How long can the bottom of the food chain handle austerity

wotsthat

Percy1983 wrote: »

How about putting them in heated accomodation and givings them only food vouchers.

I will let them have 14" portable TVs I suppose, saves them going into landfill.

You work harder than the average chav and have done better as a result - how about you going to the secondary school in New Moston, volunteering to act as a positive role model and articulating the benefits of hard work.

I won't be there either but that's the sort of thing that's needed rather than waiting for the government to "do something about it".

Loughton_Monkey

wotsthat wrote: »

......I won't be there either but that's the sort of thing that's needed rather than waiting for the government to "do something about it".

OK. You won't be there, but I'm sure I can attract you to my own latest seminar:

Seminar:"How to play the benefits system and make the maximum without ever working"

• Backpain, whiplash, and difficulties in diagnosis.
• How to calculate a cost-benefit analysis of a new baby.
• Interview techniques: How to improve your chances of not getting that job.
• Depression and how to get that doctor's certificate.
• Your rights. No. of children v No. of bedrooms for that free house.
• ..and much, much more

Look forward to seeing you there.

System

Food chain? You mean richer people eat poor people?
You must be be thinking of Ukraine in the 1930s, or the seige of Leningrad.

JonnyBravo

wotsthat wrote: »

You work harder than the average chav and have done better as a result - how about you going to the secondary school in New Moston, volunteering to act as a positive role model and articulating the benefits of hard work.

I won't be there either but that's the sort of thing that's needed rather than waiting for the government to "do something about it".

I'm really not sure Percy going in for a chat would be quite enough to "Inspire a Generation". We just spent £9bn trying to do that in London and the Govt will be mightily peeved if we could have managed it by paying Percy's petrol money and bunging him 50 notes.

angrypirate

homelessskilledworker wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19724284

Just slightly off topic, as much as I welcomed austerity when the word was first introduced, I cannot help feeling that some are being made to suffer more, and the main worry is, how long can some people go on for? how much more can they take.

All countries(including the UK) are now making cuts, with more to come for some. In some countries they are scavenging in bins and there are people begging who were once proud hardworkers. It seems like the lowest end of the food chain is being hit the hardest. I know these cuts are all relative, and that in one form or another many people are being parted with their dosh. But when those at the bottom are having their income drastically reduced it is far more unbearable than multi millionares/Billionares who are losing a few million/billion, it hardly effects them at all, and if media reports are to believed many are just stashing/hiding it away.

Every social group was probably at fault in some way, whether it be welfare fraud, speculation or uncontrolable spending, but you can only make people suffer for so long for their crimes.

I am hearing stories about Spain and Greece in particular from people who have been out there or have family(more so Greece) there, how long can those poor sods take the pain for??

Austerity has been introduced? I though the government were still spending more than ever before?

droiderm

Surely the amount of pain an individual suffers is directly related, not to the amount, or percentage of cuts, but what they are actually having to sacrifice.

Putting someone below the bread line (what that is maybe a discussion with in its self) or taking away someones 6 weeks luxury holiday per year or taking away another 10% tax on someone earning above £100,000 cannot be compared.

But, all said those of us who consider ourselves not to impacted by the cuts directly (job insecurity is maybe a more intangible effect) should be quiet, as we don't want to be worse off, irrespective of what that actually entails, do we?

Generali

Clifford_Pope wrote: »

Food chain? You mean richer people eat poor people?
You must be be thinking of Ukraine in the 1930s, or the seige of Leningrad.

I think (s)he means krill.

kabayiri

angrypirate wrote: »

Austerity has been introduced? I though the government were still spending more than ever before?

Indeed. The way I read the Beeb report the other day debt interest payments and pay increases to public sector workers were making it difficult to achieve cost savings.

We haven't seen true austerity yet I suspect.

Loughton_Monkey

kabayiri wrote: »

Indeed. The way I read the Beeb report the other day debt interest payments and pay increases to public sector workers were making it difficult to achieve cost savings.

We haven't seen true austerity yet I suspect.

Well, yes and no.

You have to distinguish between Businesses and Governments.

Government is 'supposed' to be like a business, but it should 'break even' rather than making a profit.

So you will have seen austerity. All from businesses. With a few exceptions, businesses tend to understand the words Profit, Cost Control, Market Forces, Management, Common Sense, Instant Action, etc. Hence when things got tough, you saw withdrawal of unsustainable pension arrangements, wage freezes, outsourcing, right-sizing..... For many of the private sector employees, this is "austerity".

Governments, on the other hand, don't know the meaning of all these words, despite saying them often enough. Which is why "Savage Cuts" to them means "Plan to increase your spending only by 1% below inflation for the fiscal year 2013/4 onwards...."

Had they, in 2008, imposed an immediate freeze on all Social Security payments, State Pensions, and public sector pay.... we might be almost back in the black again.

[Personally, I blame the NHS. Cameron was down for a Balls transplant, but the waiting list is so long he won't get it until 2015.]

Percy1983

JonnyBravo wrote: »

I'm really not sure Percy going in for a chat would be quite enough to "Inspire a Generation". We just spent £9bn trying to do that in London and the Govt will be mightily peeved if we could have managed it by paying Percy's petrol money and bunging him 50 notes.

I would have to agree, I will say this has got me thinking as my business is getting bigger and I mostly work with schools there is a chance I could do something to try and inspire them, I will say its all primary schools right now but maybe planting the idea early will work.

On the flipside as much as I couldn't make a huge impact there is a good chance that if there is enought people who want to make a difference it might just make an impact.