Why State Finances are in a 2s8d, why the ConDems won't fix it & why it's your fault

Generali

Wookster wrote: »

There will be much resistance to changing this mentality, but it must be done and hopefully the coalition will sort this out in this parliament.

I hope so too but don't hold your breath!

lemonjelly

boyse7en wrote: »

It may be better for her to get the cash, but some people would fritter the extra payments away on Werther's originals and then complain that they're so poor they can't afford shoes to walk to the shops.

By giving away services for free to all, the government appears to be even-handed and generous. And then if they don't use those services, then it doesn't have to pay out for them.


That's the dichotomy of benifits.

Wookster wrote: »

Isn't that their fault? People must bear personal responsibility for their choices.

In my opinion, it is a more genral social problem that we do not take personal responsibility for pretty much anything.

Spend all yer cash - expect someone else to bail you out.
Get into too much debt - it's the lenders fault.
Parents who don't look after their kids properly - it's the schools/social workers fault.

And so on.

In my job, I've been trying to get a campaign going to re-introduce the aspect of personal responsibility. Quite a low profile thing at the moment, & it is looking at little things to start with. I'm hoping it'll grow as time passes. I have been fortunate in that a big cheese here feels it is a good thing to make people take more personal responsibility. However, they retire soon, which means my backer will be gone...

LauraW10

This government is a disaster.

The way they are carrying on they are going to cause a housing crash, this will lead to further bank failures - the very banks that we need to sell to get the tax payers money back so that we don't have a large deficit in the longer term.

By the time they've finished the banks will be worthless and we really will be in the !!!!!!.

They are beyond STUPID and I don't think this is what people voted for at all.

Generali

LauraW10 wrote: »

This government is a disaster.

The way they are carrying on they are going to cause a housing crash, this will lead to further bank failures - the very banks that we need to sell to get the tax payers money back so that we don't have a large deficit in the longer term.

By the time they've finished the banks will be worthless and we really will be in the !!!!!!.

They are beyond STUPID and I don't think this is what people voted for at all.

Care to explain your reasoning or are we just meant to accept your assertions?

PS IT'S RUDE TO SHOUT!

Thrugelmir

LauraW10 wrote: »

This government is a disaster.

The way they are carrying on they are going to cause a housing crash, this will lead to further bank failures - the very banks that we need to sell to get the tax payers money back so that we don't have a large deficit in the longer term.

By the time they've finished the banks will be worthless and we really will be in the !!!!!!.

They are beyond STUPID and I don't think this is what people voted for at all.

I'm sure the banks have made and will continue to make sizableprovisions in the eventuality of a significant drop in house prices.

If property prices fall then banks will end up needing to lend less in the longer term. Which actually helps the situation.

In every cloud there is a silver lining.

davilown

LauraW10 wrote: »

This government is a disaster.

The way they are carrying on they are going to cause a housing crash, this will lead to further bank failures - the very banks that we need to sell to get the tax payers money back so that we don't have a large deficit in the longer term.

By the time they've finished the banks will be worthless and we really will be in the !!!!!!.

They are beyond STUPID and I don't think this is what people voted for at all.

They won't cause the a housing crash - that would be the result of all of us getting into debt.
Stupid? I hardly think so.

JP45

I read these same articles in today's FT and came to exactly the same conclusion as the OP.

It is absolutely absurd for the government to be telling us that we are facing the steepest cuts since the second world war, that the cuts will be applied fairly and yet at the same time to rule out any curbs on age-related benefits such as free bus passes and winter fuel allowances. Utter, utter madness.

If ever there were a no-brainer for cuts it's these age-related benefits. Many of the recipients (including my parents and mother-in-law) are rolling in money. They should be limited (like most benefits) to those in need.

davilown

LauraW10 wrote: »

This government is a disaster.

The way they are carrying on they are going to cause a housing crash, this will lead to further bank failures - the very banks that we need to sell to get the tax payers money back so that we don't have a large deficit in the longer term.

By the time they've finished the banks will be worthless and we really will be in the !!!!!!.

They are beyond STUPID and I don't think this is what people voted for at all.

People need to take responsibility for their own action and thus the repercussions if they don't. The banks didn't tell them to buy a new car, twice yearly holidays and a house that was 10x their income.

There are many on these boards who have realised the errors of their ways and got themselves out of a lot of trouble.

The coalition are just trying to patch up the economy so we don't follow other countries into financial dire straits. Labour would have done no different to this, albeit on a different starting time.

chucky

Thrugelmir wrote: »

I'm sure the banks have made and will continue to make sizableprovisions in the eventuality of a significant drop in house prices.

If property prices fall then banks will end up needing to lend less in the longer term. Which actually helps the situation.

In every cloud there is a silver lining.

it actually doesn't.

when house property prices fall less people are actually able to buy property.

davilown

JP45 wrote: »

I read these same articles in today's FT and came to exactly the same conclusion as the OP.

It is absolutely absurd for the government to be telling us that we are facing the steepest cuts since the second world war, that the cuts will be applied fairly and yet at the same time to rule out any curbs on age-related benefits such as free bus passes and winter fuel allowances. Utter, utter madness.

If ever there were a no-brainer for cuts it's these age-related benefits. Many of the recipients (including my parents and mother-in-law) are rolling in money. They should be limited (like most benefits) to those in need.

Totally agree - too many people get benefits when they have enough money already.

However, they have probably put a lot more into the system than those who have less money - would that be ethical or even fair to not let them have the opportunity to take advantage of them?

Perhaps the more wealthier might decide if they are not going to see any benefit of paying for these then they might decide not to pay that part of their tax/NI. Then where will the money for those who are not well off come from?

I know someone that receives over £200 pm for her son as a disability benefit. His diagnosis? - ADHD. It makes me laugh.