15 replies to this topic

[Lucydog]

Ok this is a semi serious discussion as to what the govt should be cutting. Im hoping we can have a sensible discussion here!!

Anyway what could we cut? Things I would look at are sending out things in the post in triplicate. At the moment my NHS trusts sends the same appt at least 3 times in the post. Why and how much does this cost? My husband and I get 6 yes 6 notifications of our child tax credits, each of which have about 14 pages, why? I actually complained about this as they all arrive on the same day ands was told the computer just churns them out and couldnt be stopped.

I would make people who miss medical appointments pay like you have to when you miss the dentist unless you give 24hrs notiice.
I would scrap Trident as I think its no deterrent to anyone.

I would make retailers and manufacturers pay to dispose of a lot of waste. Why does toothpaste tubes have to be in boxes?

I would reward people who recycle so we could eventually reduce the amount of waste that has to be dealt with.


These are just a few ideas, what else can we suggest to George?

[Tetracyclone]

Lucy- you are going to have to think of big ticket items, not just a few pounds.

[Lucydog]

Trident is worth a few billion

[greybeard]

Great topic.


GET OUT OF THE EEC, except as a trading partner. It's nothing but a cash guzzling money pit as far as the UK is concerned.

Definitely agree about scrapping Trident. How many nursing staff would that pay for? We are not a super power and need to stop acting as if we were.

Penalize all suppliers that use plastic for packaging when recyclable paper products would be adequate.

Penalize all retail outlets that sell plastic wrapped raw food stuff.

Apply a "movement tax" on all UK produced foodstuffs, on a sliding scale based on distance transported from source to end user. The tax to be paid by the retailer, thereby encouraging them to sell local produce.

Scrap the ridiculous current system requiring the patient to choose where to be treated (how many have the knowledge to make the best choice?) and allow their GP to advise on the best options.

Review the commitment on overseas aid. It's all very laudable to give to developing nations, but only when the UK can actually afford to do it.

Edited by greybeard, 08 June 2010 - 03:52 PM.

[Lucydog]

Great minds think alike. I have no strong opinions about Europe to be honest.

I believe the war in Afghanistan costs over 1 million a day, is that value for money i wonder?

[edlee]

I don't even know what Trident is,,, it's a brand of chewing gum and a type of submarine over here.

I've had similar discussions at many times over the years, and they all sound alike to me, now. Each expenditure has those who favor it and those who want it removed. I'm sure there are those in your country who would be pleased to have an end to your form of government paid medical system,,, or the dole( I'm guessing that's like our own unemployment insurance).

The vast majority, I think, would like to see an end to all foriegn subsedies or foriegn aid.. And I, for one, would love to see an end to our part in any war. ( Ours is said to cost $1,000,000,000 per day,, yep 9 zeros)

Unfortunately, there are others who think otherwise. For every cut we would like to see, there is a cut someone else likes that we would appose. Budgets get harder to manage the larger they get. Ever wonder why we are encouraged to put money aside for a rainy day, but the governments of the world always spend every cent ( or more)? Maybe to them, it's always raining.
ed

[Trinity]

Trident is the biggest waste of money for a long time, sadly I fear the cuts will be made in health care, social security and education. They are already talking about pay cuts to public service workers (the last pay "rise" nurses got was below inflation anyway)

How about cutting MP's expense allowances?!

[Lucydog]

Ive always worked in the public sector since I left Uni. It really bugs me that they are the first ones to feel the pinch. I cant think of any of my colleagues who didnt do their jobs honestly and conscietiously, I know I always worked very hard for people and I dont think I ever got more than 2% ever.

Id be looking hard at Olympic funding becasue by golly its going to cost.

[greybeard]

Lucydog, on Jun 8 2010, 11:37 PM, said:

Ive always worked in the public sector since I left Uni. It really bugs me that they are the first ones to feel the pinch. I cant think of any of my colleagues who didnt do their jobs honestly and conscietiously, I know I always worked very hard for people and I dont think I ever got more than 2% ever.

Id be looking hard at Olympic funding becasue by golly its going to cost.

Bugger!! I forgot about the Olympics.



Cancelling that useless bloody rah! rah! charade goes right to the top of my list. Too much nationalistic fervour and far to much emphasis on making money by all involved (including the contestants). The Olympics no longer have very much to do with sport for its own sake. Shame.

OK. Rant over.

I pity public sector workers, but as the government has direct control over their wages, it is inevitable that they always feel the pinch first. They used to have a few perks that went some way to compensate, like jobs for life, guaranteed pensions, etc. but not any more. Makes you wonder why anyone now wants a public service job.

[StillFingers]

It seems, over here at least, that most politicians make tons more money (outside their elected salary) that they could for go any tax-funded salary in the first place...public service really!

[hisamsmith]

Stop taking marijuana users to court. Connecticut has lowered marijuana possession to a ticket offense if pot is less than 1 oz. No jail, court, or $1,000 fine just $250 fine at most.
Save a lot of money!
Put all prisoners to work. Inside the prison- Cleaning the jail, cooking in the kitchen, teaching high school equivocal classes, working with other prisoners in a literacy program, landscaping the yard etc. Outside the prison- clean up highways, work with abandoned animals, etc.
Allow death row inmates three appeals no more saves money.
In our state regular prisoners cost $11,000 a year to maintain. A special Ed student's allotted amount is $5,400. A regular student is allotted half that.

[dangerousdave]

Economics and Politics.......................
Ok chew on this
%50 of all banking profits for 10 years to treasury
%50 of all banking bonuses for 10 years to treasury
All financial institutions leaving UK in next 10 years to pay %100 profits to treasury
Make the b******s bleed
Stop goods being sold in our country cheaper then in the makers country (dumping)
Reduce fuel taxes by third to get this country moving again (has anybody noticed that people arn't going out affects trade and tourism)
Reduce income tax so that people will have money to spend and raise VAT slightly
Reduce VAT slightly on goods made in UK or reimpose import tax for goods outside EU
Impose a minimum working week of 25 hours to stop all the tax fiddling of getting 3 people to do 1 persons work
Impose a maximum working 30 hour week with a maximum of 5 hours overtime to encourage employment
Dispose of working and child tax credits to force employers to offer a working not subsidised wage

Face up to the fact that people in the UK cannot earn enough to buy a house and live a rewarding life with quality
There are no big manufactures to foster apprentiships and feeder engineering workshops
We need big employers not small employers
We can't all be scumbag bankers or beep-beep checkout tills
There is no land to build out into so start realising up is the way forward (but with quality)

Thats enough soapboxing for now

Edited by dangerousdave, 09 June 2010 - 02:04 PM.

[FROG]

congressmen's salary, benefits and retirement package. That would be a start.

[Illinois Boy]

In the US........
First - get everyone voting on the internet, screw poll booths.......
Fire congress, hire bill writers and let the public vote on everything.... Or make suggestions that make sense......
2nd - Cut the military budget in half..... Do we really need new submarines, war ships and troops everywhere.......
3rd - Any woman on federal or state aid with two or more kids, must be fixed...... Along with any father of more than 2 kids on welfare.....
4th - Cut out all paper billing, everything electronic.......
5th - Mandate that 25 percent of all 2011 vehicles run on natural gas.....
6th - Put a 1 percent sales tax on all internet sales, I'll hate it but we have to pay off China.....

I've got more to come, but I'm tired of typing now.....

Jim for president......

[catmint]

Good topic Lucy.....

Well for a start I would cut the 6 million pounds a year WE pay to subsidise the meals the M.Ps enjoy in the House of Commons. Also cut the subsidised drinks they get in the bar, not sure of the ammount on that one.

Trident would be CUT. Agree with GB, get out of Europe. Troops out of Afghanistan.

That's for starters...

[Tinbasher]

Lucydog, on 08 June 2010 - 10:37 PM, said:

Ive always worked in the public sector since I left Uni. It really bugs me that they are the first ones to feel the pinch. I cant think of any of my colleagues who didnt do their jobs honestly and conscietiously, I know I always worked very hard for people and I dont think I ever got more than 2% ever.

Id be looking hard at Olympic funding becasue by golly its going to cost.

Yup!

As a disabled, local gov't employee who is close to retirement I feel as if Ousbourne has it in for me personally!

Tin