The Annoyed Man wrote:What speaks volumes is that the squatters cover their faces so that they cannot be identified. My guess is that they owe back-taxes and other debts to society, or are wanted by what passes for "the law" there, and they don't want to get nabbed. It most certainly isn't because they are ashamed of their behavior.
No, my bet is that they are collecting benefits from the government and they don't want them to be discontinued. You've heard about the online petition that the Brits started about revoking government benefits for those identified in the UK riots recently? >220,000 signatures, and the "government" had stated that they'd have a hearing on that topic if it exceeded 100,000. Well, now it turns out that the government has stated they are "too busy" to bring up the topic, and can't fit the debate in to their schedule. Surprise surprise.
There are a LOT of freeloaders over there. We're following in their footsteps, unfortunately.
This behavior is not surprising in terms of human nature.
Excaliber's Law says you will always get what you provide significant motivating incentives for, regardless of whether that result is what you intended or not. This is especially true with folks without a moral compass that restricts their actions according to a moral code. The UK is not short of these people (nor is anywhere else, for that matter).
The Brits have provided financial incentives for squatting (free housing, utilities, and home contents) and legal support for it in the form of no criminal sanctions and apparently no civil sanctions other than eventual orders to squat elsewhere, with severe penalties for those who take physical action to protect their homes on their own. This is literally a license to steal homes on a serial basis.
It should not be a surprise that folks so encouraged will do so.
It should serve as a warning to others who might be tempted to jump on the progressives' train which is chugging full speed toward that really hot place where snowballs don't stand a chance.
Excaliber
"An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it." - Jeff Cooper
I am not a lawyer. Nothing in any of my posts should be construed as legal or professional advice.
Excaliber wrote:This behavior is not surprising in terms of human nature.
Excaliber's Law says you will always get what you provide significant motivating incentives for, regardless of whether that result is what you intended or not. This is especially true with folks without a moral compass that restricts their actions according to a moral code. The UK is not short of these people (nor is anywhere else, for that matter).
The Brits have provided financial incentives for squatting (free housing, utilities, and home contents) and legal support for it in the form of no criminal sanctions and apparently no civil sanctions other than eventual orders to squat elsewhere, with severe penalties for those who take physical action to protect their homes on their own. This is literally a license to steal homes on a serial basis.
It should not be a surprise that folks so encouraged will do so.
It should serve as a warning to others who might be tempted to jump on the progressives' train which is chugging full speed toward that really hot place where snowballs don't stand a chance.
Providing incentives...sounds like what probably motivates a lot of our fine "special visitors" to come here...if we would like most of them to go home (and many of us would), let's give them the hint...as long as the Brits keep the welcome mat out, those squatters will just keep on the way they have been.
Excaliber wrote:Excaliber's Law says you will always get what you provide significant motivating incentives for, regardless of whether that result is what you intended or not.
I believe that's also called "Macro Economics 101"
(without a doubt the most useful class I have ever taken for helping me to understand people's actions. Should be taught in Middle School and a passing grade should be required to graduate High School.)
Last edited by RoyGBiv on Sun Sep 11, 2011 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
I am not a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice.! Nothing tempers idealism quite like the cold bath of reality.... SQLGeek
Excaliber wrote:This behavior is not surprising in terms of human nature.
Excaliber's Law says you will always get what you provide significant motivating incentives for, regardless of whether that result is what you intended or not. This is especially true with folks without a moral compass that restricts their actions according to a moral code. The UK is not short of these people (nor is anywhere else, for that matter).
The Brits have provided financial incentives for squatting (free housing, utilities, and home contents) and legal support for it in the form of no criminal sanctions and apparently no civil sanctions other than eventual orders to squat elsewhere, with severe penalties for those who take physical action to protect their homes on their own. This is literally a license to steal homes on a serial basis.
It should not be a surprise that folks so encouraged will do so.
It should serve as a warning to others who might be tempted to jump on the progressives' train which is chugging full speed toward that really hot place where snowballs don't stand a chance.
Providing incentives...sounds like what probably motivates a lot of our fine "special visitors" to come here...if we would like most of them to go home (and many of us would), let's give them the hint...as long as the Brits keep the welcome mat out, those squatters will just keep on the way they have been.
For a brief moment there, I thought you were going to suggest sending illegal aliens to England! Guess there shouldn't be any problem for them to find housing there...
Range Rule: "The front gate lock is not an acceptable target." Never Forget.
I would like to feel sorry for the Brits I really would. However, they have elected these officials that have made these terrible laws. They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT! Yep it is wrong and should be 100% criminal but crying about won't fix anything. They can fix this, they just have to want to bad enough.
SAHM to four precious children. Wife to a loving husband.
"The women of this country learned long ago those without swords can still die upon them!" Eowyn in LOTR Two Towers
mamabearCali wrote:I would like to feel sorry for the Brits I really would. However, they have elected these officials that have made these terrible laws. They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT! Yep it is wrong and should be 100% criminal but crying about won't fix anything. They can fix this, they just have to want to bad enough.
You can say the exact same thing about us! Just say'n...
Range Rule: "The front gate lock is not an acceptable target." Never Forget.
mamabearCali wrote:I would like to feel sorry for the Brits I really would. However, they have elected these officials that have made these terrible laws. They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT! Yep it is wrong and should be 100% criminal but crying about won't fix anything. They can fix this, they just have to want to bad enough.
After so many years of letting it all go to pot, do the remaining decent folks outweigh the freeloaders? That is an important question, for them...and for us.
sjfcontrol wrote:
You can say the exact same thing about us! Just say'n...
[quote="Heartland Patriot"
After so many years of letting it all go to pot, do the remaining decent folks outweigh the freeloaders? That is an important question, for them...and for us.[/quote]
Isn't that what the tea party is trying to do? Isn't that what we are all trying to do--fix that which is broke in our own country. Most of our problems have come in where unelected officials in various alphabet agencies make "procedures, and statutes" that they don't have to answer for to the people and that don't have to pass congress or any legislative body to have the force of law.
SAHM to four precious children. Wife to a loving husband.
"The women of this country learned long ago those without swords can still die upon them!" Eowyn in LOTR Two Towers
mamabearCali wrote:They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT!
The problem is that their two major political parties are about as different as red versus green M&Ms, and the people likely to become Prime Minister come from a rather small pool. Someone like Tony Blair may come from a humble background, but by the time he is a leading candidate he has adopted all the right attitudes.
(Does that sound familiar?)
Also it is not possible in the U.K. for a few powerful legislators to counterbalance the prime minister. They have lost whatever checks and balances they once had.
mamabearCali wrote:I would like to feel sorry for the Brits I really would. However, they have elected these officials that have made these terrible laws. They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT! Yep it is wrong and should be 100% criminal but crying about won't fix anything. They can fix this, they just have to want to bad enough.
After so many years of letting it all go to pot, do the remaining decent folks outweigh the freeloaders? That is an important question, for them...and for us.
Isn't that what the Tea Party here is trying to do before we look like GB.
If it is true that the political leaders can't be swayed by the people they represent then it really really stinks to be British and as bad as it is here I say again. Thank God my ancestors had enough forethought to escape.
SAHM to four precious children. Wife to a loving husband.
"The women of this country learned long ago those without swords can still die upon them!" Eowyn in LOTR Two Towers
If the British people get riled up enough, the politicians do listen. A while back they tried to require the use of the metric system and prohibit traditional units like pints and pounds. The people resisted that one successfully. (I don't know if it is creeping back in, because I haven't been their in 20 years.)
Also the people rejected joining the Euro zone, for which they now are very grateful.
The problem with the U.K. and most European is that they don't have a tradition of grass-roots politics. The only populist groups are the Greens and far-right splinter parties, both of which are pretty extreme. The majority of the population grumbles about this or that, but they don't get riled up enough to force change.
mamabearCali wrote:I would like to feel sorry for the Brits I really would. However, they have elected these officials that have made these terrible laws. They still have a representative democracy over there right? Don't cry to me--FIX IT! Yep it is wrong and should be 100% criminal but crying about won't fix anything. They can fix this, they just have to want to bad enough.
After so many years of letting it all go to pot, do the remaining decent folks outweigh the freeloaders? That is an important question, for them...and for us.
42% of American households pay zero (or less, "rebates") Federal income tax.
I am not a lawyer. This is NOT legal advice.! Nothing tempers idealism quite like the cold bath of reality.... SQLGeek
In the U.K., a family could go out to dinner, come home, have their house occupied by a squad sized element of low lifes, and the low lifes would NOT be considered "criminals" worthy of arrest, but "squatters" entitled to a civil court hearing?
I bet it wouldn't take a civil court order to remove those same low lifes if they tried to "squat" in Buckingham palace...
88 day wait for the state to approve my constitutional right to bear arms...
