Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Politics
Original poster

Where would you LIKE to see cuts made?

191 replies

Rosieeo · 06/05/2010 14:24

I recognise that people are going to vote for certain parties because if another party gets in they might lose some benefit/possibly jobs etc. Or because they have a deep-seated hatred of one side, for whatever reason.

But (and you can correct me, I know very little about politics) the country is in debt and some cuts have to be made, regardless of who makes them.

So where would you be prepared to see cuts being made?

OP posts:
midnightexpress · 06/05/2010 16:13

Agree with lots of what's been said here, but for me:

Trident
CTFs
Raise income tax for all but the low paid
Tax credits/child benefit to high earners

Not that it would save a huge amount but I think the NHS should be able to charge people who don't turn up for appointments/operations. My DB worked in the NHS for many years and says it's a massive problem - people getting an operation date and then just not turning up because they have something better to do on the day. Nobody can fill the place at such short notice so the surgeons, anaesthetists, nurses etc. are all standing around getting paid for doing nothing.

Oh, and I'd tax ciggies out of existence too

Ivykaty44 · 06/05/2010 16:14

I take it you have been there and seen the harsh effect it has expat, some do go under and some do crawl along but a lot drop out - is that really what we want as a society?

LaurieFairyCake · 06/05/2010 16:16

It's somewhere to live and I benefit enormously by living in my own home - security of tenancy/can decorate it anyway I want.

There are lots of nice benefits to living in my own home - but do i think that I should increase the gap between rich and poor by leaving it to my family - no!

SanctiMoanyArse · 06/05/2010 16:16

'But it's not free, it's been paid for - by you! It's an asset, why should you have to give it back to the government?

it's a transaction

you don't just give it to the Government; for a start here an average house can be purchased for way under £150k

ANd then if it goes back later in life it is a pure transaction- I hand you X in assets, you cover my care for life

It probably does hit london dwellers and thsoe from the SE harder rthan other places so i might consider a regional top up but tbh thats about it

expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:17

'I take it you have been there and seen the harsh effect it has expat, some do go under and some do crawl along but a lot drop out - is that really what we want as a society? '

We're not going to have a choice soon enough, Ivy. We can't afford to!

Pension age is going to have to be raised, oo.

Some see that as very harsh.

Some benefits will need means-tested. Some see that as very harsh.

Cutbacks will need to be made in the NHS, some of these some will find very harsh and unfair.

That.is.life.

If we don't reign it in it's going to be a lot worse in the long run.

sorky · 06/05/2010 16:17

How much does infertility treatment cost the nhs?

SanctiMoanyArse · 06/05/2010 16:18

I kinda agree with charging for absent appts but wonder ifit nwould disproprotionately hit thsoe least able- so those who ahve avery many appts to track down, and therefore would be more likely to be older, or under stress etc

And if that were the case i;d be a bit about our 2 cancelled meetings this week where we paid forr chidlcare and were give 5 minutes notice from LEA, and 4 hours from CAMHs. Would have to work both ways!

sarah293 · 06/05/2010 16:18

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Original poster
Rosieeo · 06/05/2010 16:19

Laurie - sure, why should you, but why the hell shouldn't you? If you honestly feel like that why don't you just rent?

I can't comprehend why you wouldn't want it to benefit your family, why just give it to the government for them to pass on to someone who may very well not be as deserving as your children?

Maybe there's no such thing as society ...

OP posts:
MintHumbug · 06/05/2010 16:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:21

'I can't comprehend why you wouldn't want it to benefit your family, why just give it to the government for them to pass on to someone who may very well not be as deserving as your children?'

Why not sell it and give them money whilst they are still alive then?

And use some of it to afford you more choice in care in old age?

I can't understand why anyone would want to hoard something up for after they're dead.

mumblechum · 06/05/2010 16:21

Arts
Cut foreign aid for everything except family planning
Trident
CTFs
No Job Seekers Allowance unless you do at least one day a week voluntary work

GrimmaTheNome · 06/05/2010 16:21

It should go to fund my/dh's care, then it should go back to society.

If by 'society' do you just mean the State? I'd hope under your regime it would be possible to leave unlimited amounts to charity. I have a lot of respect for seriously wealthy people who leave limited amounts to their children but set up philanthropic foundations a la Bill&Melinda Gates.

SanctiMoanyArse · 06/05/2010 16:22

Rosieen renting VV different than home wonership- we have done both, and indeed been landlords for a short time

renting you don't know where you will be living for certain more than 2 months away

That security is the only real reason I want to buy again. But a house is an asset not a priveledge- when DH got ill many years ago, we sold the house to cover the cost of living nd all teh debts we could no longer pay and sucked it up. And now rent.

SanctiMoanyArse · 06/05/2010 16:27

I wonder howe the no free nursery palces will work as here in wales everyone (or at elast where we are) gets a free palce at a nursery atatched to the school in the pre school year; what happens to the nurseries then? I cerrtainly couldn't afford to pay

We also as carers who get no provision will rely on those self same hours for respite same as anyone else; percentage wise IME very few official carers get SSD provided respite and a great many don't qualify as SSD change definitions randomly- ehre atm they won't cover my boys for example (ASD)

swallowedAfly · 06/05/2010 16:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 06/05/2010 16:34

minthumbung

So my friend who left her degree part way through because her and her long time partner slipped up so they had a second baby...

should now...

As a single mother since he left them and pays no maintenance...

In debt to SLC and cannot afford to go back to uni even for now...

Living in a shit house with a shit housing association that means she has to pay for new carpets/ damp damage etc...

What a bitch she is for loving those 2 1/2 hours 3 days a week she gets to herself.

expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:37

'So my friend who left her degree part way through because her and her long time partner slipped up so they had a second baby...

should now...

As a single mother since he left them and pays no maintenance...

In debt to SLC and cannot afford to go back to uni even for now...

Living in a shit house with a shit housing association that means she has to pay for new carpets/ damp damage etc...

What a bitch she is for loving those 2 1/2 hours 3 days a week she gets to herself. '

First of all, people being able to abandon the support of their children to the state needs to stop.

Secondly, many of us are in debt and living in shite housing. There's thread after thread on here about that. There's one of them in active convos just now.

Thirdly, then means-test the nursery place.

Don't her kids go to bed? Is that not 'me' time?

expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:38

'Living in a shit house with a shit housing association that means she has to pay for new carpets/ damp damage etc...'

We have no carpets in this flat. There's damp all over the place.

The police were here again for the guy downstairs.

I mean, shit. Life can really suck.

But we're going to have to get away from the notion that the state has to pay for it all for however long we want or even need.

Original poster
Rosieeo · 06/05/2010 16:39

Expat ? It?s not for after you're dead though is it, it?s for your children. Or whoever you choose to give it to.

Sancti ? I totally agree re security

Swallowed ? sorry was that for me or another Rosie? Cos I?m not sure what you?re referring to

OP posts:
expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:40

'Expat ? It?s not for after you're dead though is it, it?s for your children. Or whoever you choose to give it to.'

Then give it away before you die a la Bill Gates and Warren Buffet.

swallowedAfly · 06/05/2010 16:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

expatinscotland · 06/05/2010 16:42

'how do you means test childrens rights exactly? do some have more than others? '

How is a nursery place a right?

Education is, and so it's available at primary and secondary level to all.

flockwallpaper · 06/05/2010 16:42

Management cuts in hospitals. Cut Trident, ID cards,health in pregnancy grant, etc. I agree with all of them, but the savings aren't anywhere near enough.

If the parties ring fence spending on health and education, it has been estimated that the cuts everywhere else will need to be about 18%. If this was applied to the ministry of justice for example, it would be equivalent to closing ALL the courts. Thatcher achieved zero growth in some areas and look how much trouble that caused.

I read a good article about this recently but I can't remember where - does this ring any bells with anyone?

swallowedAfly · 06/05/2010 16:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Swipe left for the next trending thread