Who Will Realy Want To Help Refugees

[JamesWales]

Cutting through everything else said. James - you know yourself that this 'record spending' nonsense that is wheeled out constantly is lowest common denominator politics, especially when taking into account population demographics and most of all recently inflation. You need about one braincell to pair that with 'highest tax burden' to see what is really happening, socialism for the insanely/generationally wealthy and shit for everyone else.

Not really. UK health spending was about £150bn pre covid. It's now well over £200bn. An increase of a third inil a few years. Completely unprecedented, and also unsustainable really

I don't see this 'socialism for the rich' argument. The top rate of tax is higher than it was

I also know numerous people in very normal jobs who would be completely ruined without furlough etc, so I don't see how that means theyve been treated like shit?

The reality is Covid Fkd our and every other countries economies, whilst also severely damaging social fabric, all at a time when public spending soared. None of that free stuff was really free.

[Eric Cartman]

Not really. UK health spending was about £150bn pre covid. It's now well over £200bn. An increase of a third inil a few years. Completely unprecedented, and also unsustainable really

I don't see this 'socialism for the rich' argument. The top rate of tax is higher than it was

I also know numerous people in very normal jobs who would be completely ruined without furlough etc, so I don't see how that means theyve been treated like shit?

The reality is Covid Fkd our and every other countries economies, whilst also severely damaging social fabric, all at a time when public spending soared. None of that free stuff was really free.

You think the rich pay income tax? Let's start by not pitting working people against each other. I made it pretty clear who I was talking about.

Regarding the nhs, I don't think you are taking into account inflation since 2019. Obviously not an exact science but at a basic level something which cost 10£ in 2019 will now cost roughly 25% more. Then add in demographic changes and population growth and that astounding increase in funding looks a bit more like the minimum required to keep the service almost afloat.

Furlough is often leant upon as an example of how 'generous' the government is. It's silly really because unless the way wealth and income derived from investments is changed soon, the debt created by furlough will be paid for by the lower living standards of generations to come, which I don't think is a good thing.

At the time I felt like I was the only person on this board who was skeptical as to whether furlough to the level it was provided was a good use of public funds, despite the near worldwide consensus, I still remain skeptical today. Furlough was primarily an effort to pause BAU until the economy could 'reopen' not to help people pay their bills, that was abundantly clear when the level of support was compared to UC.

[jon1959]

I don't see this 'socialism for the rich' argument. The top rate of tax is higher than it was

Headline tax rates are only one part of the picture. It doesn't reflect the reality. The very rich manage to pay very little tax - although they do pay out big fees to their accountants!

https://academic.oup.com/oxrep/article/39/3/406/7245704

On top of that you have a benefits system that provides public subsidies to employers for low wages, and landlords for high rents.

Then you have a history of privatisations that takes assets from the public to enrich a layer of shareholders (OK - pension funds too, but....) where profits are privatised and losses are socialised.

And a history of public funding for infrastructure and skills (especially in the health and engineering sectors) that provide massive public subsidies for private profit - made worse by recent examples of public contracts (not just the NHS through Covid) going to overseas multinationals (paying for their dividends and executive salaries) or blue rosette mates on the make.

'Socialism for the rich' seems to be an apt description.