend taxes better than private citizens?

Sounds like Soviet Communism to me.

[url=http://www.nonesuch.com/journal/new-randy-newman-song-im-dreaming-available-for-free-download-2012-09-18Randy Newman - I'm Dreaming of a White President[/url

He doesn't want to feel so common. Not paying taxes is what the rich do – like him.

If Romney ever makes it as far as the White House he'll be the first US president who was virtually chased out of the UK by a media baying at his heels and a Prime Minister and Mayor of London (who technically should be supporting his flavour of politics) taking the as often as they liked.

Consider yoursef lucky Romney wasn't president he doesn't belive that people have an entitlement to heathcare (or food or housing for that matter).

Quote ="JerryChicken"a Prime Minister and Mayor of London (who technically should be supporting his flavour of politics) taking the mickey as often as they liked. '" To be fair the Republicans are far, far to the right of relatively moderate UK Conservatives like Cameron and Johnson. The 47% has been verified BTW - and as thought it includes a lot of potential Romney voters, especially the elderly: www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezr ... s/?hpid=z1 The top "non tax payer" states are notably almost all reliable Red States too - there is a core of poor, white Republicans in the south:

Quote ="JerryChicken"a Prime Minister and Mayor of London (who technically should be supporting his flavour of politics) taking the mickey as often as they liked. '" To be fair the Republicans are far, far to the right of relatively moderate UK Conservatives like Cameron and Johnson. The 47% has been verified BTW - and as thought it includes a lot of potential Romney voters, especially the elderly: www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezr ... s/?hpid=z1 The top "non tax payer" states are notably almost all reliable Red States too - there is a core of poor, white Republicans in the south:

And of course the non-tax payer figure only refers to federal income tax, a significant proportion of that 47% still do actually pay tax, but payroll tax not income tax.

True - it's an easy and lazy way to generate base support to give the impression that nearly half the nation are freeloaders.

If you read the comments in their own right some lines are actually quite astonishing:

"There are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent on government, who believe that, that they are victims, who believe that government has the responsibility to care for them. Who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing."

"My job is is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives."

One can make allowances for him speaking off the cuff, so unscripted and to a degree perhaps not the fully formed thoughts he may truly believe (the "mis-spoke" defence beloved in American politics). But, regardless, anyone who aims to be the American head of state has to at least try and attempt - or pretend - that they will represent and worry about the entire nation. This quote alone should sink him, although there remains some way to go.

Its worth repeating until the cows come home, on either side of the Atlantic, once you'vre removed the requirement of any government to care for its population then you have the only obvious question left of "What the hell are they there for ?"