A Bull's Perspective

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

FATBALLZ wrote: »

Taxes will be raised or people will retire later or both. Both far more preferable to guaranteed doom caused by policies of rapid population expansion.

And if you raise the taxes to the levels needed, then how would the next generation save for their retirement?

Also define "guaranteed doom caused by policies of rapid population expansion"....

FATBALLZ

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

And if you raise the taxes to the levels needed, then how would the next generation save for their retirement?

Also define "guaranteed doom caused by policies of rapid population expansion"....

1. By sensible budgeting, accepting a lower standard of living if need be, and then retiring when they get to an age where they can afford to. Pretty much the same criteria as ever.

2. Post 26.

B_Blank

FATBALLZ wrote: »

Taxes will be raised or people will retire later or both. Both far more preferable to guaranteed doom caused by policies of rapid population expansion.

I disagree. If you pushed up retirement age suddenly then you will destroy the prospects of a generation of young people. Say they raised retirement age from 65 to 75 overnight, that would make job prospects even harder for the young people. Unemployed young people = serious social problems for a country.

FATBALLZ

B_Blank wrote: »

I disagree. If you pushed up retirement age suddenly then you will destroy the prospects of a generation of young people. Say they raised retirement age from 65 to 75 overnight, that would make job prospects even harder for the young people. Unemployed young people = serious social problems for a country.

Surely importing a shedload of immigrants to allow the old people to retire causes exactly the same effect. Population expansion has far more serious social problems, and is unsustainable.

HAMISH_MCTAVISH

FATBALLZ wrote: »

Surely importing a shedload of immigrants to allow the old people to retire causes exactly the same effect. Population expansion has far more serious social problems, and is unsustainable.

There is no evidence immigration causes unemployment.

And what social problems?

Graham_Devon

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

And if you raise the taxes to the levels needed, then how would the next generation save for their retirement?

Also define "guaranteed doom caused by policies of rapid population expansion"....

LMAO!

Over on another thread, I'm talking to Hamish about the housing benefit bill and rising rents. He hasn't really got a comment. But on this thread, he's asking questions about raising taxes to pay for retirement.

Ask him about raising taxes to pay for the ever increasing rents he bangs on about, and nadda, nothing.

Kohoutek

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

The real issue is resources, both financial and human, to care for the older generations whilst providing a functioning economy, tax revenue, infrastructure, etc.

The value of financial and human resources is predicated on the availability, i.e. rate of extraction, of natural resources.

In the timeframe I assume you're talking about – 20 years from now or more – even mainstream commentators are starting to acknowledge the availability of key resources will be diminished from today's position.

Therefore it doesn't follow that putting more people on the planet will have any effect on the amount of financial resources, valued in real terms, flowing from the working population to the retired population.

geneer

HAMISH_MCTAVISH wrote: »

We currently have 4 working age people for every one pensioner, and lets face it, society is not exactly able to pay for fantastic infrastructure.

In 50 years, when the young of today retire, unless we have population growth that number will have fallen to just 2 workers for every pensioner....

It's simply impossible to maintain a functioning society, economy, healthcare system, etc, with that low a ratio, let alone pay for state pensions, etc.

Of course, you've proven yourself to be a big fan of unsustainable pyramid schemes, haven't you Hamish. So unsurprised that your solution to the pensions black hole is to keep fueling it from the bottom.

I wonder how thats going to work out?