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Redefinition of the word 'welfare' for the sake of propaganda
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Queen Cersei
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#1
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/...e-9873127.html
"Who knows, it might even get people thinking, “Maybe I should vote Conservative after all, rather than Labour or Green who’d only increase spending on welfare.” Again, a coincidence that these pie charts come winging through our doors in the run up to the general election? Don’t be silly, this is all about transparency, right?"
Honesty isn't something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
"Who knows, it might even get people thinking, “Maybe I should vote Conservative after all, rather than Labour or Green who’d only increase spending on welfare.” Again, a coincidence that these pie charts come winging through our doors in the run up to the general election? Don’t be silly, this is all about transparency, right?"
Honesty isn't something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
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Hopple
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#2
I don't think it's a good idea to try and work out if A is more trustworthy than B if you'd be a fool to trust either 
Generally I'd say the party/ies in power is more dishonest, they have to try and pre-empt even suspicions of failure whereas other parties can just wait for small (or big) mistakes and blow them out of proportion.
Generally I'd say the party/ies in power is more dishonest, they have to try and pre-empt even suspicions of failure whereas other parties can just wait for small (or big) mistakes and blow them out of proportion.
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n00
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username33685
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The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
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gladders
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#5
(Original post by rich2606)
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
Why demonise the public sector in this way?
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Dez
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#6
(Original post by rich2606)
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
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Puddles the Monkey
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#7
(Original post by Queen Cersei)
Honesty is something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
Honesty is something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
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Queen Cersei
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Quady
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#9
(Original post by rich2606)
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
The taxpayer shouldn't be contributing a penny to public sector pensions anyway, it should come entirely out of their salaries.
If that were the case there would be pretty much no point in contributing to a pension.
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miser
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#10
(Original post by Queen Cersei)
Honesty is something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
Honesty is something often associated with politicians... but which political party do you think is the MOST dishonest?
I think there is an inherent dishonesty in politics and that's just the way it is. I was listening to a podcast earlier and a person called it being economical with the truth. There's certainly a lot of that, and people who don't do that never get the power to make change. We give politicians the wrong incentives if we want to fairly expect them to be honest.
I expect the parties which are the most dishonest are the ones who have to deal more regularly in more morally dubious areas, and bigger parties, being involved in more things in general, are probably more involved in these things as a matter of course.
Of the big parties, then, I expect the most dishonest are the ones who are least transparent about whom and what they represent. I would have to say then that it goes hats off to the Conservative Party, who even go so far as to have a green tree as their logo when they are antithetical to responsible environmental policy. They appeal to the values of the working class in order to represent the rich. I think they are a very underhanded party.
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Queen Cersei
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#11
(Original post by miser)
It is?
I think there is an inherent dishonesty in politics and that's just the way it is. I was listening to a podcast earlier and a person called it being economical with the truth. There's certainly a lot of that, and people who don't do that never get the power to make change. We give politicians the wrong incentives if we want to fairly expect them to be honest.
I expect the parties which are the most dishonest are the ones who have to deal more regularly in more morally dubious areas, and bigger parties, being involved in more things in general, are probably more involved in these things as a matter of course.
Of the big parties, then, I expect the most dishonest are the ones who are least transparent about whom and what they represent. I would have to say then that it goes hats off to the Conservative Party, who even go so far as to have a green tree as their logo when they are antithetical to responsible environmental policy. They appeal to the values of the working class in order to represent the rich. I think they are a very underhanded party.
It is?
I think there is an inherent dishonesty in politics and that's just the way it is. I was listening to a podcast earlier and a person called it being economical with the truth. There's certainly a lot of that, and people who don't do that never get the power to make change. We give politicians the wrong incentives if we want to fairly expect them to be honest.
I expect the parties which are the most dishonest are the ones who have to deal more regularly in more morally dubious areas, and bigger parties, being involved in more things in general, are probably more involved in these things as a matter of course.
Of the big parties, then, I expect the most dishonest are the ones who are least transparent about whom and what they represent. I would have to say then that it goes hats off to the Conservative Party, who even go so far as to have a green tree as their logo when they are antithetical to responsible environmental policy. They appeal to the values of the working class in order to represent the rich. I think they are a very underhanded party.
Either that or I have the most controversial view of politicians ever!I agree that the way the system works now is never going to encourage honesty, I hate that term 'being economical with the truth' it reminds me of when someone says they haven't lied, just omitted parts of the story!
I just wonder how we are ever supposed to make well-informed, sensible decisions for our future when voting when we have no idea what each party really means or represents. Is the option to go for the lesser of the evils?
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scrotgrot
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#12
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#12
http://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2...nt-you-to-see/
This is an actual professional breakdown of where tax money goes, highlighting the subsidies to BtL landlords, banks, pensions, tax lost due to avoidance etc.
This is an actual professional breakdown of where tax money goes, highlighting the subsidies to BtL landlords, banks, pensions, tax lost due to avoidance etc.
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username33685
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#13
(Original post by gladders)
Why? There's a range of options for salaries, but a standard one for both public and private is where the employee's contributions are matched by the employer. That's standard. Just because their employer is the State and not WH Smith, why should they be penalised?
Why demonise the public sector in this way?
As Jammy Duel said, don't go full ******.
Why? There's a range of options for salaries, but a standard one for both public and private is where the employee's contributions are matched by the employer. That's standard. Just because their employer is the State and not WH Smith, why should they be penalised?
Why demonise the public sector in this way?
As Jammy Duel said, don't go full ******.
(Original post by Dez)
And where do their salaries come from again?
And where do their salaries come from again?
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Quady
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#14
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#14
(Original post by rich2606)
Alright then, I'll be clearer. public sector pensions are often Unfunded and Defined Benefit systems, which are completely unsustainable and the tax payer has to make up the huge shortfall in costs. http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/...set-to-double/ That is what I object to, and presumably this is the type spending that is now classed under welfare, and, as I tried to infer the first time, this isn't a cost that should be born by the tax payer.
Alright then, I'll be clearer. public sector pensions are often Unfunded and Defined Benefit systems, which are completely unsustainable and the tax payer has to make up the huge shortfall in costs. http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/...set-to-double/ That is what I object to, and presumably this is the type spending that is now classed under welfare, and, as I tried to infer the first time, this isn't a cost that should be born by the tax payer.
The shortfall isn't anywhere near the tax relief on private sector pensions.
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miser
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#15
(Original post by Queen Cersei)
I meant isn't... Puddles just pointed it out for me!
Either that or I have the most controversial view of politicians ever!
I agree that the way the system works now is never going to encourage honesty, I hate that term 'being economical with the truth' it reminds me of when someone says they haven't lied, just omitted parts of the story!
I just wonder how we are ever supposed to make well-informed, sensible decisions for our future when voting when we have no idea what each party really means or represents. Is the option to go for the lesser of the evils?
I meant isn't... Puddles just pointed it out for me!
Either that or I have the most controversial view of politicians ever!I agree that the way the system works now is never going to encourage honesty, I hate that term 'being economical with the truth' it reminds me of when someone says they haven't lied, just omitted parts of the story!
I just wonder how we are ever supposed to make well-informed, sensible decisions for our future when voting when we have no idea what each party really means or represents. Is the option to go for the lesser of the evils?
You know I had the opposite reaction to hearing that phrase - I thought it was a very good way to put it. I personally have quite an interest in honesty versus dishonesty. I think we can draw distinctions between lying and omitting truth, and philosophically dissect what makes a lie a lie and what it means to be honest, and how important that honesty is in respect to other moral priorities.
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Queen Cersei
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#16
(Original post by miser)
I think what people expect and want of the system and what it actually encourages and delivers are two very different things, which might explain some of the disenchantment many people have towards politics today.
You know I had the opposite reaction to hearing that phrase - I thought it was a very good way to put it. I personally have quite an interest in honesty versus dishonesty. I think we can draw distinctions between lying and omitting truth, and philosophically dissect what makes a lie a lie and what it means to be honest, and how important that honesty is in respect to other moral priorities.
I think what people expect and want of the system and what it actually encourages and delivers are two very different things, which might explain some of the disenchantment many people have towards politics today.
You know I had the opposite reaction to hearing that phrase - I thought it was a very good way to put it. I personally have quite an interest in honesty versus dishonesty. I think we can draw distinctions between lying and omitting truth, and philosophically dissect what makes a lie a lie and what it means to be honest, and how important that honesty is in respect to other moral priorities.
I don't believe that citizens need to know everything that the government get up to, I think there are some things we might not be able to handle and perhaps that is where 'being economical with truth' comes in, however, I think some more transparency would help build trust in politics again and things like being fickle with the definition of the word welfare for the sake of stats feels manipulative but I'm a complete rookie to politics and I guess it's just the way campaigning will always work!
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MatureStudent36
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#17
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#17
(Original post by gladders)
Why? There's a range of options for salaries, but a standard one for both public and private is where the employee's contributions are matched by the employer. That's standard. Just because their employer is the State and not WH Smith, why should they be penalised?
Why demonise the public sector in this way?
As Jammy Duel said, don't go full ******.
Why? There's a range of options for salaries, but a standard one for both public and private is where the employee's contributions are matched by the employer. That's standard. Just because their employer is the State and not WH Smith, why should they be penalised?
Why demonise the public sector in this way?
As Jammy Duel said, don't go full ******.
If there's a shortage in the pension pot in the private sector, the pension page out is less. Not so with the public sector.
The recent economic turmoil has resulted in many pensioners receiving private pensions going short. Not so if you're the recipient of a public pension.
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miser
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#18
(Original post by Queen Cersei)
That sounds like a thread in itself! I've never really thought about it in depth before, we are brought up being told that lying is bad but encountering it everywhere and I've not thought deeply before about what it means to be honest. Lying to protect someone would technically be dishonest but it doesn't strike me as morally wrong...
That sounds like a thread in itself! I've never really thought about it in depth before, we are brought up being told that lying is bad but encountering it everywhere and I've not thought deeply before about what it means to be honest. Lying to protect someone would technically be dishonest but it doesn't strike me as morally wrong...
Personally I think that lying is ethically suspect in all cases. The cases where it gets really tough and we might be able to grant some leniency are inevitably the extreme cases - not the type I'm likely to encounter in day-to-day life. As a result of that, I try not to lie at all (though I do catch myself sometimes). I probably wouldn't do very well in politics.
(Original post by Queen Cersei)
I don't believe that citizens need to know everything that the government get up to, I think there are some things we might not be able to handle and perhaps that is where 'being economical with truth' comes in, however, I think some more transparency would help build trust in politics again and things like being fickle with the definition of the word welfare for the sake of stats feels manipulative but I'm a complete rookie to politics and I guess it's just the way campaigning will always work!
I don't believe that citizens need to know everything that the government get up to, I think there are some things we might not be able to handle and perhaps that is where 'being economical with truth' comes in, however, I think some more transparency would help build trust in politics again and things like being fickle with the definition of the word welfare for the sake of stats feels manipulative but I'm a complete rookie to politics and I guess it's just the way campaigning will always work!
One of the issues with more mundane politics is that your success as a politician depends almost not at all on how well you tell the truth. If anything it is a major disadvantage. Successful policies don't get put through because they're solid cover-to-cover and beneficial to the people - the people have no idea what's good policy and what isn't. They can't even distinguish between an expert in a field and a good orator. To push through the policy you want, you have to persuade people and appeal to their emotions. That's where maligning a word like 'welfare' comes in.
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Quady
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#19
(Original post by MatureStudent36)
Because the private sector doesn't get the taxpayer to make up any shortfalls in the pension pot. The public sector does.
If there's a shortage in the pension pot in the private sector, the pension page out is less. Not so with the public sector.
The recent economic turmoil has resulted in many pensioners receiving private pensions going short. Not so if you're the recipient of a public pension.
Because the private sector doesn't get the taxpayer to make up any shortfalls in the pension pot. The public sector does.
If there's a shortage in the pension pot in the private sector, the pension page out is less. Not so with the public sector.
The recent economic turmoil has resulted in many pensioners receiving private pensions going short. Not so if you're the recipient of a public pension.
Private sector employers make a contribution, as do public sector employers. What is the shortfall between the public sector employers contribution, the individuals contribution and the amount paid out?
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MatureStudent36
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#20
(Original post by Quady)
http://www.pensionprotectionfund.org.../homepage.aspx
Private sector employers make a contribution, as do public sector employers. What is the shortfall between the public sector employers contribution, the individuals contribution and the amount paid out?
http://www.pensionprotectionfund.org.../homepage.aspx
Private sector employers make a contribution, as do public sector employers. What is the shortfall between the public sector employers contribution, the individuals contribution and the amount paid out?
Pensions are payouts from investments. If the investments aren't paying out through low returns then the pension received is lower than anticipated.
In te public sector, the taxpayer makes up that shortfall. In the public sector they don't.
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