[Politics] Society

[Herr Tubthumper]

In my job I have the need to visit many towns and cities, it has recently really hit me the increase in those in need. We see, hear and observe those around us as we go about our daily lives, many less fortunate than us. We look, sometimes with disdain, sometimes pity but nonetheless we see them. We don't know their stories, the reason for their situation, we may help, give them our change, perhaps these days they need a card reader so we can "tap" our guilt. However I'm amazed at the level of homelessness or those in dire need.

I was in Birmingham this week for two days. Firstly I traveled across London , witnessing the scramble for a discarded fag butt, the begging for a "cuppa". Then to Birmingham, the same. A one legged man in a wheelchair barely able to push himself along, a young girl who I noted from my last visit, same place, still weeping. Nationality, English, but does it matter, someones daughter, begging not for money but a beginning, a life, a future, help

I traveled down this evening to Bournemouth, an arduous journey thanks to the railway, some 5 hours crammed in a tube of like minded people, all wanting the end to their "hard" days work I checked into my hotel, top floor, executive status, free bar. I walked out to find an eatery as the hotel had a function. I happened upon an elderly lady, a local clean well dressed, she asked for money for a coffee. I took the time to talk to her as I delved in my pocket, attempting,as we all do, not to bring too much change into our hand. I gave her £1.70 in change. She was fully conversant, telling me of her hardship. A deceased husband unknown to her with a debt, not to a bank, but though after years of working hard at the docks, he had a gambling debt, to the wrong sort. They still knocked the door of her flat. Demanding money, frightened she gave them her pension, it still goes on to this day. She goes out to stop the knocking, the fear I ended up paying for a meal for her, a takeaway. did it make me feel good? No, it didn't but on reflection it made me write this.

We have those that are marching for climate change, those on Brexit, but very few on how, what or if we need to change how we want our society to be.

So all I can suggest and as I have done for a number of years, as we march forwards to the festive time, think of others and if you can help them, not to make you feel better but to make them feel better. Underneath that dirty duvet is a person.

Look at me I care, look at me I’m rich. Excellent work.

(joke)

 

[Pavilionaire]

Which countries don't borrow money to fund spending?

You miss my point. There's nothing wrong with sensible, long-term borrowing but to have 10 years of austerity and cut back services by X followed by a short-term borrowing blitz to restore 1/2 X is ridiculous.

And where's the sense in borrowing huge sums when we're on the cusp of an event that most economists predict will reduce our GDP by 3-8%?!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

You miss my point. There's nothing wrong with sensible, long-term borrowing but to have 10 years of austerity and cut back services by X followed by a short-term borrowing blitz to restore 1/2 X is ridiculous.

And where's the sense in borrowing huge sums when we're on the cusp of an event that most economists predict will reduce our GDP by 3-8%?!

I

And some countries go balls deep on infrastructure building when there’s a recession. Money is cheap and it keeps some people in work as opposed to paying benefits for nothing. The UK cut back; madness.

 

[Pavilionaire]

What is striking across the political spectrum is the lack of imagination about policy.

If you look back 50 years at how society has changed, from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, we live longer, we don't smoke as much, technology and automation, the unions smashed, globalisation etc etc AND YET there's been hardly any change in approach re the health service, drug policy, crime, taxation.

Where are the bold initiatives? Why do we still have National Insurance and an ever more complex tax system? Why are drugs still criminalised? Why aren't we building social housing? Why is London still sucking the life out of the UK? Why do we throw ever bigger sums at the NHS? Why does every council have a completely different policy to waste collection than their neighbour? Why are we still paying billions for nuclear weapons?

 

[Bakero]

What is striking across the political spectrum is the lack of imagination about policy.

If you look back 50 years at how society has changed, from a manufacturing economy to a service economy, we live longer, we don't smoke as much, technology and automation, the unions smashed, globalisation etc etc AND YET there's been hardly any change in approach re the health service, drug policy, crime, taxation.

Where are the bold initiatives? Why do we still have National Insurance and an ever more complex tax system? Why are drugs still criminalised? Why aren't we building social housing? Why is London still sucking the life out of the UK? Why do we throw ever bigger sums at the NHS? Why does every council have a completely different policy to waste collection than their neighbour? Why are we still paying billions for nuclear weapons?

A lot of sensible questions there, How do you propose funding the NHS though?

 

[Pavilionaire]

A lot of sensible questions there, How do you propose funding the NHS though?

I think that better health education and sport in schools will produce kids that will push back against drugs and help improve mental health.

I'd scrap our independent nuclear deterrent in favour of a pooled NATO / E.U. nuclear option.

I'd raise income tax by 2%.

I'd drastically simplify the tax system and focus resources on reducing the size of the black economy and detecting tax evasion.

I'd charge people for missing NHS appointments.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

A lot of sensible questions there, How do you propose funding the NHS though?

I know this isn’t aimed at me, and I’ve said this many times before, but I’d do the same as Germany. Work out exactly how much a first-class fit-for-purpose service which pays for everything until you die costs and tax people directly with a ring fenced tax so they know x percent of their salary is for is their health. Here it’s 14% split 50/50 with your employer. It’s kind of capped though....as higher earners will opt out and take private insurance when it’s cheaper than 7% of your income.

It really is this simple.

Next week I’m solving poverty.

 

[Bry Nylon]

I know this isn’t aimed at me, and I’ve said this many times before, but I’d do the same as Germany.

I'm not sure you'll find many people up for invading Poland at this time of year.

 

[Bakero]

I know this isn’t aimed at me, and I’ve said this many times before, but I’d do the same as Germany. Work out exactly how much a first-class fit-for-purpose service which pays for everything until you die costs and tax people directly with a ring fenced tax so they know x percent of their salary is for is their health. Here it’s 14% split 50/50 with your employer. It’s kind of capped though....as higher earners will opt out and take private insurance when it’s cheaper than 7% of your income.

It really is this simple.

Next week I’m solving poverty.

And the government pay the lot if you're unemployed?

edit: Is the 7% deducted automatically from your salary?

 

[beorhthelm]

I know this isn’t aimed at me, and I’ve said this many times before, but I’d do the same as Germany. Work out exactly how much a first-class fit-for-purpose service which pays for everything until you die costs and tax people directly with a ring fenced tax so they know x percent of their salary is for is their health.

thats where the problem starts in the UK, we dont work out or plan much, instead think of a number and throw at the problem (healthcare or other policy area). is that too little or too much gets argued over without much question about what or how the service is delivered. we cant honestly say if its efficient or fit for purpose, or not.

 

[Gwylan]

I think that better health education and sport in schools will produce kids that will push back against drugs and help improve mental health.

Absolutely. I think we have the NHS completely about-face - there should be much more emphasis placed on preventative measures. For example, there are many cities that have far too high measures of NOX in the atmosphere, yet little or nothing is done to cut back - even though respiratory diseases cost the NHS £11 billion per year (NHS figures). We're also seeing a dizzying rise in diabetes - it was reported this week that the NHS is treating 5,000 diabetic patients a day - yet there are very little preventative measures in place.

Kids are growing more unhealthy and yet school PE and games lessons are being cut back, while schools are packed with sugar.

And there's short-sighted cost savings. There are far too many kids dropping out of education and left to fend for themselves. Brighton has closed three schools for kids with special educational needs in the past few years (one of them was my daughter's) but no alternative provision is put in place - there are staggering numbers of kids out of school in Brighton, vulnerable to exploitation by drug gangs, paedophiles and other criminal elements. They might have saved a few bob by closing a school but in the long term, it will cost society much more. And don't talk about the 'war on drugs' - a totally mindless approach to the problem (and one being scrapped by more and more countries).

Pav is right: everything is just tinkering at the edges and there's so much more to be done but let's start by making sensible long-term plans.

 

[Grassman]

In my job I have the need to visit many towns and cities, it has recently really hit me the increase in those in need. We see, hear and observe those around us as we go about our daily lives, many less fortunate than us. We look, sometimes with disdain, sometimes pity but nonetheless we see them. We don't know their stories, the reason for their situation, we may help, give them our change, perhaps these days they need a card reader so we can "tap" our guilt. However I'm amazed at the level of homelessness or those in dire need.

I was in Birmingham this week for two days. Firstly I traveled across London , witnessing the scramble for a discarded fag butt, the begging for a "cuppa". Then to Birmingham, the same. A one legged man in a wheelchair barely able to push himself along, a young girl who I noted from my last visit, same place, still weeping. Nationality, English, but does it matter, someones daughter, begging not for money but a beginning, a life, a future, help

I traveled down this evening to Bournemouth, an arduous journey thanks to the railway, some 5 hours crammed in a tube of like minded people, all wanting the end to their "hard" days work. I checked into my hotel, top floor, executive status, free bar. I walked out to find an eatery as the hotel had a function. I happened upon an elderly lady, a local clean well dressed, she asked for money for a coffee. I took the time to talk to her as I delved in my pocket, attempting,as we all do, not to bring too much change into our hand. I gave her £1.70 in change. She was fully conversant, telling me of her hardship. A deceased husband unknown to her with a debt, not to a bank, but though after years of working hard at the docks, he had a gambling debt, to the wrong sort. They still knocked the door of her flat. Demanding money, frightened she gave them her pension, it still goes on to this day. She goes out to stop the knocking, the fear. I ended up paying for a meal for her, a takeaway. did it make me feel good? No, it didn't but on reflection it made me write this.

We have those that are marching for climate change, those on Brexit, but very few on how, what or if we need to change how we want our society to be.

So all I can suggest and as I have done for a number of years, as we march forwards to the festive time, think of others and if you can help them, not to make you feel better but to make them feel better. Underneath that dirty duvet is a person.

In the late 70s, when I was a nipper, I sometimes used to go to work, during the school holidays, with my dad. He worked at the old Municipal fruit market in Circus Street, Brighton. Here, for the first time, I noticed real poverty: old people picking up the discarded fruit and veg, kids from the nearby flats, trying to nick stuff etc. I mean we weren’t well off, just an ordinary working class family from Portslade, struggling to get by, but this was a whole new level.

Is it any worse now? (And The Clamp, that was under a Labour Government), or is it that there is undoubtedly more wealth on show these days, so there appears to be a bigger gulf in wealth distribution, and that is what you notice.

 

[beorhthelm]

Is it any worse now? (And The Clamp, that was under a Labour Government), or is it that there is undoubtedly more wealth on show these days, so there appears to be a bigger gulf in wealth distribution, and that is what you notice.

the wealth gap is real enough, just so many other issues have been dealt with its become the focus of some.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Vote Labour at this forthcoming General Election for change.

 

[Chicken Run]

Vote Labour at this forthcoming General Election for change.

Will do

 

[The Clamp]

If you google Tory party cuts the results make for some eye watering reading.

 

[The Clamp]

In the late 70s, when I was a nipper, I sometimes used to go to work, during the school holidays, with my dad. He worked at the old Municipal fruit market in Circus Street, Brighton. Here, for the first time, I noticed real poverty: old people picking up the discarded fruit and veg, kids from the nearby flats, trying to nick stuff etc. I mean we weren’t well off, just an ordinary working class family from Portslade, struggling to get by, but this was a whole new level.

Is it any worse now? (And The Clamp, that was under a Labour Government), or is it that there is undoubtedly more wealth on show these days, so there appears to be a bigger gulf in wealth distribution, and that is what you notice.

Homeless figures are the highest they have been for over 80 years. So yes, things are worse than in the 70’s.

 

[portslade seagull]

Great post by the OP. My view is that as a country we could pay a little more tax to fund our social services better. Unfortunately we have 10 years of austerity and now Tory and Labour are both promising a spending spree funded by borrowing. This is no way to run society.

We always talk about this at work and most would be willing to reverse the recent tax cuts to fund the frontline services. Tax cuts improve nothing

 

[Baldseagull]

Automation is going to change so much in the next 20-30 years. The idea of learning a trade in your 20s and working in it until you retire will he dead. Humans are going to have to learn to adapt and learn completely new skills and change careers every ten years or so. I don’t necessarily see this as a negative though, humans are adaptable enough to cope with it.

If I recall correctly you work in recruitment, or have you changed career? If you are still in recruitment, then it is not surprising frequent career changes are not so negative.

 

[Hastings gull]

"....it has recently really hit me the increase in those in need"

I was offering an explanation as to the increase you mentioned. Nothing more. Certainly not trying to spark a political row.

With your first predictable and simplistic contribution, that was exactly what you were trying to do - in total contrast to the OP whose aims seem to be far more altruistic.