For The Devil

[hungryjoe]

My fear is that the cuts are very unpopular and that labour will get voted back in next election and ruin things again.

And here we are. You on your side of the pond and us over here.

Scary isn't it? Sensible people know what's right although there's different views on what it'll take to get the economy back on track. Only those with something to gain think increased government / government largess is the way to go.

I'm tired of hearing the word 'fair' bandied about as if everyone should be saved from themselves. What happened to the merits of self reliance? Temporary help is good. Reliance on others cradle to grave is tantamount to theft.

...sigh...

[adskibullus]

I don't know if the US gov still does this but why does the UK gov still spend millions in foreign aid when where struggling so much? Also just pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq, who cares if those hell holes get worse?

[mike321]

I don't know if the US gov still does this but why does the UK gov still spend millions in foreign aid when where struggling so much? Also just pull troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq, who cares if those hell holes get worse?

Foreign aid is often a cover for corporate welfare. Many of these aid packages must be used to purchase services from private corporations from the country providing aid.

[bobyclumsyninja]

The empire is too expensive (US).

Empires are too expensive. The mighty have always fallen. Colonies can't be held by force, from afar indefinitely.

The most casual glance at history shows that.

Greece was a Zomney punchline this past US election, but there was a time.....

[thrutch]

Construction industry, we have no decent unions so nobody's a member, the vast majority of us are self employed so we can be sacked on the spot and can't do anything about it if we complain about it, plus there's a small army if Eastern Europeans who will work for less money and take our jobs when we do complain.

Out of interest, what would you expect union membership to do for you? How could a "decent" union improve the construction industry?

[mike321]

Out of interest, what would you expect union membership to do for you? How could a "decent" union improve the construction industry?

Not my comment but i will answer, Decent unions negotiate for a bigger piece of the pie and reasonable work rules. Nothing more nothing less. Like anything else they can be corrupted and back an industry into a corner or be ineffectual and not benefit their members.

[-TANK-]

I'm not condemning all social programs. There is no doubt aid and assistance programs need to exist for the mentally or physically challenged. My post referenced Social Security because the program cannot be fiscally maintained over the long haul. This has been discussed since the late 80's, early 90's.

Support programs for families that have mentally or physically challenged members are a necessity.

I object to the sense of entitlement that perfectly healthy people espouse these days. I have paid into SS my entire working career which started when I was 15. It will not be there for me when I'm old enough to retire in 25 years. I don't even have a problem that. My point is that SS is untenable. It's time to let it go and start concentrating on paying into our own, self-maintained retirement plans.

And I used to think I would also never see SS. Not so sure now.
The idea do self-maintained retirement plans is more frightening than Romney.
Agree also about 80-90s time frame discussion about reforming SS, Medicare, etc., but congress has never had the balls to do it, political suicide...bunch of pussies that most need term limits...

[-TANK-]

Not my comment but i will answer, Decent unions negotiate for a bigger piece of the pie and reasonable work rules. Nothing more nothing less. Like anything else they can be corrupted and back an industry into a corner or be ineffectual and not benefit their members.

Name one decent union, AND tell us the pay structure of the union leaders. Just one, and pay.

[thrutch]

Not my comment but i will answer, Decent unions negotiate for a bigger piece of the pie and reasonable work rules. Nothing more nothing less. Like anything else they can be corrupted and back an industry into a corner or be ineffectual and not benefit their members.

...none of which would do anything to assuage adskibullus' woes.

Freedom of movement for workers is enshrined in EU law, and people in construction being self-employed has happened because our country's labour laws make employing people so arduous that many small to medium-sized construction companies have all but stopped doing it.

Unions over here have, in my lifetime at least, been woefully bad.

[-TANK-]

Unions days here are gone. Just like the buggy whip. Just a matter of time until they morph into something more palatable, and once the goon leadership is upset and turned over, nothing significant will change.