Ask G20

Labour have a website asking people...

If I could say one thing to Prime Minister Brown, President Obama and the G20...

(wasn't G20 an Eminem side project?)

My submission was to ask them to stop spending money.

Anyhoo, they also have a page of other people's submissions, well, what people are saying

• I ask for ethically orientated handling of the world's governing. No more decision making based on who is the strong and mighty, You have on your hands a planet full of unhappy people. Time for you to change this!
• Think about the next generation.
• Make sure the current problems don't stop progress towards the milliniuem (sic) development goals.
• Demand justice for developing countries by making a real concerted effort to combat climate change NOW!. That means REALLY cutting emission, less hot air and more action and less influence from big business. JUST DO IT NOW!
• If we are going to borrow money off our grandchildren, please spend it on things that will benefit them - green technology and infrastructure would be a good start!
• Put people first! Keep the focus on helping real people in this crisis. Don't just help the bankers who got us in this mess in the first place.
• Things may be bad for the rich world, but imagine how much worse they are for the poor and those in fragile states.... Be bold. More debt relief. More non-government or multilateral aid. Less protectionism. NOW is the moment for real trade policy reforms, when it can save lives and livelihoods and prevent resource conflict meltdown.
• Invest in energy independence; use our tides and waves. Export the technology we create.
• At a time when sustainability and green economics are key issues; will the G20 commit to developing a new form of the Kyoto treaty? How will it deal with the carbon trading permits scheme which has failed in the EU? Are the US and the UK willing to allow India and China some leeway on its emissions? Is the west willing to take the initiative?
• Things may be bad for the rich world, but imagine how much worse they are for the poor and those in fragile states.... Be bold. More debt relief. More non-government or multilateral aid. Less protectionism. NOW is the moment for real trade policy reforms, when it can save lives and livelihoods and prevent resource conflict meltdown.
• Fund building projects.
• Put People First! This is a time for fundamental change towards a better balanced, fairer and greener world economic system. Don't screw it up.
• Please ensure that G20 development aid budgets don't become the hidden victims of recession. Development is not an optional add on for good times only!
• Put People First!
• Higher taxes for the higher earners. No privatisation of anything. Government is good!
• This is a chance to change the economic structures, so that the poorest and disadvantaged people are given a fair chance. I value hardwork but I know the foundations need money to alleviate poverty. Poverty is not just for third world countries!
• Globalisation is good. Protectionism is bad. BUT RULE NO 1. ECONOMY AT HOME MUST BE SOUND. Don't compromise domestic economy for sake of being politically correct.
• Why does the world economy operate on borrowing/lending and personal debt. It would be more stable if it followed the "live within your means" principle that my Granny swore by...
• help people help themselves and each other. Keep govt out of the way as much as you can.
• What role, if any, can faith groups play in aiding all aspects of recovery?
• Have the bravery to do what needs to be done, however much it hurts. Alex Timperley, King's College London
• Make sure the weak and vulnerable have more money to spend. Increase spending on public services, they civilise modern society, they are the sunlight in a dark sky. Build hope into a bridge that brings long lasting prosperity for all.
• Use this opportunity to impress on people everywhere at all levels that its now all about "the Triple Bottom Line" we should generate and spend our wealth but on less things, better things, "Less is More" - Profit, People and Planet is everyones responsibility, "Economic leadership, social leadership and environmental leadership!"
• Why not buy the poppy crop of Afghanistan to distribute worldwide, particularly to third world countries where morphine for medical purposes are in short supply? The Afghan poppy farmers would then be perceived as productive rather than criminals.
• Please make the IMF and World Bank truly democratic institutions that are accountable to member states. It is only democracy that can deliver mutual interests and create a fairer and sustainable world economy.
• The current great wealth inequality is not economically, socially or environmentally sustainable. Lead us to a better and kinder future.
• Decide on a radical agenda to ensure worker's rights and job growth to create a society that's socially and economically sustainable - but remember at the same time to keep up the struggle to battle climate changes and make our society ecologically sustainable! Justice and equality is the way out of the crisis!
• Keep trying to give people real help!
• This crisis is much too good to waste -- so please don't. The economic crisis and the climate crisis together provide a golden opportunity to change structures, mindsets and lifestyles. This could be the best thing that ever happened to the human race!
• How close do you fell the World is to creating a truly sustainable form of energy, and what effect would this have on the World's economies?
• How will you ensure that the G20 will learn from the harsh economic climate at the moment? And how will they co-operate to be better prepared for the future growth of their economies?
• Don't forget the millennium development goals. The rich are still rich.
• Interest rates can be too low as well as too high. At 0% the section of the economy that lives off interest/capital is crippled. 5% base-rate is fair level for everybody. Interest rates need to go back up to 5% in harmony, across the globe.
• Will you keep your promises on reducing global debt (esp. in Africa) and on the environment, and find ways to make these commitments the basis of the global economic recovery?
• Always keep in mind the poorest people in society. As the worlds richest nations meet it is vital to have their voice heard.
• Don't over treat the patient. You can't fix the problem just mitigate the symptoms and let the recovery happen. It's a tough balance to hit!
• I'm glad that you're all coming together at a summit to try to get something done. When the whole world's in a hole, the whole world needs to help each other to get out of it.
• I'm worried about losing my house - how are you going to help me?
• Gordon Brown - Best luck to you and President Obama. I'm sure the Tories want this summit to fail and the crisis to continue, but the rest of us need you to continue to give people a helping hand and get us out of this recession
• Brown and Obama - how are you going to make sure that we never have a banking crisis like this again?
• You're both doing well. Don't get distracted.
• Poverclimaconomy: It's all one crisis. Put people - not markets - first.
• Stop making the prudent pay for the failures of the reckless and profligate.
• Please discuss climate change (obviously). Please also encourage the US to join and support the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, i am shocked and appauled that this huge body of global power has not agreed to this fundamental treaty. Children are our future and this need to be remembered.
• I think you should have a point where you listen to everyone and not always give your say in things and ask every single person and leave no one out because everyone else's opinion is more important than yours. Especially the younger ones as they will be the ones to deal with it later!
• Don't forget climate change as an issue. Use the money we are investing to boost the economy on green projects.
• Please don't forget that the ones most affected by this global recession are the worlds poorest.
• The governments around the world should be giving cash incentives for people to trade their old cars in for new ones like the German govt. This would help support the industry.
• It is not laissez fair or communist ideology which guarentees prosperity - It is energy. And we need more. Nuclear Power and other tradiational sources have low energy returned on energy invested ratio and falling, whilst renewables rise. safeguard our prosperity by targetting stimulus package on renewables. secure our energy supply please and if necessary, defy the market.
• Talk less and listen more. Listen in order to gather lots of information so that you can make reasoned and well thought out decisions.
• Don't think about the next election, think about the next generation
• Listen to the Millenium Ecosystem Assessment and protect our natural environment!
• How will the G20 get the world singing from the same hymn sheet?
• Gordon Brown, with an American President thats seems to have truly left wing policies, is this the time for Britain and America to lead a world left turn and build a world economy on industry rather than house prices?
• Please, please, can the countries of the worlld come together to deal with climate change. It should be our top priority. Countries should be prepared for hard decisions. Our children's survivial is at stake.
• Congratulations Obama - you restored my faith in the US!
• More regulation of banks! Never let this happen again. No more greed for the sake of greed.
• Less targets...more action!
• Act without hesitation, without wastefulness, without concern for the self. Many millions await the reconstruction of the global economy, and look to you in this time.
• An economic system in which only perpetual growth keeps the thing flying *cannot* be sustainable in the long run. Globally, humanity needs to live within the limits which the earth imposes, and for people in the rich countries this means finding a way to live comfortably while consuming less. Spending our way out of recession, if it means consuming more resources, cannot be the correct answer. The real economy consists of people, energy and physical resources, and money is a chimera.
• Support human rights both at home and abroad. Put civil liberties above terrorism and religion. Remember IP law is meant to benefit the public also.

I gotta say, I'm somewhat sceptical that people have actually said these things,
"You're both doing well, don't get distracted" - What? Doing well? Gordon Brown? By what measure is he doing well? "
Higher taxes for the higher earners. No privatisation of anything. Government is good!" - Aren't people more likely to ask for lower taxes for low earners?
"Don't forget the millennium development goals. The rich are still rich." - What? Is there something wrong with rich people still being rich? Can't we try making poor people rich too. Why not complain that poor people are still poor?

Is this what people who visit the Labour website are actually like? Hang on, I've read the usual comments that get through moderation on LabourList, this isn't the sort of thing real people really say.