Cameron: "Cuts will change our way of life"

[Mr. Beast]

Last week on Newsnight or somewhere else they had a debate about alternatives to our current brand of capitalism....3 guests were invited...one from the Financial Times, one a investment manager from the city and the other a New Labour MP...inevitably they all came to the conclusion there wasn't any.

[dennis tooth]

haha, terrible programme question time.

Its about as politically engaging as Pop idol, where Mackenzie is lauded as some sort of Guru.

 

Pre prepared questions, pre prepared discussion with a bunch of safe people and they all go home feeling like this is edgy and we can all go back to our lives safe in the knowledge.

 

Just fuck off and die.

[dennis tooth]

 

Brian the Rabbit needs a cleaner who will work for magic beans

 

Unemployed Told To Climb Down Rabbit Hole To Magical Land Of Jobs

28-06-10

 

THE unemployed are to be relocated to a magical land full of talking animals and cute, furry jobs, the government has confirmed.

 

Welfare secretary Ian Duncan Smith has opened a rabbit hole portal to the realm of Bilbon where delightful, waistcoat-wearing mammals form lifelong friendships with wise old trees.

 

In echoes of a speech given in the 1980s by his dad, Mr Duncan Smith said that jobseekers who were not prepared to leave this dimension were being 'unrealistic'.

 

He added: "The people of Bilbon are crying out for hard-working humans to perform any number of well-paid whimsical fairytale tasks, such as working in the floating castle where dreams are made, or picking and processing the cartoon fruit that run around on little human legs getting up to all sorts of hi-jinks.

 

"It is the diametric opposite of Sheffield."

 

Jobseekers who refuse to relocate to Bilbon will have their benefits stopped until they are forced to squat in the dreary council house they have been defiling for the last 20 years.

 

Unemployed man Tom Logan said: "I've been out of work for so long I've started referring to certain episodes of Murder She Wrote as 'classics'. Plus I keep catching hepatitis from the touch-screen monitor in the job centre. Sorry, 'Job Centre Plus'.

 

"Anyway, I'm ready to try the annoying-sounding fairy place. I don't relish the prospect but on the other hand I've always quite fancied the Caramel rabbit. I reckon she'd be very bendy."

 

However Bilbon pensioner and pipe-smoking badger Bill McKay, said: "Despite being a talking animal with half moon spectacles perched on the end of my nose, I have unremittingly strident views on immigration and you'll find that many of my fantastical friends feel the same.

 

"Bilbon is only a magical land of joy and wonder because we've managed to keep all them fuckin' gypos out."

[Strontium]

Labour coming out in support of welfare 'reform'.

Id say its a disgrace etc but like I say, they all the same.

One day I will go through both their policies like for like, tory and labour and well play spot the difference

 

 

Would 26 grand a year after tax not be enough for you to live on, Dennis? Maybe cut back on the caviar and foie gras.

[dennis tooth]

Would 26 grand a year after tax not be enough for you to live on, Dennis? Maybe cut back on the caviar and foie gras.

 

Can I ask you where you are getting that figure from first of all?

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Would 26 grand a year after tax not be enough for you to live on, Dennis? Maybe cut back on the caviar and foie gras.

 

Do you support the cap?

[Strontium]

I support a cap. I do find it hard to justify excusing people on benefits from the same financial pressures that the people who actually work for a living have to endure.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Nevermind the 'race to the bottom' rhetoric, do you support this cap?

[Strontium]

I haven't seen anything particularly convincing that would make me support a cap higher than £26k.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Okay, I'm going to go ahead and take that as a 'yes, I do support this cap'. Is that okay?

[Stu Monty]

I find it hard to justify the financial pressures.

 

Goldman made over $4b in profit last year. I could take a wild guess at how much they paid back into the system.

 

What type of plastic were the Titanic lifeboats made of? Aye, not really the main problem is it?

[dennis tooth]

Why do you support a cap?

 

(In my bid to make it three direct questions in a row you will avoid answering.)

[dennis tooth]

Why are they capping Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit?

 

Also, how much money is this going to save the government? £5000 a year in total?

 

How much more can they cut from the pooor? Surely they could squeeze the bastards harder in order to gain more room for tax breaks for the rich?

 

Amount cut from the NHS in 3 years £20 billion.

 

Amount awarded in tax breaks already to the super duper rich £24 billion.

[RedRazor]

£24 billion? I have not heard that number before. Where does it come from?

[dennis tooth]

Leak reveals benefits cap will hit 100,000 children

 

Official figures show many families will be pushed into poverty by coalition reform

 

Leak reveals benefits cap will hit 100,000 children | Politics | The Observer

'I can afford food – but nothing else'

 

Last year Daniela Pereira, 28, moved from Kensington to Peckham in order to reduce her rent before the changes but now is having to move again because her age – under 35 – means she can only get housing benefit if she is living in shared accommodation.

 

"I have a disability, so it's a bit difficult for me to live in shared houses. I can't use stairs or do things like the dishes or cleaning up ,so it really impacts on what I can find."

 

Pereira worked in catering until developing psoriatic arthritis which makes it difficult for her to walk.

 

"I was living in Cornwall, but I came to London because I thought it would be easier for me, finding a job, accessing doctors and physio appointments. Peckham was about the cheapest I could find, and I can just about afford food too, but nothing else. I don't know where to go.

 

"I'm not being supported to find work. It's as if they want me to be stuck on benefits for the rest of my life. I don't want that."

[dickie mint]

I support a cap. I do find it hard to justify excusing people on benefits from the same financial pressures that the people who actually work for a living have to endure.

 

 

Have you been listing to your friend Kelvin McKenzie,you Tory prick.

[dennis tooth]

£24 billion? I have not heard that number before. Where does it come from?

 

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:5NIV_xXGFmcJ:www.l-r-c.org.uk/files/WRB2R_briefing_%2520Mar11.pdf+%C2%A324+billion+tax+breaks+businesses&hl=en&gl=uk&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgDGah_a8pg3zC3G_Sr-2nHOiPjqVEBRUlwdcvz_9gHdCnzKxtrZOTVm-bQUFILm08-qn2liYWSLY2cAXnrtBOyxqRIA3YJrbZdqlfXEbos-MpZj8O-AfsxYGP5QnstEl1p2zvt&sig=AHIEtbS_Q9wA_dg7WrFRHm2WHaQhDeHmeg

[RedRazor]

The article states tax breaks for businesses - not tax breaks for the super duper rich. They are not the same thing.

 

Also, relying on quotes from extreme left-wing sources is as dangerous as relying on quotes from extreme right-wing sources.

[dennis tooth]

The article states tax breaks for businesses - not tax breaks for the super duper rich. They are not the same thing.

 

Also, relying on quotes from extreme left-wing sources is as dangerous as relying on quotes from extreme right-wing sources.

 

Thanks.

 

I'll bear that in mind (*stifled snigger*)

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

The article states tax breaks for businesses - not tax breaks for the super duper rich. They are not the same thing.

 

Somewhat missing the point. Think to yourself who'll benefit most from tax breaks for businesses.

[RedRazor]

Depends entirely on the business. Most major companies are publicly listed and are owned by a number of instituitions including the pension funds that most people will rely on in the future. They may also choose to invest in growth creating more employment opportunities or the longer term security of existing employees. Alternatively they may see it as an opportunity to pay bigger dividends to their shareholders or award the board bigger bonuses.

 

Don't think I did miss the point - I just don't see everything as blue or red.

[Whelan]

Depends entirely on the business. Most major companies are publicly listed and are owned by a number of instituitions including the pension funds that most people will rely on in the future. They may also choose to invest in growth creating more employment opportunities or the longer term security of existing employees. Alternatively they may see it as an opportunity to pay bigger dividends to their shareholders or award the board bigger bonuses.

 

Don't think I did miss the point - I just don't see everything as blue or red.

 

That is the crux though isn't it?

 

The likelihood is that the latter will happen as, the pension funds are not in the slightest bit concerned about the long term benefits of any firm, just the short term benefits. And me and you, by spending and purchasing products also contribute to the economy but they increased VAT to 20% increasing our living costs and impacting our ability to purchase more.

 

Trickle down economics has never worked, and you would be very hard pressed to find any examples where this has been the case. It is the dominant economic model used in the USA and I defy anyone to argue that it is working.

[RedRazor]

That is the crux though isn't it?

 

The likelihood is that the latter will happen as, the pension funds are not in the slightest bit concerned about the long term benefits of any firm, just the short term benefits. And me and you, by spending and purchasing products also contribute to the economy but they increased VAT to 20% increasing our living costs and impacting our ability to purchase more.

 

Trickle down economics has never worked, and you would be very hard pressed to find any examples where this has been the case. It is the dominant economic model used in the USA and I defy anyone to argue that it is working.

I have to take your word re: comments about trickle down economics as I'm not an economist (and don't have time to investigate). You are absolutely right re: effects of VAT increase.

 

I think though making sweeping generalisations about how businesses will use any 'opportunities' the government has presented them with is not helpful. Some will see it as an opportunity to grow or consolidate others will see it as a chance to artificially boost dividends and bonuses. I suspect (and hope) that in the current climate that more will do the former than the latter. However, I am sure I will be disappointed by the behaviour of some.

 

Hopefully the government are smart enough to see how this might happen and will have closed the door (but I very much doubt it).

 

Sadly, I don't see any pain free choices. My preference would be the option that keeps as many peoplle in work as possible - and I don't care who comes up with it. Whether the current course of action is the right one only time will tell.

 

I am deeply suspicious about the benefits cap issue. Who exactly would be affected? I cannot imagine that any regular couple with two kids are getting anywhere near that amount - even with housing benefit. Which suggests that the people who will be affected have extreme needs. If these are the people that will suffer them count me as against.

[dennis tooth]

Depends entirely on the business. Most major companies are publicly listed and are owned by a number of instituitions including the pension funds that most people will rely on in the future. They may also choose to invest in growth creating more employment opportunities or the longer term security of existing employees. Alternatively they may see it as an opportunity to pay bigger dividends to their shareholders or award the board bigger bonuses.

 

Don't think I did miss the point - I just don't see everything as blue or red.

 

They may choose to invest. Full stop. I'd not make a further inference without giving pause.

 

This does not create jobs. Most investment of the kind you are referring to takes place into what is called automation. I.E. computers or robots replacing humans and actually creates no jobs and results in laying people off.

 

Thanks for your robotic assessment though. Your services will no longer be required.

[Whelan]

I would argue.

 

The options are too close loopholes (seriously is Philip Green really going to leave? His business is based in the UK).

 

Increase taxes (in the short term), but decrease VAT.

 

And increase NI contributions to ensure free NHS.

 

I would rather pay more in tax and NI if I knew that my friends and family had a social structure that took the worry out of daily life.

 

There is a disingenuous argument that is being put forward which suggest that the Government has to 'cut spending', which may be true at some degree. But 'Investing' is designed to bring about rewards, so investing in infrastructure and jobs is not 'spending'. This is the dishonesty that is being promoted at the moment, and sadly people are too stupid and too selfish to think long term.