When one is stuck for a solution or an intelligent thought thereupon, and one would like to pretend otherwise; or when one is presented with a sensible solution from which one is ideologically averse, and one would like to have it obscured; then the phrase “We need more dialogue and debate” comes in very useful.
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How to reply? Perhaps ask for "trialogue" on the grounds that it would be invidious to privilege two arguments over a third? Argue that "debate" is a culture-laden concept, inappropriate in a multicultural environment? Or just ask what exactly he means by "need" and who exactly is "we"?
Here's one for you from Sammy's Data:- "Despite calling for a debate which involved the public, Blair betrayed his...."
Of course, we need more dialogue and debate; we can never have enough of dialogue and debate, you know, which will lead inevitably for the need for more study, which from there moves on to the empaneling of a select committee, or, if you're willing to spend the money, a blue ribbon commission headed by a out of work pol with nothing better to do with his time that will examine the root causes of the problem and report back with recommendations for future policies, leading inevitably, at some point in the not too distant future, of a commission report (I think this is called a White Paper in the UK) that no one will read because the administration that commissioned the report has now gone the way of all flesh and its leading lights are all writing their memoirs telling the people willing to keep listening to them that they never had the information necessary to make a decision on this obviously important matter. The commission's report will make the front page of the newspapers on the date of its release and soon afterwards will be recycled into such useful items as toilet paper, bar napkins, and those damn subscription cards that keep falling out of the magazines whenever you pick one up at the bookstore.
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