Is Martin rather right-wing

caroline1973lefty
caroline1973lefty Posts: 358
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edited 25 November 2009 at 12:35PM in Site feedback
Ok, my user name gives it away a bit... but i just wondered if other people had this suspicion, too?

Don't get me wrong I've picked up some brilliant advice from people on these forums and I'm grateful to Martin for providing that opportunity.

But it does seem to me that, despite the rhetoric (and sometimes practical advice) about 'fighting back against corporations', there is in fact a subtle right wing bias at work, which treats tax and government regulation (except in a few minor instances of consumer protection) as generally BAD (whereas it seems to me these things are rather neccessary to pay for our healthcare, education, social protection, and to stop companies just totally trampling over our human rights in the interests of profit!)

I notice this particularly in the polls - it seemed to me that the latest one asked about bankers bonuses in a way that was designed to make opposing them, seem extreme. And then when, despite that, 85% of people opted for outright ban or strict controls, that was actually presented as 49% supporting bankers bonuses! There was a poll about whether or not high earners should be taxed more a while ago that I also thought was very biased in how the questions were constructed.

I also totally agree with the poster above that there is some awful anti-benefit claimant / anti-unemployed / anti-poor people comments on here, which seems totally inappropriate on a money saving site. Yes, I agree that benefits scamming isn't right, but I can't remember seeing any questions from people trying to do a benefits scam - most of them are just trying to figure out a hugely complicated system. There is a decent majority of people on here who are really helpful to each other but there are some really unneccessarily cruel comments made to people who are down on their luck and I would like to see the board guides (yes, I know they are volunteers) do a bit more about that sometimes.

Ok, rant over! Interested to know what people's thoughts are.... (takes deep breath!).
"The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi

Comments


  • but there are some really unneccessarily cruel comments made to people who are down on their luck and I would like to see the board guides (yes, I know they are volunteers) do a bit more about that sometimes.

    Ok, rant over! Interested to know what people's thoughts are.... (takes deep breath!).
    It is not part of a BG's remit to deal with abuse. Any abusive posts should be reported to [EMAIL="abuse@moneysavingexpert.com"]abuse@moneysavingexpert.com[/EMAIL]
  • MSE_Martin
    MSE_Martin Posts: 8,272
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    Money Saving Expert
    I think you're analysis is slightly off-key if you forgvie me - and certainly not how i'd describe myself

    On a personal note, I believe in taxation and think it is the cost of belonging to a decent civil society. As someone who earns substantially above average, in the main I don't begrudge that I put a lot more in than I get out - as I believe its important to have some form of welfare state. .

    What I don't believe in is badly drafted taxation and badly impacted taxation.

    Of course as a MoneySaving site we suggest people claim back overpaid tax and work to sensibly minimise the tax they pay.

    Yet our tax campaigns never focus on "changing the rate of tax" that is a political decision instead they're on the impact of tax.

    E.g.

    Stamp Duty: A very unfair tax as it is done on absolute rather than marginal increments
    Tax Credits: The overpayment system is outrageous
    Council Tax: The fact bands have never been reassessed in Eng/Scot since 1991 is iniquitous.

    So its not tax I have a problem with or even the amount paid (though I dont necessarily agree with all the tax rates personally) but how they're implemented and impact people.

    Martin
    Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
    Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
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  • Thanks Martin, I appreciate you coming on here and replying to my question. I agree people should be able to reclaim overpaid tax, and that the administration of some taxes is poor. If I understand you correctly, you're saying that 'rates of tax' is a political issue, and therefore (by implication) not a matter for this site, but the 'impact of tax' isn't political, and therefore IS a matter for this site.

    However, in fact this site DOES engage with political issues like tax rates, particularly through its polls, and my point about the right-wing bias in the poll questions is not really addressed in your answer. Secondly, I think it dodges the key question (who pays?) to say that 'tax rates' are political but the 'impact ' / administration of tax isn't. They are two sides of the same coin. For example the big corporations and the very rich pay very little tax - both because the rates are lower than the rest of europe, but also because they exploit the loopholes in how the taxes are administered. This means us ordinary folk (including small business people, too) have to pay more, and get less, as a result. I think this is quite an important issue for a moneysaving site!
    "The Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's need, but not every man's greed" - Ghandi
  • MSE_Martin
    MSE_Martin Posts: 8,272
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Money Saving Expert
    Thanks Martin, I appreciate you coming on here and replying to my question. I agree people should be able to reclaim overpaid tax, and that the administration of some taxes is poor. If I understand you correctly, you're saying that 'rates of tax' is a political issue, and therefore (by implication) not a matter for this site, but the 'impact of tax' isn't political, and therefore IS a matter for this site.

    However, in fact this site DOES engage with political issues like tax rates, particularly through its polls, and my point about the right-wing bias in the poll questions is not really addressed in your answer. Secondly, I think it dodges the key question (who pays?) to say that 'tax rates' are political but the 'impact ' / administration of tax isn't. They are two sides of the same coin. For example the big corporations and the very rich pay very little tax - both because the rates are lower than the rest of europe, but also because they exploit the loopholes in how the taxes are administered. This means us ordinary folk (including small business people, too) have to pay more, and get less, as a result. I think this is quite an important issue for a moneysaving site!


    To address the polls - we try and do an array of options regardless of our view - and certainly no right wing balance.

    As for tax I dont think your summary is right.

    For me minimising tax within the system is fine, discussing where the system is broken and doesn't do what its supposed to do is fine, but saying what the system should do isn't what this site is for.

    Anyway if you forgive me i shall leave this one here.

    Martin
    Martin Lewis, Money Saving Expert.
    Please note, answers don't constitute financial advice, it is based on generalised journalistic research. Always ensure any decision is made with regards to your own individual circumstance.
    Don't miss out on urgent MoneySaving, get my weekly e-mail at www.moneysavingexpert.com/tips.
    Debt-Free Wannabee Official Nerd Club: (Honorary) Members number 000
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