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AIBU?

to think that with spending cuts we are all going to have to make sacrifices?

5 replies

wannaBe · 01/10/2009 10:20

Every time the government announces that they are going to cut something or increase something to help with the economy it is met with cries of "I won't be able to survive if that happens" from the affected party. Be that from someone who will be affected by a cut or someone who will be affected by a tax rise or the possibility of means testing.

Spending cuts and tax rises are sadly going to be a reality whichever government comes into power. And while in an ideal world the rich would pay for the poor, in the real world, the rich make up a far smaller proportion of the country than the poor, so it is inevitable that everyone is going to have to pay part of the price of spending cuts.

OP posts:

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BLEEPyouYOUbleepingBLEEP · 01/10/2009 10:27

I'll put up and shut up about tax rises/spending cuts when the people who made this mess take responsibility and start paying up themselves...so that'll be never

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ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 01/10/2009 10:33

I'm not worried about me, I think my job is safe. But I am worried about people who use services that will be cut. It might be a reality but I don't have to like it and I don't have to accept that essential services like drugs services and mental health services should be cut over other services or government 'projects'.

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wasabipeanut · 01/10/2009 10:39

As is often the case, there seems to be a big gap between perception and reality. Most people seem to understand that both big cuts in public spending and increases in taxation wil be necessary over the next 10-15 years because we are so completely f**ked as a country.

However, when you ask people who should be affected the answer is invariably someone else.

I'm afraid the idea that it can all be paid for by reducing waste and taxing "fatcats" as some seem to think is laughable.

However, it is not a bad thing to have some compassion for those who will be particularly hard hit by the loss of certan services, CTC's etc.

So, to the OP, YANBU but you are perhaps being a bit heartless.

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lou031205 · 01/10/2009 17:03

Proportionally, any cut in income will affect the poor harder than the rich. It is easy to accept cuts when it eats into luxuries. Not so easy when it stops necessities.