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Post by Ailedhoo on May 26, 2012 8:39:44 GMT -8
We British are like many others in an economic storm. Our government’s response is to cut on spending. This has been met with mixed reception. Anti-cut protesters are currently targeting Nick Clegg‘s home. Below is the story in detail. www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-18219101 The cuts in government spending have been a definite source of controversy. Let us debate on the issue of cuts, both of us who defend cuts on grounds of savings and those who attack cuts on grounds of the impact on services. Economics is central but its social impact is arguably much more centrally? What alternatives are there to cuts? We any measures we conduct get us out of the crisis? Let us debate!
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Post by King Sonic on May 26, 2012 8:49:53 GMT -8
The alternative to cuts is simple - raise revenue. It is simple arithmetic that if y is greater than x, you must either increase x or lower y.
Granted, tax raises never seem to go over well. However, assuming Britain is anything like Canada culturally, tax raises will be seen as okay provided the population is getting a service for them. I just hope the British protestors aren't like their American counterparts who protest cuts and then immediately protest tax raises too.
One can also do away with the bureaucracy of tax and spend altogether via a Negative Income Tax, but that idea always runs into roadblocks.
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Post by hoplitejoe on May 27, 2012 5:43:54 GMT -8
I feel like some knowledge on economics is needed to speak on a topic like this, which I don't have.
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Post by King Sonic on May 27, 2012 11:40:04 GMT -8
While there are some finer points of economics, I never understood why it's necessary. Some economic points are very simple, because they run on logic:
-A large consumer base is the basis of a strong economy -People respond to incentives
Hell, based on the schools' divergence in perfect economic policy, it seems half the time economists don't know what the heck they're doing anymore than the rest of us.
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Post by Ailedhoo on May 27, 2012 12:01:06 GMT -8
One of the most important parts of an economy is being in control of a diverse industry. Sadly we forsaken the majority of our secondary industries and focused too much on banking...
On issue of the cuts in the UK...
Personally I am against the Conservatives immoral obsessions with cuts. Cuts to disability benefits. Cuts to education. The secondary school I was educated at is no longer doing a few subjects due to the cuts, including sociology. The police are facing cuts. Cuts had caused an environmental company to not be able to generate additional jobs some time back. Cuts everywhere. Cuts, cuts, cuts, cuts, cuts and more cuts. I know it is necessary to make some restriction in hard times but lowering our services is not the answer. It just makes life hard for those in need of the services, which in turn will ensure the lack of spending by the public that is needed to flow the economy. And then Osborn gave out tax “reforms” which involved increasing the taxes for the poor and decreasing them for the rich. Not the sign of a good government.
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Post by King Sonic on May 27, 2012 12:15:15 GMT -8
And you can't afford to cut the military in any manner either, since that makes you "weak on defense" or "unpatriotic," or some such. Regardless of country, it looks like most western nations have the same issue - large deficits but no one's willing to take cuts or approve of tax increases to cover it. Sounds like the West is gonna go to heck in a handbasket.
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Double A
Foreman
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Posts: 163
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Post by Double A on May 27, 2012 18:33:05 GMT -8
I wonder what would happen if we got rid of every law not pertaining to murder, larceny, etc and then just redid everything.
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Post by King Sonic on May 27, 2012 22:04:20 GMT -8
I predict any Marxist advocating a violent revolution would cry tears of joy, because that's precisely what would happen. If people make a fuss over just THREATENING to CUT their services, imagine the Charlie Foxtrot that results from ACTUALLY going ahead and removing their services ENTIRELY.
That or we'd enter a pre-Progressive era Gilded Age Hell, where the poor and most workers are horribly abused and exploited, and we'd end up with concessions or revolution. China's right about the idea of history being one big series of cycles.
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Double A
Foreman
resident battery impersonator
Posts: 163
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Post by Double A on May 28, 2012 0:50:57 GMT -8
Because unions and interest groups totally can't stand up for anyone.
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Post by Ailedhoo on May 29, 2012 9:37:22 GMT -8
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