Fuel Price Petition

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Unfortunately, that is the same old tired, misconcieved argument that is regurly wheeled out whenever the population issue is raised...it goes along the lines "we need more kids to pay the pensions of the older folk who have retired"

Well, that is akin to curing a hangover by getting drunk. What you describe is a fundamental flaw in the design of the pension system, which does not "save" payments into the fund. A serious rethink of the structure of pension schemes is required

laurie

That's socialism for you. Our entire welfare state is built on the assumption that each sucessive generation will generate more wealth than the last. The whole thing is a nightmare that no-one has the guts to pull the plug on because too many are dependent on it. We are little more than slaves, ultimately the state ends up with more of everyones income than they do leaving them unable to save for retirement or unforseen circumstances, making them more dependent on the state and the cycle continues.

A. de Tocqueville: "Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom, socialism restricts it. Democracy attaches all possible value to each man; socialism makes man a mere agent, a mere number. Democracy and socialism have nothing in common except one word: equality. But notice the difference: while democracy seeks equality in liberty, socialism seeks equality in restraint and servitude."

The pesnsion sytem was devised in an era when people started work when they were 15 or 16 and retired at 65. A high proportion died within 5 years of retirement. Clearly with the increase in longevity, there is only really one viable solution..raising the retirement age and make it clear that folk really have to put far more of their income to one side for their pensions.

Unfortunately, Gordon Brown has created difficulties- he has raided the Pension funds to the tune of £5bn per year then has the cheek to tell people to save more for there pensions

Its a difficult problem, but I`m certain of one thing....boosting the birth rate to provide income to support the elderly is NOT the answer..that is merely putting off, and exacerbating, the problem

laurie

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That's socialism for you. Our entire welfare state is built on the assumption that each successive generation will generate more wealth than the last.

I think you'll find that's capitalism with a social safety net, albeit a tenuous one.

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no-one has the guts to pull the plug

Is it courageous to take from the most vulnerable in society?

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Democracy extends the sphere of individual freedom.

Yet we are experiencing the most concerted attack on our freedoms since Magna Carta.

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boosting the birth rate to provide income to support the elderly is NOT the answer..that is merely putting off, and exacerbating, the problem

I'll give you that Laurie, you can't continually increase the birthrate, apart from anything else we're a small island, and sooner or later we wont all fit!

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I think you'll find that's capitalism with a social safety net, albeit a tenuous one.

A bit difficult to formally classify Britain, post WWII until Thatcher Britain was socialist. Now despite the liberalisation of industry Britain cannot be said to be truely capitalist, the size and scale of the public sector makes a mockery out of a claim that we are "capitalist with a safety net", which is perhaps what Disraili and Churchill would have advocated. I would maintain that Britain is a nominally socialist state. Most people are born in a state hospital, their parents recieve benefits from the state for raising them, then they will be educated at a state school, 85% will at some point work either dirrectly or indirrectly (sub contractors) for the public sector, then claim their pension from the state for a while before dying in a state hospital and burried in a graveyard that if not owned by the state will be owned by the state religion. Sounds pretty socialist to me, but what would I know, I only have a Masters in Politics...

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Is it courageous to take from the most vulnerable in society?

No, but the means of removing those people from state dependence would no doubt be expensive, not to mention probably electorally suicidal...

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Yet we are experiencing the most concerted attack on our freedoms since Magna Carta.

Coming from what was formally Britain's most successful socialist party, I very much see this as being a progression from the authoritarian, controling elements of socialism. Very much in keeping with Tocqueville's observations on socialism and democracy.

The strike's over - normal service is back so we can get the cars out again.

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... Britain cannot be said to be truely capitalist ...
I only have a Masters in Politics ...

From The International University of Oxford Street?

No, from somewhere much closer to you as it happens

This one in Aberdeen? It's next to the nice new golf course!

Lol, you got the location right! But mine's been around just a bit longer!