Monday 20 June 2016

Loyalty

We used to be rewarded for loyalty, and now we are punished for it.

I am not just thinking of the way old people who stick with the same insurance companies all their lives and who pay ten times the premium than their grandchildren do as a result, it happens in all aspects of life.

My local petrol station sets the price per gallon (or litre) at about 4p higher than anyone else, then issues you with a bit of paper which takes 4p per litre off your next purchase.

My bank, who I have been with for around 40 years, adds about 10% onto any credit repayments I may have to make, simply because I have been with them for so long. Maybe they are worrying that I might die in debt, but my other banks don't inflict such high penalties.

So in choosing between what I dimly perceive to be the lesser of two evils when voting 'in' for the E.U. referendum, I expect to be punished, and I expect my children and grand children to be punished for as long as the Union can hold itself together, even though the vote will have nothing to do with loyalty at all.

We are going to be punished whichever way it goes, but we have to decide who will be the most lenient.

17 comments:

  1. I decided long ago which way I would vote and I shall not change my mind. I will just be delighted when Thursday is behind us and there is no more hype.

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    1. I think that is a vain hope Pat ….This will run and run, whichever way the vote goes!

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    2. It will be business as usual next week, the markets will surge on Friday morning. the screens will turn blue, and the pound will rise. It will soon all be history and forgotten about and Merkel and Hollande will smile and rub their hands together with glee.

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    3. In fact, why wait till Friday? The market is already surging ahead. Those in the know know you know.

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    4. Maybe I should wait to cash my holiday euros in, or maybe I should wait until Friday... I stand to lose about £10....

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  2. I desperately wanted to vote one way, but ended up voting the other! Maybe it's better the devil we know.

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    1. I think most of moderate Britain has been sitting on the fence for ages, for want of any hard facts.

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  3. Our votes cancelled each other's out, so we will not be helping the final result. I suspect that the decision will be made by those who really Dont Know and 'plump' for which ever side gets a good last televised plug.

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    1. I hope it hasn't caused a rift... Maybe one of you will have to move out on Friday?

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  4. All my three children have emigrated to non European countries. Other continents in fact. One made a real effort to claim an expat (Remain) vote, another refused to have any interest whatsoever having put down roots and children elsewhere and third totally forgot because he's just got a new puppy FFS.

    So I am not voting for my grandchildren. I am not even voting for my own future as whatever happens it won't really affect badly on what's left of my life span. So I am voting as altruistically as I can. For what I believe is best for my country, England.

    I have grave doubts about its future when I look at the appalling behaviour of our leading politicians on both sides of the campaign. Almost all are totally untrustworthy. But then though saddened about the murder of Jo Cox I was heartened to learn about her wonderful youthful and positive approach to politics. She was a light in the darkness and I now hope that there are many more young and new aspiring members of Parliament who see a future for England and the UK in different way from the old vested interests that currently populate Parliament to the detriment of ordinary people.

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    1. Yes, it looks as though the death of Jo Cox may have taken some of the cynicism out of politics. At last, a slightly different direction to the Blair administration's?

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  5. Please send all of your unwanted Euros to me.

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    1. And in return, you can send me your Celtic Tiger euros? Fairie gold would be more acceptable.

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  6. Whatever the outcome, I fear there is trouble to come. I do believe the EU needs Britain to keep sticking 'its oar in' -- but is that a good enough reason to stay? Bought my euros today -- it's Italy on Monday.

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    1. What was your rate? (I mean for the euros, not when you were younger).

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