NotApathetic is closed to new submissions. The site is available as an archive for you to browse. Find out more...

Not Apathetic

Tell the world why you're not voting - don't let your silence go unheard

They're not voting because...

Frozen Pensions Born in Britain,retired...

Frozen Pensions
Born in Britain,retired to Australia,worked from age 16, and contributed to the Government pension scheme throughout 40 years.I get no annual pension increase because I live here. Had I retired to Bosnia or Israel or even the USA I would receive it.But 90% of us chose Commonwealth countries because that is where our sons and daughters migrated to, encouraged by the then government.Now they hide behind red tape and maintain that they can't pay us, nay even can't afford to pay us our dues, but can give away millions of pounds to single mothers,refugees,openly hostile asylm seekers and the like. Now someone tell me why I should vote when this immoral issue is always sympathetically addressed by the parties when out of office,but conveniently cast aside when in power,even after telling us it would be looked at.

written 22nd Apr 2005

Responses

luther blissett replies: I think we are witnessing the genesis of British-Austro-Pensions-SPAM.

You're not voting in the UK elections because you can't. Yet you, or multiple yous, or you and all your friends, keep telling us about your pension induced rage.

No one forced you to retire to a country with a better climate, a higher standard of living, and reduced cost of, well, just about everything.

You emigrated. Now please fuck off.

written 22nd Apr 2005

luther blissett replies: *rereads original post*

Wow, are you actually allowed to vote in these elections? If so, well that's just horribly wrong. I think all liberal peace-loving lovely people in the world should be allowed to vote John Howard out of office. Same goes for Dubya.

Actually when it comes to the USA, I think the original native peoples should get first refusal.

written 22nd Apr 2005

Derrick replies: Luther
If you feel that badly about it,why not try doing likewise.
The most interesting thing about your rather childish letter (how old are you)is that you fail to abuse the other half of expatriates living in places like the USA or Israel that are accorded an indexed pension.When like me you have contributed to the NHI for 49 years then emigrate to a frozen country you may feel differently.But I somehow doubt it! You should be a politician.

written 25th Apr 2005

June Borsberry replies: Blimey, Luther Blissett, I hope your folks aren't still alive - they must've been 'blissfully' full of hope for you when they named you. But never mind, I doubt if most Lutherans would even know the meaning of "fuck off".

'Trouble is, my boy, that you missed the original exchanges on this subject - they were on page 1132, so you haven't a clue what it's all about.

Do you live near your family, Luther?
Perhaps you don't like them. But if you do, and you were punished by your government for moving near to them, by the increasing reduction of your earned income, would you smile in sweet acceptance?

Careful study of your literary style leads me to conclude that you might be very gently peeved. Especially if you had once nearly been bumped-off in the service of your homeland, and been praised ad nauseum ever since and told how much your country owed you. You might even be effing annoyed.

It might even affect your electoral choices. It does mine.

June Borsberry
Toronto.
(That's in Canada, Luther)

written 25th Apr 2005

Luther Blissett replies: "If you feel that badly about it,why not try doing likewise."

I was drawing attention to the fact that you have moved to a country where living is cheaper and easier, that you are now undoubtedly better off than many pensioners in this country, and that all you can think to do is whinge because someone else in some distant country is getting slightly more money than you are.

I think that this is selfish, rather grubby and decidedly immature.

" ... most interesting thing about your rather childish letter (how old are you) ... "

Did you mean "your rather childish post"? I think you should probably spend some of your spare time studying modern English, not complaining about other people. Remove the mote from your own eye, that sort of thing.

"you fail to abuse the other half of expatriates living in places like the USA or Israel that are accorded an indexed pension".

Well, they haven't posted successive complaints to this website. If they did, I'd tell them to fuck off too. There are so many more important things to vote on than what's going into one's own pocket. I think half your pension should be given to some of the truly impoverished peoples of this world; that might stop your self-centered whining. Or perhaps your pension should incur an extra tax to help pay for cleaning up the pollution that you have undoubtedly caused these past 65 years.

" ... contributed to the NHI for 49 years ... "

What's the NHI? Do you mean NI, or NHS, or are your frail, elderly fingers just having a spasm? See, ageism isn't big or clever is it?

" ... to a frozen country ... ". What's that? You're living in Lapland? Your meaning is unclear. Might I suggest (again) a course in English of some sort.

"You should be a politician."

Is that the best you can do?

written 25th Apr 2005

Derrick replies: Luther.
I think June Borsberry from Canada won that round easily. Unless you can better it I suggest that you get laid
Derrick
Western Australia

written 27th Apr 2005

NotApathetic Admin replies: Please be aware that there is a further discussion on this issue going on here:
http://www.notapathetic.com/comments/1132

written 27th Apr 2005

James Nelson replies: Luther, it is clear from your latest posting that you have little knowledge of the history of the National Insurance Scheme. The DWP has had many different names in the many years since the NI scheme was introduced, among them National Health Insurance (NHI). People still refer to the DSS, the DHSS, and so on. I have on file letters from ministers sent to pensioners over many years, and all these different names appear.

Only one thing is constant over that time, and that is that the governments of different colours continue to steal pension indexation from some (but not all) expatriate pensioners, and convert it to their own use to provide popular - vote-catching - benefits.

By the way, is an email posting not a letter? If so, why is it called mail? And is a chain letter coming by email the same thing as chain mail?

written 28th Apr 2005

About Not Apathetic

NotApathetic was built so that people who are planning not to vote in the UK General Election on May 5th can tell the world why. We won't try to persuade you that voting is a good or a bad idea - we're just here to record and share your explanations. Whether ideological, practical or other, any reason will do.

A lot of users would like us to mention that if you spoil your ballot paper, it will be counted. So if you want to record a vote for "none of the above", you can.

Search