Opinions

I have opinions about people. Considering I'm a blogger, that's not exactly suprising. It would be a pretty poor blog if all I wrote was "Well, she seems nice." all the time.

I probably should have begun with "I have an opinion on a couple of people I'd like to share." So I'll start with that.

I have an opinion on a couple of people I'd like to share. They're polar opposites. One male, one female. One Liberal, one Conservative. One in the US and one in the UK. I refer, if you've been clever, to Sarah Palin and Nick Clegg. Both of them have been at their conferences in the last month, both have been trying to stamp their mark on their parties. Both of them are significantly younger than those that have gone before and those they co-work with. In fact, for two people that have so wildly opposing political views, they're suprisingly similar.

But I digress. I'll start with Palin, because I fancy a long rant about something. She is an Alaskan Redneck Biblebashing Creationism-believing Conservative of Monumental Proportions. I couldn't think of a witty acronym. I, do, however, have to admire her for being foolhardy enough to take on the role of Running Mate to McCain. As a Pitbull with Lipstick, and a mother, maybe she'll be brave enough to take on policy that both candidates seem to be ignoring? Like Education or Healthcare? Somehow, I am inclined to doubt it.

The thing is, if you said somebody was a Pitbull with Lipstick in the UK, they'd automatically ask if she had a steel plated handbag, if you get my crude reference to Maggie Thatcher. The Yanks are going to have fun with her.

Anywho, onto Clegg. He's speech was only decent, he still didn't hit home his new tax policy onto the country (I would have mentioned how irresponsible it would be to hike taxes in a time of shrinking purses to put into projects that would not reap immediate benefits) and I think he's making it far to clear that he's really a proxy Vince Cable. Do I care? Not really. Cable did write about forseeing a crunch like this a year before it developed, and has wisely led LibDem financial policy for a very long time.

I have two problems with Clegg, really.

1) He's bringing back memories of Steel with his comment of "I know where the Liberal Democrats are heading. Government."
"Return to your constituencies and prepare for government!" Steel declared in '81. That dream collapsed with an unexpected surge in popularity in Thatcher just before the elections. If I am to put my fortune telling hat on, I forsee the Lib Dems only being in government in a hung parliament situation. Thinking about this, it isn't too unlikely. In 2005 there was a large amount of speculation about the possibility. Blair won that election easily, with the Liberal Democrats winning a good 60 or so seats in total. If Clegg manages his goal - 100 MPs returned this election - and Labour manage a comeback of monumental proportions, I'd be perfectly happy for a Lib-Lab alliance.

As long as Clegg gets a role as Deputy PM and Cable gets the Chancellory. I can but hope.

2) He really needs to learn what to emphasise in a speech. He glossed over the meat of the tax reforms as he knew they'd get picked apart by political analysers, but I would have spoken more about why he decided to make the decision, rather than moving on to praise Cable again...

Then again, I very much doubt the Conservative conference is going to be any more than Cameron flinging insults at Labour and Labour making as many policy announcements as possible to stop Jeremy Paxman leading debates on his chances to be the PM in a week's time.