The existence of the mandated wealth transfers from the government actually weakens our social bonds and discourages private giving. Look at the massive amount of private charity that occurs everywhere: Meals on Wheels, the Indonesian tsunami, the Queensland flood donations, Vic. Bushfires, Salvation Army, Big Sister/Big Brother programs, the thousands of foster parents (including temporary accommodation for kids in need) around the country etc etc. Saying that we need a government system to ensure that every single person doesn't fall through the cracks is ludicrous especially since even with such a system we still have lots of homeless and people in dire need. I would rather the ability to choose who gets my charity, in what form and how much.
Those that can't afford the roof over their heads, often do a better job of breeding to populate our society with the canon fodder for future wars. Every-one pays a price eventually.
dole bludgers and pensioners first of to war may as well let them earn there handouts ,and a less tax for the rest of us .
Actually, I do take care of the old that matter to me. I take care of both my wife's parents and they return the favour. Ironically, it's the centralised government which drives the biggest wedge on the family unit in society and not society itself. You assume that a society without a social support structure is destined to degrade into lawlessness. Sounds like government propaganda to me.
I was being Faceatious. Though historicly, it has been the lower-classes that make up the majority of the drones in the front lines. As for who is and who is not a "pensioner", where does the royal family fit in to the concept of public funded hand-outs? :|
[quote=willrocks I say let the "oldies" use up any capital they might have in their house before being eligible for a pension. Either via a reverse-mortgage, or down-sizing. So if I live long enough I will be homeless on the pension with nothing to leave my kids ,and nothing to show for 50 yrs of work and taxes fuk you very much
If after 50 years of earning the only plan you had for your retirement was to mooch off the system after buying your house, then you didn't plan very well or invest wisely. That in itself is no reason to suggest it's either the fault or responsibility of others to make up the short fall.
It's not my problem you forgot to save for retirement, and that you payed (much lower than I pay) taxes for 50 years. So why should I now fund your retirement and mine? No offense, but why should my taxes fund an inheritance to your (or anyone else's) kids?
After I pay 50 yrs of tax I think I have funded my own pension . if you cant arrange you affairs so that your poor and own a nice home in the country/beach on the pension ,thats your problem its the only chance you have to get some of your tax back . Im not to keen on my tax going on your first home buyers grant or family tax benifit part a /part b either but hey as long as were all getting something why complain
I don't think so. Current pensions are entirely funded from this generation. And the government is in massive debt, thanks in part to your generation. I arrange my affairs so that I pay as little tax as possible, and I'll have an early, but frugal, self funded retirement. In that way I can stop paying income tax altogether. By the sound of it you're a net tax recipient. So any tax dollars you're currently paying is originally derived from other people's taxes?
This I absolutely agree with. In fact actually Aus, I don't think I've ever read something more poignant on this site from you. The barrier to natural supporting each other that seems to have been propagated by the government is still supported by them. Not surprising really.
1. Age pensioners deserve a raise. Most worked plenty of years to get it. 2. Did you know that when you go onto the disability pension you no longer have to show that you are looking for work (because supposedly you cant). I know a person who had a party to celebrate his rise to 'disabled' status. He was one of the people from point 3. below 3. In my line of work I have met 2 people that are on the disability pension because ........they cant read/write !!! You would think they would be given some lessons instead. 4. The more people the Govt. allows to be 'disabled' the better the unemployment stats look for the Govt.... because as disabled pension recipients they don't count as unemployed... 5. Regardless of the system there will always be people who will rort it (including the Govt). Bill
Just to retouch on the supposed hypocrisy of Ayn Rand for receiving Govt Welfare , misunderstanding go's a long way towards wrong assumption's. This was written by Rand several years before she started receiving said income. http://fvdb.wordpress.com/2011/04/19/the-left-smears-ayn-rand/
