British Nanny State Bans the Word Orwellian

Okay, so the word hasn't been banned. It's just been rendered useless.

Health and safety inspectors are to be given unprecedented access to family homes to ensure that parents are protecting their children from household accidents.

New guidance drawn up at the request of the Department of Health urges councils and other public sector bodies to "collect data" on properties where children are thought to be at "greatest risk of unintentional injury".

Council staff will then be tasked with overseeing the installation of safety devices in homes, including smoke alarms, stair gates, hot water temperature restrictors, oven guards and window and door locks…

Nice also recommends the creation of a new government database to allow GPs, midwives and other officials who visit homes to log health and safety concerns they spot.

The guidance aims to "encourage all practitioners who visit families and carers with children and young people aged under 15 to provide home safety advice and, where necessary, conduct a home risk assessment". It continues: "If possible, they should supply and install home safety equipment."

The proposals have been put out to consultation and, if approved, will be implemented next year.

Comments

[Jennifer]

Dear Britons:

Please slap some sense into your idiot government before MY idiot government decides to emulate yours again.

[TrickyVic]

Your too late. I had a friend come home from work and found a citation on his kitchen table. Turn out the property manager let the code enforcement people in and they found something to cite him. This happened while he was a work.

[Tonio]

This sort of thing is probably unavoidable in rental property.

[Kyle Jordan]

I'm with the lady.

[briareus]

Thank you Jennifer, and every woman out there like you.

[William]

Amen, Jennifer.

[alan]

yeah, too late.

This actually occurred at a private school, however, the response from the law enforcement types was epic:

http://www.lewrockwell.com/blo.....more-43281

[The Libertarian Guy]

Jennifer, it's coming here. We may be able to stave it off, but it's inevitable.

[Bergholt Stuttley Johnson]

Why not just install surveilance cameras in everyone's home? I mean, I'm sure the UK gets really good bulk rates on those by now.

[Kyle Jordan]

With out meaning to sound flat out paranoid, from everything that comes out of the UK, I think they would if it were possible. Give a it a decade and it may be.

[kinnath]

really big two-way TVs

[nch]

And in Britain, they'll make you pay a license fee for it too.

[Tim]

And you will be required to salute the TV (Telescreen), sing patriotic songs and do exercises to stay thin.

[gaijin]

But will they go so far as to make sure you brush your teeth thrice daily?

[Slut Bunwalla]

Silly gaijin, British people don't care about their teeth!

[b]

Win.

[Nipplemancer]

from the august 12 2009 brickbats:
http://reason.com/brickbat/200.....rwells-poi
The British government plans to put 20,000 families in "sin bins," where they will be under 24-hour video surveillance. The cameras will make sure parents make their children go to bed on time, eat proper meals, and go to school. The government will also send out agents to check up on the families. Some 2,000 families are already in the program.

[crazy like a fawkes]

In less polite circles, I believe this is referred to as imprisoning people who haven't committed a crime.

[MP]

Gotta keep those universal health care costs in check!

[Doug]

+1

[Jeff P]

I would be willing to tolerate a system that fosters corruption, enacting grudges, and facilitates getting your neighbor in trouble for specious reasons, providing they bring back duelling with pistols. If someones sullies your honor, you get to shoot them. And as the sullied party, you get to shoot first

[Foppish Nannystater]

How DARE you, sir!
(Slaps with gloves)

[Hal]

I linked to this two days ago. No hat tip?

http://reason.com/blog/2009/11.....nt_1458654

[But]

Narcissism is its own reward.

[briareus]

I'm afraid you just aren't popular enough, Hal. Only our brave editor leaders get the kudos, you shmuck.

[Jennifer]

I had a friend come home from work and found a citation on his kitchen table. Turn out the property manager let the code enforcement people in and they found something to cite him. This happened while he was a work.

Your friend could not sue? I don't know about the rental laws wherever he lives, but where *I* am, my landlord has to give advance notice before entering the premises unless there is an absolute immediate emergency (i.e., the pipes just burst and there's water spewing everywhere).

[TrickyVic]

Maybe it's a state thing.

[Tulpa]

Yes, most states are that way. Unfortunately, Pennsylvania's backward tenant-landlord laws allow the landlord to enter the rental at any time as long as he or she is not doing this to harass you (and good luck proving that).

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if those laws have exceptions for code enforcement officials and other government workers entering without the landlord.

[Kyle Jordan]

Do the British really just lay back and take it this hard? How in the blue hell do some of these laws and such pass over there?

[John]

They are much more elitist than we are. The elites have much more power. Imagine if the coastal elites in this country really ran everything, that there were no state governments to push back and no Senate to stop some of the madness and the President only had to get a majority not an electoral majority. We would look a lot like the UK because given a chance, this is what the coastal elites would remake this country to look like.

[dbcooper]

They are much more elitist than we are.

Not really John - their popular media are very anti-intellectual, and much of the population are ignorant and proud of it.

[John]

I am not talking about "intellectual". I am talking about "elite". A much smaller group of people run England than run here. The political elite are much smaller and much more homogeneous than here. They can thus do much more damage. Just imagine if the enture US consisted of the Washington to Boston corridor. It wouldn't look much different than the UK does today.

[dbcooper]

OK, thanks for clarifying. That is more accurate - a small clique does run much of the country.

[dbcooper]

Mate, the locals just don't give a crap about most of this stuff. It's both puzzling and chilling. They're going to slide into totalitarianism via "not giving a shit."

It's very sad.

[John]

They have been browbeaten by their elites so much. Anyone who stands up and values freedom is immediately branded an extremist and a nut by all of polite society. Owning every institution in society is a wonderful way to ensure society doesn't do much when you take away its freedoms.

[Episiarch]

John, you really need to lay off the "elites" meme. You're obsessed with it. The fact is that the English (as much as I hate to make a collective call here) have a tendency to be bureaucratic as hell. That is part of the problem.

[John]

No I don't. The majority of the British object to these policies. But, the policies roll merrily on because the people in charge just ignore the wishes of the people they govern. All "right thinking" opinion in Britian thinks this is great. It is just the majority of the population who hates it.

These things are happening because a docile populace won't stand up to a depraved elite.

[TrickyVic]

What's the proof that the majority objects?

[dbcooper]

They love their bureaucracies and accept at face value any pat explanation for their existence.

My university is so admin heavy - we spend so much time jumping through administrative hoops instead of doing research. There are days I just can't cope with it and head to the pub.

[John]

Sounds like America. But at least you guys still have decent pups. Don't you?

[dbcooper]

The pubs are still a good place for men to drink ale and mutter.

We have ~3x the admin stuff that I experienced in the US academic system.

[John]

"We have ~3x the admin stuff that I experienced in the US academic system. "

Wow. that is a bold statement. What a shame. There was a time when British universities were fantastic. And not just Oxford and Cambridge either. University of Manchester is the craddle of 20th Century Physics.

[Pablo]

Agreed, that sounds just like America. Congress just goes ahead and passes bailout after bailout, and tries to take over health care even though most people don't want all that.

[monolith]

Episiarch
i would probably agree with that.
We actually seem to enforce all the bureaucratic EU laws whereas most other europen countries are happy to ignore them.
I think we tend to trust authority far too much.

[dbcooper]

There's more to it than that I think - there's a sort of inherent cultural value that it's just not worth worrying about and it's for people with too much time on their hands or "Americans" to get caught up in this stuff and worry. Many civ lib types are seen as quiet, respectful groups, rather than extremists. People seem to think this is a waste of time though - it's more of a "why bother" thing than a "what a nut" thing.

The attitude is - "this isn't directly affecting me now, so why worry."

[John]

If that is true, then at some point they will hit a tipping point and the shit will hit the fan. Eventually it will get to a point where this kind of thing affects enough people that they can no longer sit idly by.

[dbcooper]

I guess the question is will it be too late?

[JW]

Archie: You make me feel free.
Wanda: Free?
Archie: Wanda, do you have any idea what it's like being English? Being so correct all the time, being so stifled by this dread of, of doing the wrong thing, of saying to someone "Are you married?" and hearing "My wife left me this morning," or saying, uh, "Do you have children?" and being told they all burned to death on Wednesday. You see, Wanda, we'll all terrified of embarrassment. That's why we're so... dead. Most of my friends are dead, you know, we have these piles of corpses to dinner. But you're alive, God bless you, and I want to be, I'm so fed up with all this. I want to make love with you, Wanda. I'm a good lover - at least, used to be, back in the early 14th century. Can we go to bed?
Wanda: Yeah.

[John]

I don't see any hope for Britian. And as an Anglophile it makes me very sad. Anyone who values freedom has long since immigrated somewhere else. All that is left are the nitwits, the Islamists and the people too poor to get out. Sad.

[kinnath]

This only leaves the Irish to look up to.

[Kyle Jordan]

Mmmmm, Irish redheads...

Women, of course.

[alan]

Prefer the Baltic variety of red heads, better skin tone, shoulders not so broad, but I'll take what I can get.

[monolith]

You are no more an Anglophile than you are a good speller.

[Art-P.O.G.]

Dude, Americans love David Bowie, The Beatles (and British rock in general) and "The Prisoner" (original series).

[John]

I guess you have been reading my Amazon bill and mind lately? Was there a reson to post such a dumb ass comment?

[Pro Libertate]

If they still could wield swords, I bet this kind of thing wouldn't be allowed.

[John]

The same country that gave the world Henry V, Lord Nelson, Wellington, Bruke and Churchill. It is just horrible.

[Art-P.O.G.]

They also gave us Cromwell. 🙁

[robc]

Best thing an Englishman ever did was lopping off the head of Charles I.

[John]

He was an asshole who trying to establish a Catholic dictatorship and make England like France. So, you sir would be correct.

[Bergholt Stuttley Johnson]

An *Episcopal* dictatorship. But otherwise, yeah, what you said.

[Art-P.O.G.]

I thought the best thing an Englishman ever did was "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" ("Architecture & Morality" and Monty Python are credited to multiple Englishmen).

[SugarFree]

I'm going to side with Art.

By the way... Basher: The Best of Nick Lowe is a ridiculous bargain on iTunes. 25 songs for $9.99. Don't know how deeply you ever got into Pub Rock.

[Kyle Jordan]

Cracking up is a great tune.

[Art-P.O.G.]

Britain-wise, I'm more into The Cure and The Damned, but thanks for the recommendation, SugarFree. Some of those Nick Lowe songs seem pretty awesome.

America-side, it's all TV on the Radio and Shiny Toy Guns for me (not really "all").

[SugarFree]

Basher has some of his later country-influenced diversions, but the poppier stuff leads into so much later music, esp. a huge chunk of post-punk and indie-rock.

I've been listening to the two Wreckless Eric albums a lot lately. Better writer than singer, but his attempts to forge British pop post-Beatles are enjoyable.

And I've been also looping all fifteen volumes of Rhino's New Wave Hits of the 80s. And No Thanks! The 70s Punk Rebellion which has a lot of familiar faces, but also some fairly obscure stuff, at least on this side of the Atlantic.

[alan]

Primal Scream, 'Kill All Hippies', such an outstanding tune it almost makes up for British shenanigans that dragged us into the first war world.

[Steve Smith]

first world war.

You guys are not suppose to know about the other thing yet.

[alan]

Uhm, thanks for the correction, Steve.

[Bergholt Stuttley Johnson]

Its only Scotland that banned swords. Nothing's stopping the English and the Welsh from stockpiling rapiers.

[Pro Libertate]

What, the English and Welsh fight for FREEE-DOM? Ha! Only Scotland can do that, and it's been emasculated, too.

[Steve Smith]

STEVE STOCKPILE RAPERS AS WELL. STEVE HATE COMPETITION.

[Steve Smith]

STEVE SMITH SMART! STEVE SMITH FIRST SASQUATCH WITH ASPIRATIONS OF GOING TO COLLEGE!

[#2]

Be seeing you

[Pro Libertate]

Are you the new Number 2 or one of the old ones?

[Art-P.O.G.]

You are #6.

[John]

I am not a number!!

[D.A. Ridgely]

Yes, you are. In this particular case, you're Number 1462183.

[Kyle Jordan]

"Not a Prisoner!!! I'm a FREE MAN!!! And my blood is my own now!"

UP THE IRONS!!!!!

[CoyoteBlue]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....p;index=17

[stuartl]

Do the Brits teach 1984 as a primer instead of a dystopia?

[D.A. Ridgely]

As history.

[Ska]

Of the future!

[Kyle Jordan]

From the past.

[dave b.]

In the present.

[troy]

ba da bum tshhhh!

[magpie]

This same scenario is coming to the United States. Under the guise of promoting "healthy homes", many state and local gov'ts and health departments (with funding from HUD and the CDC) are attempting to conduct "healthy homes investigations" based upon referrals from social workers, teachers, etc. It's right around the corner.

[Pro Libertate]

Yeah, but I've got a sword.

[kinnath]

I used to wonder how the Romans became the Italians. Now, we just have to watch the lab experiment as Great Britain devolves into something else.

[John]

The Romans didn't really become Italians. They became Tuscans and Lombards who then became Italians. the Romans were long gone just like the British are becoming Pakistanis and Yemenis.

[kinnath]

Merely details of the process. Doesn't really change the before and after part of the picture.

[monolith]

You really do love to generalise don't you?

Inaccuate generalisations at that.

[John]

You really don't get that whole hyperbole thing very well do you? It must suck going through like thinking everything anyone says is meant to be taken literally.

[kinnath]

On the rag today, mate?

[Cowboy Bob]

Listen you British prick it's generaliZe.

[a]

All that is left are the nitwits, the Islamists and the people too poor to get out. Sad.

the British are becoming Pakistanis and Yemenis

John, enough of this crap. We know you are a racist bastard, but you don't have to demonstrate it in every other sentence.

[John]

Why is it racist to point out the truth? Do you deny that there are a ton of Islamists running aroung Britian these days? Is it racist not to pretend they don't exist?

If anyone is a racist here it is you. In your world Muslims are really human beings, some of whom are good, some of whom are bad. Nope, They are all wonderful peace loving people. Like little pets really to be condescended to by superior races like white people.

Stop calling people racistion. You fucking white supremacist cracker.

[Jennifer]

And in your world, John, Muslims are ... not really human beings? What the hell?

I'd wager the shitheads who proposed this home-invasion proposal can trace their pure white British ancestry back to when the UK was merely the "Tin Islands."

[Slut Bunwalla]

I think he meant "aren't". The whole comment makes a lot more sense that way.

[robc]

They're going to slide into totalitarianism via "not giving a shit."

Slide into? It seems they are there.

[John]

http://www.politico.com/blogs/.....Sub50.html

Thread jack. It looks like Baby Jesus' approval numbers have slid below 50%. The comments from liberals on the article are hysterical. If Obama just passes this unpopular health plan, his ratings will be back up near 60.

[TrickyVic]

Someone did a poll about baby Jesus?

[HaggisLover]

And I thought having to get the wife-beating drunken bastard local cop to sign my shotgun certificate application form attesting to my good character on was bad.

Much of the reason I stay in the Republican's column today is not because I support the Republicans ? for I certainly do not support social conservatives ? but because I saw that just about everything I did not like about the UK when I lived there ('76-'92) as the future for the US if the Democrats got their way.

[HaggisLover]

...to my good character on was bad

[Pro Libertate]

HaggisLover? Aye, the haggis is our friend. It's so offally good.

[?]

Eventually it will get to a point where this kind of thing affects enough people that they can no longer sit idly by.

They've imported a huge alien underclass for the native proles to waste their rage on.

Good days ahead.

[Medic001]

How people live is their business.

As a Midwife, and a Doula; it's not my place to tell someone to pick up their house.

I can educate on cleanliness, and child safety, but it is NOT my place as a health care provider to "baby Sit" for a government and If they want to see the living standards of folks here in the US. They should start in Alabama and Arkansas, where the HIGHEST poverty rates and illiteracy still rain in the year 2009- into 2010.

Wow, just friggn wow.
Wonder how many Limeys are heading our way? lol

[troy]

As long as I can get my lap dances by Warty, I will be ok.

[Kroneborge]

It it's "for the children" then it's worth it IMO.

No liberty is to important that it can't be sacrificed on that alter.

[B]

Does the health care plan still say those companies with 4 employees or more are required to have medical?

If so, I can totally see a strugging business firing someone so they don't have to provide medical.

[B]

Crap, nevermind I meant to put this somewhere else.

[Advocates for Liberty]

Civil disobedience on a large scale sounds kind of fun right about now and just what the doctor ordered...for as long as doctors and not bureaucrats still have some say.

We need to rise up against this nonsense.

"Big Brother" is not only watching you, but controls the House (Big Sister), the Senate, and the White House.

[P Brooks]

I blame Monarchy.

There was some idiot on the BBC News the other night blabbering about how crazy some Americans are to actually think The Government played a role in the meltdown.

My reaction was, "Fuck you, douchebag; this is just what I'd expect from people who believe in Kings and Queens, for crying out loud."

[Slut Bunwalla]

You know, when I was younger I really wanted to move to London. I think it was because I read a lot of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams at the time.

I don't want to move to London anymore, and I'm glad I never got the chance to do so.

[Dinglebert Slaptyback]

Word.

[R C Dean]

I can educate on cleanliness, and child safety, but it is NOT my place as a health care provider to "baby Sit" for a government

You're wrong already about that, Medic001. I don't know of any state that doesn't require (not permit, require) licensed health care providers to report suspected child abuse and neglect to law enforcement.

[Paul]

Remember back in the early part of the decade when healthcare 'workers' would ask you if you had a firearm in the home?

[alan]

The British government plans to put 20,000 families in "sin bins," where they will be under 24-hour video surveillance. The cameras will make sure parents make their children go to bed on time, eat proper meals, and go to school. The government will also send out agents to check up on the families. Some 2,000 families are already in the program.

What I can not fathom about this is the mindset of the British domesticated bureaucrat.

I can understand the Stasi agent who gets to pry into the lives of others and break a few skulls along the way. I can understand the thrill involved in being the member of a SWAT tea, or riding shotgun on a copter being a DEA agent, but this? Who would want to monitor the tapes of a frumpy lower middle class family to make sure they put their kids to bed at nine o'clock? The evil here is banal to the point of being bizarre.

[Paul]

Unfortunately, it's the very evil that makes economic sense. When the government pays for your healtchare, the government --in a sense-- owns your body. Don't expect our progressive friends to start peeling their "keep your laws off my body" bumper stickers in a sudden epiphany of irony.

National health plans around the industrialized world (and those regional ones in the U.S.) are collapsing. So instead of rolling them back, they're merely 'strenghthening the regulatory regime' in an attempt to reign in runaway costs.

[British Citizen]

If I'm paying for your healthcare, I want to know that my neighbors are doing everything they can to mitigate healthcare costs. We're a model for the rest of the world, and the U.S. is looking to emulate us.

[Anonymous]

Shouldn't that be "Subject" rather than "Citizen"?

[Debra]

"Slave" and "1984" are probably more appropriate.

[Doug]

Great Britain: Because truth is stranger than fiction.

[Contemplationist]

Whats most eerie about this is that this is precisely what Churchill and Hayek predicted when National Healthcare was being debated back in the late 40s. They were denounced for the rhetoric then, look what has come to pass

[Paul]

If I could go back in time and take back every eye-roll I did when I thought someone was being an extremist...

[test]

vista/FF

[JB]

It would be nice if one British person had balls and responded by hanging the entire royal family from lampposts.

I would cheer that.

[Art-P.O.G.]

Can't really put this one on the royals. You might have to look at Labour or Torry MPs or some such nonsense.

[JB]

Make a better protest statement though.