Honestly i personally believe a Universal Basic Income or Minimum Income needs to be implemented. How not sure yet but there needs to be a discussion as it needs to be a fair.

Well benefit spending does need to be greatly reduced.

Quote from: Gatsby on September 29, 2014, 10:22:34 AM

Well benefit spending does need to be greatly reduced.

That's true <.<

And I'm actually glad that it's not slashing at the disabled and elderly... for once... .-.
I just don't think this will win them any favours with those dependant on them.

Yeah I'm all for helping those that actually need it but I'm sure you already know that the benefit system is being exploited by many. The elderly and disabled need it the most. It's also good for helping those that work but don't get paid well.

Quote from: Mr Psychologist on September 29, 2014, 11:41:10 AM

Quote from: Trojanlord on September 29, 2014, 11:31:46 AM

As a Northerner I can say with complete honesty that at least half of people on benefits are scroungers. They continuously refuse to take into consideration that the government isn't their nurse and just vote for those that give the more benefits. This is why I do not support universal suffrage as it is currently proposed.

The trouble with altering universal suffrage is that it starts to enter some seriously murky waters, I don't want to play slippery slope but I doubt much good can come from it.

This is the system I support:

1) people who work and pay more money in to the government then take out (i.e. those on assistance money rather then expecting the dole to pay for everything, on and up) can vote
2) people who live off of pensions can vote as they are merely have their previous wealth transferred back to them

This would eliminate those who have the most to gain from expanding the welfare state while also including those most in need of monetary assistance.

This creates two class of people, and a huge economic disaster could remove a number of people from voting to the "pleb" class. If done a certain way this could end up turning into a serfdom where although it is not technically slavery, the people cannot pull themselves out of the hole they are in.

It seems to be an effort to forcefully get them into jobs (how he'll get them to work min. wage shite jobs I've no idea, but here's being hopeful...)


Combine this with their plans to take 20% off the cost of new housing for ("hard working" - D.C.) under-40's, their certainly trying to use incentives to get people off dole and out of their mum's house.


But in a wider discussion, I find it odd that the government hands out welfare pay to people who ended up there in various ways (down on their luck, lack of jobs in their profession, outsourcing, or really fucking stupid and/or lazy) in direct cash. Why not food vouchers (and not for TV dinners, for actual ingredients to make meals which is way healthier and cheaper), rather than it being abused to be spent on useless stuff which doesn't count as aiding in "welfare". Books? Yes, aiding literacy (amazing that a small minority of grown people can't read in the UK!), and depending on the subject, broadening their minds or educating them. A 50-inch Plasma TV? HOW THE FUCK DOES THAT COUNT AS WELFARE?!