Tuesday 12 August 2008

Lying in the national interest

The BBC has expressed shock and sadness at more lying from the Chinese Olympic organisers.

This time, they have admitted that the charming little girl who awed viewers of the opening ceremony with her singing was actually miming to the voice of another, less photogenic child.

Asked why, the "show's musical director said Lin [Miaoke] was used because it was in the best interests of the country".

Well, that explains it, then!

At least, it explains the socialist/conservative mindset that pervades China and most of the rest of the world.

It is surprising how often the "National Interest" corresponds with what is easiest for a politician at any given time. One would never guess, with sober analysis, that a nation's interests were best served by caving in to foreign blackmail to stop a fraud investigation, driving the most productive sector of an economy to ruin, or demonstrably faking the greatest show on earth. If the leaders say it's good for us, it's good for us, right?

One might be forgiven for wondering if there really is a "National Interest" at all, rather than the interest of politicians who are afraid that they will be found to share culpability with an Arab defence minister, need to buy off the electorate in the short term, or have discovered that their big plan doesn't work.
I'm not one for banning things, but I wonder if the world wouldn't be a better place if we banned the use of the terms "national interest" and "public interest" and required our politicians to explain just what it is that is so wonderful about the self-serving policies that they keep enforcing on us.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think you meant `miming` lol - still it wouldn't surprise me with the Chinese!

Liberal Polemic said...

Thank you John, but actually I think that her voice would be the perfect accompaniment to the swinging of pickaxes.

(Post now amended).

Anonymous said...

Who the f**k do you think you are Tom, you live in a protected part of the country where all of the subsidies go?

We live in the North East where we get diggldy squit form labour and now lib dems.

You prate about Tescos with no understanding of how we live.

We will be examining your credentials.

You are a grade one prick.

sinoee said...

why he so angry
i think the authur who said "national interst" is bad,cause he sent a low question to a high lever.but i thought it may not be.

Liberal Polemic said...

Chris Close, for those of you wondering what Tescos has to do with the Olympics, has been reading Mike Barker’s post about Tesco opening up in his local area.

One can only assume that Mr. Close is not looking forward to the new opportunities that Tesco will bring for his neighbours, in the form of greater choice of higher quality goods at a cheaper price.

Anonymous said...

The North East of England receives £6billion more in terms of Government spending than it pays in taxes, a subsidy of £2000 per head of population per year. I know, I live there.

Government spending as a % of North East GDP is around 57%

More subsidy is not the answer, creating more wealth in the region is - the North East will continue to be poor so long as it needs lavish and counterproductive subsidies.

But old labour rules supreme, everything is everybody else's fault, and the only answer is to feel sorry for ourselves... no wonder anybody with any sense leaves.

And bring on the Tescos!

Liberal Polemic said...

Thank you, Emma.

After the ad hominem abuse that I have received for politely expressing my opinion, especially over the past 24 hours (here and here), but also a few days ago (here), it is nice to read something pleasant.

(For those of you now wondering where the regeneration of the North East came into this story, it appears to have become the general posting board for people who want to respond on my blog to my comments on other people’s blogs).

You are utterly right, of course, but a lot of people are persuaded that having money poured into a problem area must solve it. They don’t realise that a kind of Dutch Disease
results whereby lots of money stifles domestic growth and innovation.

Anonymous said...

In response to Christopher Close, if it wasn't for the Lib Dems in the North East, Labour would still be walking all over the nrth east people without a care in the world.

The last local elections in Northumberland and Durham shocked the living daylights out of them.

But then again, what other comments do you expect from Mr Close's BNP ? You tried hard in my village with Labour not knowing how to handle you. The Lib Dems came from third place to win both seats in my ward.

Andrea Cave
Spennymoor
Co. Durham