Crunch, cuts and a little Armageddon  (18)

Past that the army and navy have to be rebuilt because there's a shit-list as long as my arm of countries that need to be thrown down and kicked for a while. Sudan, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Afghanistan, North Korea, Israel and Iran could all face the pimphand of the British Empire. Oh yeah, we'd be calling it the British Empire again too. Civilised western culture would return to the world backed up with a bayonet once more. For the sake of comic irony Britain would host an old boys party for the men behind the invasion of Iraq, Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush, Blair, and we'd hang the fuckers.

Also the Falklands would be granted full statehood as a part of the British Commonwealth, and we'd make approaches to the UN to claim Argentina on their behalf. Just for a giggle. See how they like it.

Lastly I'd happily guillotine any member of the aristocracy who doesn't willingly discard their title and claim their assets for the state. That includes the royal family. Because I'm too lazy to reform the constitution we'd just appoint a plasticine replica of the Queen as monarch being as that would be perfectly capable of fulfilling her role within our constitutional monarchy.

Science isn't about why, it's about why not. You ask: Why is so much of our science dangerous? I say: Why not marry safe science if you love it so much.

Cool, and re-introducing National Service would cut youth unemployment at a stroke.

International man of mystery
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Here! Here!

Edited to say...Not sure about the 'British Empire' thing, I'm sure America already has dibs on that....

As I type I reach out my hand, so as you read, you are then touched.

Edited 15 Mar 10, 7:27 PM by Lex_Magister

tbh A somewhat different form of national service from the original type could help many disaffected youngsters and give them motivation. There is a possibility that putting some thing into what HMG has turned into a shambles of a country may give a better economic outlook to all.

SOS

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Unfortunately there's too much vested interest in the admin./managerial types for much to be done.

Much military spending is a also a form of welfare.lol Trident. The ceremonial functions of many regiments

Control of the banking system is absolutely essential. I knew and said this long before the credit crunch arrived.

Finance MUST follow wealth creating innovation NOT lead or abandon it all together.

Edited 22 Mar 10, 11:38 AM by gaynor_payne

I would remove barriers to social mobility. I would make non-paid internships illegal. I would scrap university tuition fees. I would completely change the body of teachers at schools once a year, between the best performing schools and the worst in a given local authority. Teachers pay would be tied to how well their pupils improved compared to the pupils performance last year. On exams that were tests of more than regurgitation of pointless information.

I'd push for democratic EU reform and then more EU integration. I'd pass a law that held all government representatives to account for what they say and do. If you're an MP it would be considered perjury to lie regarding any government or political party decision or action in any circumstance.

I would begin the painstaking work of creating and ratifying a UK constitution. So that people simply and fully understand their rights as individuals within the UK. I'd end public private partnerships for hospitals and schools. It's obscene how much we get ripped off as tax payers and the treasury should value our tax pounds as highly as they value their own. The state would be 100% responsible for large public infrastructure projects. No more leasing buildings from private companies and funneling our tax pounds into the pockets of private investors.

I'd not re-nationalise transport. We already heavily subsidise the rail and other public transport. Why should the profits made from our tax subsidies go into the hands of shareholders? The public should get a return for their investment. I'd make it understood that the government expects a return for investment made. With all subsidies paid back in full from profit at a 5 year contract end. If a loss is made, the service is nationalised until a company comes along who thinks they can make it profitable.

I would reform and simplify the benefits system. It would have one simple rule. If you're able to work, you only get benefits for a maximum of 2 years. If you're unable to work due to disability, this will be judged by your own doctor and you will be given support enough to stay above the poverty line. However, you would be encouraged to contribute in any way you can by being given access to interest free loans for business start up on terms you can manage. The benefits system for unemployment would be funded by companies making lay offs. There would be a severance tax equal to 2 years benefits payments for a company laying off any workers who have worked there a year or more. This would make people less expendable and less likely to be fired for purely greed driven motives.

Adults who're not employed or in full time education at 18, or those who have been unemployed for more than 2 years would be expected to work for the state until such a time as they had earned 2 years worth of benefits payments by their efforts(over and above their pay), or they had found employment. Benefits payments would be enough to support an individual or family and would be tied to a percentage of their previous salary. Or, in the case of those who've never worked or if the percentage is lower, what is deemed a livable wage by an independent commission.

I'd remove the burden of funding state pensions of the baby boom generation. Instead, I'd only provide a livable pension to those who couldn't get family support. State pensions would be tied to immediate family income. I would make it illegal not to support your mother and father in their retirement, if you could afford it. If the state can make fathers and mothers pay child maintenance, families/individuals can pay grandparent maintenance. This would be overseen by a new agency - the PSA, or parent support agency. Those found to be avoiding their responsibilities would be fined with the fine going to the parents. The fine would be 150% of the support owed to date + costs of recovery. This along with my next measure would help solve our population crisis.

I'd reform immigration to actively recruit foreign nationals as UK citizens of high value to our national interests and economy. Asylum seekers would be admitted based on refugee status, the effect of returning them to their home nations and their benefit to the UK. If found to be against their human rights to return them to their home countries. They would become part of the same state programs as unemployed youngsters. This would have the dual benefit of multi-cultural integration and a lessening of racism and intolerance in wider UK society. Those seeking UK citizen status would be expected to pay a higher rate of tax to catch up on contributions to society.

I would decrease the tax burden on small businesses who reinvest in their employees training and future prospects in the economy. By covering the full costs of training employees by deducting it from their corporation tax. Corporation tax would also be tiered like income tax and based on profit levels. As opposed to a standard rate. This would help level the playing field for competition in the marketplace. No longer would there be a drive towards monopolisation of industry. It's time to stop letting individual companies become too big to fail. We need a diversified and healthy, competitive economy. Small businesses are the saviour of the british economy and they should be rewarded as such. As opposed to punished by unfettered abuse of market power by larger companies. Diversity equals strength, homogenisation of business and the wider culture is not desirable in a free democratic society.

I would reform archaic council tax rules and link them to services utilised from your local authority and household income. They would not be tied to the value of your home. This unfairly punishes young tenants and OAPs. If you utilise local education for your children, you pay more, if you utilise local authority infrastructure and services, expect to pay for them. Want your bins collected? pay for it. Want street lights? Pay for it. Want water and sewerage? Pay for it etc etc. Local authorities would be expected to balance their budgets this way. Local authority boundaries would be redrawn based on balance in the income of their areas. With areas of low income being paired with areas of high income. This is in order to balance the books and to ensure that there is no class based ghetto-isation of education and social mobility. Plus foster an idea of togetherness as opposed to snobbery and social exclusion.

I could go on and on and on. But I have no more time to waste.

The NHS would be completely reformed.

Let's televise and broadcast the raping of kings.

My other thought is around the banks. There seems to me to be a clash of interest for the retail banks when they have shareholders. When you are a PLC you are beholden to your shareholders to produce profit. This is so that the (especially the large fund managers) can get their dividends and trade the shares. But shouldn't the first priority of the retail banks be to look after the customer's money? I wonder if a return to the separation of the retail and trading banks and also a return to "mutual" status for the retail banks would help refocus priorities? (I am very happen to understand why this is perhaps wrong??)

"The art of being a Gentleman is knowing when not to be" Quote:TheSilverFox - Circa 1986

"The art of being a Gentleman is knowing when not to be" Quote:TheSilverFox - Circa 1986