Why are politicians seemingly never prosecuted for fraud?

crinkleshoes

crinkleshoes

crinkleshoes

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Relating to the likes of their campaign promises vs what is delivered in office.

There are many cases of promises being made on public record by video, audio and text which are subsequently either conveniently forgotten / overlooked or plain and simply reversed and the opposite achieved.

Even records of those in-office making promises, completing documents to the effect and then no action taken.

This behaviour is clear and plain fraud (obtaining peculiar advantage by deception) with open public record and yet nothing is done?

Is it us? Are we too spineless to do something about it?



When I mention this kind of thing to anyone... the response I usually get is a shrug and "it's just politics"... or similar. Pffff...
 
I'm not sure you can really charge them with fraud for, say, not sticking to their manefesto promises after an election. Though it would be amusing if some were.
 
Firstly, they're politicians which means that they've got the power.

Besides that : What is the relationship between making promises and fraud ?
IMO, they can't be seen as the same thing.
 
ysluisbr said:
Besides that : What is the relationship between making promises and fraud ?
IMO, they can't be seen as the same thing.
Click to expand...

Fraud = obtaining peculiar advantage by deception

Stating one thing plainly and clearly in order to obtain power over millions of people... then doing another.

Is a lie... ie, deception
power over others and salary = advantage

Ergo, obtaining votes through the use of deception is fraud... worse than your average fraud as they affect many many people.
 
Because they're politicians, and most of them lawyers. They have a lifetime of experience worming their way out of trouble.

And yeah, it's a boys club, and they make the law. The ones that drop are basically the ones thrown out under the bus for any number of reasons. If you don't make waves and your tongue is that particular shade of brown, you'll be just fine.

I know all their tricks, see.
 
Moses said:
It'd be a retarded thing to do. What if circumstances change drastically? What if a law turns out to have unforeseen consequences and they then want to repeal it... would we be stuck with a terrible law just because it was in a manifesto? Etc.
Click to expand...

then don't make promises you can't keep.
 
Definitely a pet hate of mine when it comes to elections. As Stuman says, dont make promises you cant keep.
Local govt here promised the earth and when they got in to power said 'Oh, we didnt know that this was the state of the finances before we took power, so we cant do x,y,z'. I would prefer something more legally binding or that at least had some ramifications. You just make sure you do your homework thoroughly before committing to it instead of pulling ballpark figures out of thin air.
People vote for these bludgers based largely on these promises, so why cant they be held to account when they chose to disregard them.
 
or just some changes in the system where the promises that are made have been put through the books and are actually signed off as viable. then the public can vote on actual choices and changes, that, as we are sold can make a difference and not just keep the boys club in tweed suits.
 
And yet some no name low life who gets caught doing benefit fraud gets his mug on a double page spread in the paper and another benefits documentary is put out on the matter.
 
crinkleshoes said:
Fraud = obtaining peculiar advantage by deception

Stating one thing plainly and clearly in order to obtain power over millions of people... then doing another.

Is a lie... ie, deception
power over others and salary = advantage

Ergo, obtaining votes through the use of deception is fraud... worse than your average fraud as they affect many many people.
Click to expand...

Honestly this thread is ridiculous but I'll give it a go anyway. Nobody is 'defrauding' you by having a list of things they would like to achieve in office, being voted in, and then not being able to achieve all of them. Whilst I know it's the number 1 cool thing to 'hate the system' they generally don't set out to deliberately deceive you or claim things they absolutely know they will never do. Circumstances change, other things take priority, new things come up. A manifesto isn't a cast iron promise it's a list of things the party wants to try and achieve.
 
LOL..

By now you must realise they speak a different language and live by a different set of rules. If you or I steal we end up in court. If they get caught stealing, they apologise offer to pay the money back, blame the system and carry on as normal.

Man in the street, Fraud = Fraud.

MP, Fraud = An oversight, an error in judgement, misinterpretation of the rules
 
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[TW]Fox;28422205 said:
A manifesto isn't a cast iron promise, it's a list of things the party wants to try and achieve.
Click to expand...

No its a list of things they think you want to hear to secure their jobs for the next four years.

/cynical :p
 
Just before the election my local Conservative council found £1 million pounds to keep open two care homes, they are closing them now.

Pre election the Conservatives promised lots of electrification of the railways, we all know what happened to that promise.
 
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