Cameron's Big Society

[Ben Kenobi]

Well, considering as I seem to be the conservative bogeyman here, I'm not a libertarian by any stretch on the word. I believe there should be a balance between the community and the individual, but that rights are based on individuals. I think we have swung too far in favour of the community trumping individual rights.

I don't believe it's helpful to the community to engage in forced wealth redistribution. I think it's better to leave the money with people and let them decide how they want to spend it, rather then letting the government take 60 percent, leaving only 40 percent for other people.

I also don't see 'public works' as having a community benefit. Privatise these functions, and the benefit to the community will be greater as there is less waste. I can understand Camerons' goals, but I can't support how he goes about it.

Oh, and the complaint about how 'unskilled' folks are going to screw it up, I think bureaucrats are the absolute worst people to get involved.

[Hauldren Collider]

Public sector cuts

Margaret Thatcher

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

I don't believe it's helpful to the community to engage in forced wealth redistribution. I think it's better to leave the money with people and let them decide how they want to spend it

Well this involves not cutting the taxes, not giving the people the money, and letting them not spend the non-existant money in whatever way they choose.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Margaret Thatcher

Name-dropping someone who didn't believe in society at all in a thread about Big Society

Durp.

[duke o' york]

If I went into my local school and offered to build an extension then they'd quite rightly tell me to do a swift one because I have no relevant skills.

But if I went round with my equally unskilled neighbours then that'd be fine.

People who never lived under Thatcher thinking it was somehow great.

[Ben Kenobi]

Well this involves not cutting the taxes, not giving the people the money, and letting them not spend the non-existant money in whatever way they choose.

Cut taxes, let people keep more of their money. I'm not supportive of Cameron's plan here. Now if he were to privatise, he'd save money, get qualified people in, and lower the cost to the taxpayer.

[giblets]

Someone explain to me how a person is more competent while working for a private non-profit than they are while being employed by the government.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

They're not more competent, but if you don't pay them, you (arguably) get better value for money.

As long as it's not something that you really don't want cocked up. Like your kid's education.

[duke o' york]

I won the last game of Operation I played. Anyone need heart surgery?

[Ben Kenobi]

As long as it's not something that you really don't want cocked up. Like your kid's education.

Right because public schools are doing an awesome job of educating people.

[Ben Kenobi]

Someone explain to me how a person is more competent while working for a private non-profit than they are while being employed by the government.

Incentives have a funny outcome. People work harder when they can make more money by working harder.

[giblets]

Incentives have a funny outcome. People work harder when they can make more money by working harder.

I was under the impression that non-profits weren't motivated by profit.

[Ben Kenobi]

I was under the impression that non-profits weren't motivated by profit.

Which is why I think Cameron's 'plan' is silly.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Right because public schools are doing an awesome job of educating people.

They tend to do so in most developed countries in the world.

[Ben Kenobi]

They tend to do so in most developed countries in the world.

You consider a high school graduation rate of 65 percent to be 'awesome'?

I think that's pathetic.