Recession-busting suggestions for UK plc

maninthestreet

kabayiri wrote: »

Hi all

First time posting, so please be gentle :rolleyes:

I'm not sure about others here, but my biggest fear is the world financial economy deciding next year that the UK economy is in default, financially speaking. Broadly speaking, that view will be based on our escalating expenditure without any credible plan to bring back the deficit. This situation would lead to currency collapse which hits everyone.

I know we can raise taxes to generate income, but shouldn't we be applying money-saving skills to the economy at large ?
A few things I can think of straight away :-
1) withdraw from Afghanistan. That's 4.1bn per annum saving.
2) dump/postpone the ID card scheme. Up to 12 bn there.
3) Comms database. Even if you agree with it, the timing is not right, and it's another potential 10bn+ project.
4) legalise drugs (yeah, you heard me). This isn't argued from any morality POV, it would just generate a very decent short term income.
5) legalise prostitutes. I don't imagine this profession will ever go away, but this should be seen as taxable revenue.
6) Close off the offshore tax havens, starting with the easiest targets first. Plenty of money here.
7) Build a mega cheap shopping centre near dover. If the pound does slide, at least this will take advantage of the euro-shoppers !

I am sure there are other areas missing. I await your comments with keen eyes

Well, I agree with 1), 2) and 3).

chewmylegoff

dutch coffee shops are not an example of legalised drugs being taxed. it is still illegal to sell drugs in holland - they just don't prosecute for it as long as the coffee shops operate under certain de minimis levels. the dutch government does not make money through taxing sale of drugs.

we are signatory to international treaties which prevent us from legalising drugs. hence if we did, the only way it could be taxed is if we abandoned all of those treaties (probably would have to leave the EU as well) and agreed to do business with drugs barons, which wouldn't exactly make it cheaper. we would still have to source an illegal supply ourselves in order to sell it on.

i suppose we could grow our own, but you know it would be rubbish.

tyllwyd

Umm - but if you legalize hard drugs surely you end up with the stupid situation we have with alcohol and cigarettes where they bring in lots of tax revenue but then we spend out on NHS services to deal with the health problems created, advertising campaigns to try to persaude people not to take the drugs in the first place, and social security benefits to support people who have lost jobs because of drug abuse.


.... oh, and a late thought - I don't think that it would get rid of the problem of pushers & crime. There are already problems with counterfeit prescription drugs, the drugs barons would just find a way of getting in on the act somewhere along the line, or supply people who couldn't get what they wanted legally.

itsallagame_2

MrFonzerelli wrote: »

Methinks that punishment does not equate to rehabilitation.
There's the mad, the bad and the sad that commit crime.
It's more complex than simply 'punishment'.

I know, but it was a generalist view.
But I must say a lot of the mad, bad and sad are unfortunately let out and killing innocent members of the public going about their daily business.
I’ve read too many stories of guys stabbed on buses just because they happened to be at the wrong place and the wrong time.
How do we look after these types?

We do grow our own Heroin / Morphine for the NHS in this country.
Obviously at secret locations, I knew a guy involved with the harvesting and it’s very secure, if anyone has any ideas:D

MrFonzerelli

tyllwyd wrote: »

Umm - but if you legalize hard drugs surely you end up with the stupid situation we have with alcohol and cigarettes where they bring in lots of tax revenue but then we spend out on NHS services to deal with the health problems created, advertising campaigns to try to persaude people not to take the drugs in the first place, and social security benefits to support people who have lost jobs because of drug abuse.

That is assuming drug usage will go up & the problems will cost more than that of the revenues.
The counter argument is that if you legalize it at least you can better control it, place targeted warnings and take money away from organized crime (including Taliban).

Maybe should look at legalising some drugs (e.g. ecstasy) and maybe legalise others solely for purpose of breaking addiction at government facilities.

russ21282

chewmylegoff wrote: »

dutch coffee shops are not an example of legalised drugs being taxed. it is still illegal to sell drugs in holland - they just don't prosecute for it as long as the coffee shops operate under certain de minimis levels. the dutch government does not make money through taxing sale of drugs.

it was just to point out that people would not necessarily buy illegal drugs if they were a cheaper than taxable legal ones.

MrFonzerelli

itsallagame wrote: »

I know, but it was a generalist view.
But I must say a lot of the mad, bad and sad are unfortunately let out and killing innocent members of the public going about their daily business.
I’ve read too many stories of guys stabbed on buses just because they happened to be at the wrong place and the wrong time.
How do we look after these types?

We do grow our own Heroin / Morphine for the NHS in this country.
Obviously at secret locations, I knew a guy involved with the harvesting and it’s very secure, if anyone has any ideas:D

Personal feeling is that Mental health needs far better funding. It's as real a problem as Physical health.
I agree, why some individuals with ongoing mental health problems (and with criminal history) are let into the public is beyond me.

wigglebeena

kabayiri wrote: »

4) legalise drugs (yeah, you heard me). This isn't argued from any morality POV, it would just generate a very decent short term income.
5) legalise prostitutes. I don't imagine this profession will ever go away, but this should be seen as taxable revenue.

Yup. Better conditions and safer for the women, more monitoring of punters. (Maybe that's why those in authority persistently refuse to implement it...)

As for drugs, anyone who really wants drugs will get them. This way we know who that is, plus it's very deglamorising to legalise them.

Plus more money in the till. Maybe too much of a no brainer for those who very nearly literally have no brain, e.g. our 'betters'. (Wanders off laughing hysterically).

tyllwyd

MrFonzerelli wrote: »

That is assuming drug usage will go up & the problems will cost more than that of the revenues.
The counter argument is that if you legalize it at least you can better control it, place targeted warnings and take money away from organized crime (including Taliban).

Maybe should look at legalising some drugs (e.g. ecstasy) and maybe legalise others solely for purpose of breaking addiction at government facilities.

I don't believe that in the real world you can take crime away from drug supply just by legalizing it in the UK. Look at guns and (conflict) diamonds - they are both legal in this country, but trade in them is still connected with crime in this country and other countries. Even things like clothes - how many scandals have there been where they have discovered that clothes sold perfectly legally here are being made by children in sweat shops in the third world.

MrFonzerelli

tyllwyd wrote: »

I don't believe that in the real world you can take crime away from drug supply just by legalizing it in the UK. Look at guns and (conflict) diamonds - they are both legal in this country, but trade in them is still connected with crime in this country and other countries. Even things like clothes - how many scandals have there been where they have discovered that clothes sold perfectly legally here are being made by children in sweat shops in the third world.

You may be able to decrease organised criminal though.
If it's not in the legal domain it's usually the men with guns that control the trade.
Taxes would need to be high to account for externality though.