" Martin Kettle compares the idealism with which the US and Denmark approach their politics with the cynicism with which we do so in Britain (Obama's no Lincoln, but he has a touch of a Borgen hero, 10 January). Some of us would argue that when cynicism is borne out time after time it qualifies as realism. It's interesting that this appeared on the same day the Guardian looked at the government's scoresheet about its achievements. Unvarnished truth it isn't. The Thick of it is much closer to the truth than the West Wing, much as I am a fan of both.
I was an under-secretary in the DHSS during the Thatcher years when the last big attempt was made to reduce the social security budget. I cannot remember any minister expressing concern for the plight of those about to lose a significant part of their already low income. All the emphasis then, as now, was on how to present reductions in real incomes in the most favourable light. However, even the Thatcher government stopped short of the toxic language used by the present bunch to stigmatise the low paid and unemployed. But where is Labour while the government is doing violence to what's now called our welfare system?
US citizens seem unaware that what they call the world's greatest democracy is not only dysfunctional but run by big business, which buys politicians through political funding on an eye-watering scale. Until politicians of all shades demonstrate they deserve better we are, regrettably, justified in distrusting them.
Alan Healey
Milson, Shropshire "
From...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2013/jan/18/politics-propaganda-on-screen