That the Government has become parasitic towards the citizens

[onefinemess]

Hear me out.

This all started with me thinking about buying a new car, or maybe a bicycle, just mulling over the different options for getting to the office. I was researching cars and the changes mandated by law over the years is quite staggering. Mandatory speed limiters, 20mph zones, congestion charges, LTN's, tax bands, charging per mile, speed cameras, bus lane cameras, red light cameras, the list goes on. Why has simply moving around become so bureaucratic, you could literally lose your licence just driving across London through technical "offences" which actually make zero difference to anything.

Then I thought about my job, how I pay all this tax to a Government which as far as I can see doesn't represent me or anyone I know. Why is the Government allowed to give away 17 billion pounds of our money each year to other countries but claim they don't have any money to pay teachers or nurses? That 17 billion would pay for 500,000 nurses, teachers, police officers, bin men.

Why can they spend 6 billion pounds on a warship but say they don't have money to fix potholes or pay for childcare?

A single new plane for their new warship costs 85 million pounds!

What on earth!

And they're buying (according to Google) 74 of them!

Just one of those could pay for 2500 nurses or teachers or police officers!

Why can the Government just pass laws that affect everyone but seemingly can't be stopped or questioned? We only just avoided (by luck more than anything else) a law which would have made employers responsible for their staff members getting offended by something a customer did !

How can inheritance tax even be a thing?

It seems we are being slowly "boiled alive" by unending legislation and spending beyond any comprehension by our own Government, yet at the same time being told ther is no money to pay for anything.

I wanted to sort my garden out for the summer, but apparently I now can't build a small deck at outside the back door because the step would more than 30cm high!

So now I have to get planning permission and building regs! Which I have to pay for, the application and fees will likely cost more than the seven square feet of wood I wanted to put in my own garden!

Is it just me who thinks our Government is just broken, and I'm not taking about the political party in charge, I mean the whole system had become all about "Them" and is no longer serving "Us".

I hear you, but I'd build the deck anyway. Who's going to report you and how would they know it's worthy of reporting?

Everything has become too bureaucratic and over legislated now and if there's a way to make money from it, they will. We're just cash cows, but people keep voting them back in. Bureaucracy is depressing and stops people from doing what they want/need to do and it puts people off certain occupations as well (teaching, nursing etc.) so the workforce shortages in these areas won't be solved until they stop over burdening the workforce with pointless rules and regulations. They have the population running around in ever decreasing circles and it's unsustainable because it's strangling the country.

Build your deck, 30cm be damned.

I agree, but I'm sure you'll get flamed or told your wrong by those who think the government isn't that bad.
It seems that extracting money from people all anyone is interested in and it does feel more stressful and frustrating than at any time I can remember.
I hope you can get your planning permission op.

I hear you Brandon, it's not even about the deck so much, just the never ending "rules" that don't help, just hinder.

What happened to our Government serving us?

When did we become cash cows for "Their" vanity projects?

Did you know it's illegal, as in a CRIMINAL OFFENCE to watch a TV without paying the BBC for a "licence". I have to pay a TV company money, so that they can make programmes, even if I never watch them.

How is that allowed?

It's that sort of thing which really eats me up!

I'm confused what does that mean more than 30cm high? As in why does that matter?

I don't pay a TV licence. I just watch Netflix, YouTube, channels 4 and 5 on Catch Up or rent a movie via Google. Never watched BBC when we did have a TV.

I agree with everything you just said. I'm getting angrier about it all by the day.

We all just bend over and take it because it's just the way it is?

Small government and free markets is what we need

I agree. Being slowly boiled alive while being pickpocketed.

@Ithoughtsummerwascoming

Because, and this is the whole point of my thread, if I build stick a small square of wood of wood in my garden, it's considered (I shit you not) a "development", and if my little square of wood is more than 30cm high, when measure from the ground, I need to apply for planning permission to have it there.

Did you know that?

I didn't.

Why is it even a thing to say " I don't watch the BBC so I don't need a licence"?

They are a TV company, they make soap operas FFS!

What the F has it got to do with a TV company what I watch on my own TV?

The Government can literally invade another country, start a war, kill people, all in the name of "peace", that's fine, not an offence. But if I dare to watch a news broadcast about that invasion, and I don't have "the correct paperwork" I'm the criminal!

If your NDN decided they wanted a decking platform 2m up and looking into your garden I’m sure you’d be glad of the planning requirement.

@GeraltsBathtub

I would, so why is the rule 30cm and not two meters?

It's exactly that kind of bollocks I'm talking about.

Nobody cares that I want a small deck to out a folding wooden chair on, so why is the Government getting me to pay them money for the privilege of sitting in my own garden.

We had the worst Prime Minister in history in Boris Johnson, who I view as a serial killer in all but name and treats women like dirt. We probably now have the second most incapable cabinet ever, only three of which I would choose if I had to pick a cabinet out of the current party of government. However:

You must live in a different world OP from mine when it comes to cars. Or no one in your area drives a BMW or Audi, no one drives when drunk or high, everyone can park properly.

As for the various measures put in place for car drivers in London, if we had governments that regarded driving as a privilege and with reasonable standards, most if not all of the measures you list would not be needed.

You can only be a citizen in a country of equals.

We are subjects.

@LlynTegid

I wasn't talking about Audi or BMW, the stuff I mentioned is mandated to be fitted EVERY car.

And I was referring to just driving to work or to the shops, I never mentioned drink driving . .

I fully agree with you OP. It is an utter disgrace. They are supposed to serve us, yet the only thing they serve is their own pockets, the pockets of their mates and the will of their puppet masters of the big corporations. And we pay for it. So utterly depressing. Bastards.

How can inheritance tax even be a thing?

I admit I skipped most of the op but this stood out

I’ve seen posts on here upset it’s not high enough and many want more tax taken

Saying ‘we’re cheap’ etc. many want more tax paid

your argument about war is so true. what about melting the planet and polluting our air and water. building on every green space we have

The theory is we have a "social contract" with the government, whereby we cede certain rights and privileges to the state, in return for the state to use it's power to ensure a peaceful, and just society, under the rule of law.

Obviously that's a crock of shit, but we all play act it's the case, and generally bumble along.

However, when the people that run the state (which may or may not be the government, depending on how you've set your country up) twig that they can get away with whatever they want - in particular and especially when they can get away with the excuse "it's different for us" - then that folksy fiction quickly falls apart.

For example: we gave up the the right to "bear arms" that the Americans have clung onto so doggedly for centuries (I note with no surprise another mass shooting today in Alabama) in exchange for the protection of the state (i.e. police and courts) from those that would harm us.

Right now, that's looking like a particularly bad deal, and to be honest, I want my rights back, because I feel I have been sold a crock.

As for potholes ....

More people want tax on "unearned" wealth. It's how the rich stay richer. Not such a bad idea on the whole.

There are tax loopholes and whilst it's a civic duty to pay tax it is also your duty to try and pay as little as legally possible. I presume if folk are complaining about tax they have done their research on this.

Write to your MP, all email addresses easily online. How will they know how you feel if you don't? They don't care about MN forums.

We find the BBC is value for money though because we use it a lot. Radio and online resources, especially education, are excellent, and because it's a "tax" they are regulated so more trustworthy than some other sources.

But maybe that's just us. Also one of our few remaining internationally respected organisations (soft power and we really need that right now).

This just sounds like a typical "I don't want to pay tax and only want the tax other people pay to be spent on the things I need" rant. Which is understandable but not exactly how it works.

There are many things about the UK which work and are fair. Many that aren't. But no country has a perfect system

Do you want USA? Where people can't afford diabetes medicine?
Ireland? 30euros I think to see a GP?
Netherlands? Very fair society much more tax paid by everyone.
Paid education so only the male children go to school?

The Tory government over part decade or so have taken money from the younger working generations, as a percentage of benefits etc and given it to the older generations.

Now we are understanding the growing inequality these policies have created.

It would be helpful if we could work more together as a society caring about each other but once we get a crumb of the pie we want to keep it all to ourselves. So here we are.

@SerendipityJane

Exactly.

I heard an argument once about American Gun Control Laws, and someone said that the American Government has a huge Army, Navy and Air force, and therefore the idea of citizens arming themselves to fight "a tyrannical Government" is absurd.

Well that had all those in Afghanistan and Iraq and they were still beaten by a bunch of farmers using old guns. That's why they'll never take Guns away from Americans, despite trying, a "well armed civil militia" is always more powerful than the government who trys to subdue it.

But I digress, the whole "Social Contract " idea is utter bollocks isn't it?

We are just being used.

Have all those wars made us safer?

So sick of being lied to by people we elect to look after our money.

More people want tax on "unearned" wealth. It's how the rich stay richer. Not such a bad idea on the whole.

You have 10 centuries to overturn

http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2014/10/last-1000-years-families-owned-england/

I'm in my 60s and it's always been like this. Plus ça change. As they say.

But I digress, the whole "Social Contract " idea is utter bollocks isn't it?

It had a time and a place. When you are living in a tribal society, then organising yourself so your headbangers protect you from the next valleys headbangers makes sense. (If you are crafty it also keeps your own headbangers busy enough to not think about you too much).

But as with all things in the past it's probably had it's day. Much like crushed velvet and patchouli oil.

Returning to "social" contract, you can tell it is complete and absolute bollocks, because unlike a grown up contract, we have no way of enforcing it. In fact, in a stroke of genius, the state has cleverly made any attempt to enforce it, illegal in itself.

Civilisations rise, history tells us this.
Civilisations also fall. History also tells us this.
And in between, every civilisation told itself it was too perfect to fall.

Here's Sally with the weather.

The very idea that I can be given a criminal record for not paying money to a company whose service I don't use is what I object to.

You might be comfortable with being extorted, I think it's unethical.

Why should tax money be spent on things people don't want? It's our money, not theirs.

Yes, I think people should pay to see a doctor, but only if the money improved the service.

I know exactly how things work, that's the whole point of this thread, things don't work anymore.

why should I have to pay tax on my parents house when they paid their taxes to buy it?

How is it reasonable for the government to effectively fine me for my parents careful managment of their own money?

The Government talks about fairness and while at the same time giving away, literally giving away 17 billion pounds of our money each year. We could have half a million extra nurses or teachers EVERY YEAR with that money.

There used to be a saying: "I pay my taxes. It buys me civilisation".

#justsaying.

Voting won't change a thing. This isn't a partisan issue, LibLabCon have nothing to do with the problems we face today as individuals. What you've described can only be solved by the establishment blob getting a thorough root and branch gutting.