Posted by alexandra_k on April 11, 2014, at 2:16:08
In reply to Re: taxes, posted by baseball55 on April 10, 2014, at 20:23:41
> What's frustrating about paying taxes in the US is that a lot of the programs that taxes fund are available only to the poor, the disabled or the elderly.
yes.
also a lot go to war -- uh 'defence'.
and still, there are people (even people who have never done a worthwhile thing in their whole lives) living in multi-million dollar mansions while there are also illegal immigrant workers (on which the economy supposedly relies)... To the best of my knowledge illegal immigrant workers do not pay tax.
a huge imbalance in the distribution of wealth, in other words. and (moreover) NOT in a way that tracks individual just deserts (on any reasonable way of quantifying that).
it IS (genuinely) a Very Hard thing. I think. If only... I could be supported on disability indefinately... I would love the time (and a little leeway) to trek through economics, international policy, law, and... of course... the inevitable math...
not that i suppose i could make much of a difference. *sigh*. *especially* in a country where the civil service is having difficulty hiring *even at the masters degree level* on the grounds that *the minister will never understand the report*.
the imbalance thing is hard...
i find myself railing at universities that continually restructure to take money away from lecturing staff, researching staff, laboratory equipment (so each student doesn't need to wrestle others for lab equipment needed for compulsory laboratory activities), in order to hire *more managers and 'support staff'" (most of whom can't follow the simplest of instructions)... But, uh, what is the alternative? Giving more to some and less to others? restricting entry? restricting graduation?
Trade-offs...
The situation *IS* hard.
I'm sure nobody wants to talk about this...
I wonder how much increased equality (not there yet but getting closer) for women... Has resulted in the current oversaturation of (especially skilled) employment. Getting women back into the workforce... Uh... Doubles? The workforce. Lots of jobs traditionally weren't paid. They were 'women's work' (traditionally unpaid). Child care. Aged care. Etc. Childhood education. Now we pay (sometimes) people for such things... *True Cost*. Expensive - ain't it. And now we have quality concerns...
Boarding school... Traditional English... Upper class? Not entirely sure on that. Certainly is the wealthy in NZ society...
Think what it could do for the poor?
Wait...
Centralised quality childcare...
?
Wait...
?
Equal opportunity for all
?
poster:alexandra_k
thread:1063932
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20140312/msgs/1064020.html