Fuck it - the government will look me

[Phonicshaskilledmeoff]

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the way our country is run. I love my country, but what on earth can I do to fix it? the Rachel reeves pension and stamp duty rumours have tipped me over the edge.

I believe 90% of our lives is the summation of our own choices. Bar (some of) our own (and families) health and tragic life events, there is very little we can’t choose in this country.

I’m not saying that the playing field is fair - I absolutely acknowledge that some groups face structural barriers that make good choices harder. Others are unaware those choices even exist. That’s where government should step in—not to equalise outcomes, but to equalise access to meaningful choice.

I think we all acknowledge that bad governments are ones that take away choices. This government, however is also taking away choice by incentivising bad choices. Policies should nudge people toward self-sufficiency, not make state reliance easier than self-reliance, or rewarding short-term decisions over long-term

Our Government should be working towards equitable availability of choice (not equal - see below) to make sure those choices are as easy and available to everyone. Policies should be in place to make sure people are encouraged to make the right choices.

I increasingly feel like I make the right choices and think what was the bloody point!

I’m going to wish I never paid into my pension soon and went on holiday instead! Should I just spend my money, move into a smaller house and quit my job. At this point I think I’d be better off.

Jargon Buster - EQUALITY - It’s assumed there is a level playing field and everyone gets the same resources. EQUITY - Everyone gets what they need to succeed, which may mean different levels of support.

Does your employer ‘pay’ you to not work?

What people in England don’t want is what we’ve got currently and what they definitely don’t want is to pay more for what we have currently as it deteriorates further.

The issue is we are at the point where we need to pay more to stay still so services will continue to deteriorate.

No but I earn that money so I can spend it on what I want. Benefits recipients don’t earn that money. It’s not theirs. It’s the taxpayers. And the tax payer gives them that money to feed themselves, house themselves, treat their disability etc, not get their nails done.

That explains your posts.

Money given to you by other people is not money you earned.

@WildLimePoet how would you change the state pension model then?

Was there a point in this post? Hard to find it among all the ranting.

Oh just do it

sell everything
go on benefits if you want

Those that have paid in to the pension can spend it on what they like. Those that haven’t get vouchers. It’s an incentive to work. We need more of these.

For a lot of people, their lives are result of other people’s bad choices. My DD1 (16) almost certainly has FASD as a result of her birth mum drinking through her pregnancy. It also wasn’t her or DD2’s (13) choice to be taken away from her birth parents at birth and adopted into another family.

Obviously, it doesn’t mean their own choices aren’t important, but there’s no denying that DD1 in particular hasn’t been severely damaged by her birth mum’s drinking.

Once in their account it is theirs.

You can actually explain them? Nah, That would require you to understand basic fiscal reality.

Nails.....

OK. So, people on benefits (many of whom work, the majority of whom are pensioners, some of whom are disabled [or a combination of those things]) are not allowed to get their nails done.

Are they allowed, for example, to choose what they eat? Can they be vegan? Can they avoid, or eat, certain things due to religious beliefs?

Where are you drawing the line on removing choice for people?

I’m not sure it’s envy. I think it’s the sheer quantity of disabled people, currently only to be surpassed by the generations below.

In my child’s previous school the numbers of children with SEN were published at around 25%. Locally that school was not known as the school most set up for SEN intake and anecdotally I’ve been told by parents of my other local school that their child was one of the very few there that didn’t have SEN. Let’s assume those numbers are replicated across many U.K. locations. I think we’re going to have a real problem with enough net contributors once Gen X ages into forced retirement.

Is there nothing that could be done at an early age that would go a long way towards providing those choices?

more social housing

Hence why people are pissed.

A curious approach…

Those that have paid in to the pension can spend it on what they like. Those that haven’t get vouchers. It’s an incentive to work. We need more of these.

@Woodlend & the ones who worked but live in social housing?

What these people fail to understand in their vehement defence of claiming other people’s money as their own is that those other people could easily make an electoral choice to not hand out their money. Or worse, IMF could come along, since this country’s public spending and debt is a basket case, and tell people that you are not no longer getting other people’s money for free.

@EvangelicalAboutButteredToast I completely understand why people are pissed, Im pissed. I perplexed as to why people think this happened overnight though & that it's the fault of notability cars or whatever.

You can use your Vouchers at the 'company store' . Is that what happened to the Mill Workers in 1841 !

Or worse, IMF could come along, since this country’s public spending and debt is a basket case, and tell people that you are not no longer getting other people’s money for free.

The IMF are not going to come along and stop paying pensions...

They could force the pension age to be raised significantly. And yes, they can and will cut benefits.

You know what else some people fail to understand?

Disability doesn't discriminate and can happen to anyone or their child at any time.

No one thinks it will happen to them or their child until it does.

Lee Anderson has created his own character, just says stupid things because he has a desire to be noticed !

It never takes long before the sanctimonious know nothings come out to spout

Displaying zero understanding that poverty, disability and disease can strike anyone.