Budget Cut Protestors - Help Me Understand

[David Floyd]

I truly don't understand the violent and vehement protests to budget cuts throughout Europe and the United States.

Where were the protests during unsustainable spending and budget deficits? That's right, nowhere to be found. But I digress. I understand their anger may be directed at those they perceive to have gotten us into the economic mess - ie, the rich - although that anger is likely misdirected, as it was, in most cases, Big Government that allowed it to happen. But in any case, regardless of the CAUSE, don't these people understand that there has to be a SOLUTION? And don't they understand that the solution has to involve spending less money?

I just don't get it. Look at Portugal, where their legislature recently rejected the austerity budget. Don't they understand what will happen? Look at Britain, with the massive protests the other day over the budget cuts. Do they think continued deficit spending is sustainable at that level?

So please, someone, help me understand the mentality of these people, and what it is they think they are accomplishing.

[giblets]

Violent protests in the United States?

[C0ckney]

what's so hard to understand? governments are cutting budgets, many people are not happy about this and want to make their displeasure known by means of protesting.

[David Floyd]

what's so hard to understand? governments are cutting budgets, many people are not happy about this and want to make their displeasure known by means of protesting.

I get it, but what I don't understand is why these protestors are so stuipd they don't see the need for budget cuts. Would they prefer higher taxes? I doubt it. Would they prefer that their country print money on a Weimar Republic scale? Well, sadly many of them don't understand why that's a bad idea, I think.

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, it is ridiculous, and as I have mentioned to countless people, I find it infuriating that Labour are behind instigating these protests against the cuts that have had to be imposed for the mess they themselves created.

Although on the other hand, we need to take measures to ensure that this kind of crash cannot happen again, and the banking sector does need to be more regulated. Another bailout of this scale is unacceptable.

[C0ckney]

I get it, but what I don't understand is why these protestors are so stuipd they don't see the need for budget cuts. Would they prefer higher taxes? I doubt it. Would they prefer that their country print money on a Weimar Republic scale? Well, sadly many of them don't understand why that's a bad idea, I think.

yeah, i mean i think the people protesting are wrong and it's a bit silly, but i understand why they're doing it.

i think characterising the protests as violent is somewhat misleading too. there were about a 1/4 million people, expressing their democratic right to protest and it went off peacefully. i think that's a good thing. there were a few incidents, but they were very minor according to reports.

[David Floyd]

Fair enough, the majority was peaceful. I'll grant you that. It's just frustrating to see people protesting, when they don't even really understand what it is they are protesting except on a superficial level.

[Tattila the Hun]

It's not that they are against cutting spending. But not their spending. Cut the spending of X instead of Y. It's easier to oppose something than to support alternatives, if there even are alternatives.

[germanos]

I truly don't understand the violent and vehement protests to budget cuts throughout Europe and the United States.

Where were the protests during unsustainable spending and budget deficits? That's right, nowhere to be found.

If you haven't seen the protests at the G7/G20 meetings over the past decade, you must be blind. If you have forgotten about them (people died), you're ignorant.
Big money has screwed many people over and while it's true only a few protested when the bubble was still growing (and laughed at. How did you feel about them then?) it doesn't mean the larger crowd should remain silent when the con-man has finally been exposed to the large public at last. Of course the money man is still pulling the strings, large bonusses being handed out the the very people who had been holding up their hands to the taxpayers (warning!: taxpayers are the men and women demonstrating, not the tie's scoffing them) a short while ago.

The demonstrators have every right to be angry, the tie's are lucky they have not yet to be afraid of life and limbs.

[Hauldren Collider]

Uh, germanos, antiglobalization protests do not fall under the "protesting deficits" category. They fall under the "general stupidity of the masses" category and if you're one of those Naomi Klein/Henry David Thoreau kooks then just go away.

[germanos]

Compelling arguments you make HC.

[Dauphin]

But in any case, regardless of the CAUSE, don't these people understand that there has to be a SOLUTION? And don't they understand that the solution has to involve spending less money?

Those who do realise and are willing to pay don't march. Those that realise but don't want to pay as much as is asked will march (i.e. they want someone else to pay more because they are selfish, or they feel that they have a greater right to avoid payment, or they feel they are unfairly targetted, or they feel the cuts are too severe/are unnecessary to that extent etc). Those who have no brains smash up buildings that have nothing to do with anything.

[BeBMan]

I see that there is a new trend to seek claritiy and wisdom amongst polytubbies. Fear not, soon you will all understand the reasons behind protesting and why apple sauce is made of stuff. Hallelujah!

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Those who have no brains smash up buildings that have nothing to do with anything.

Or start threads on Poly posing questions that can only be answered by stating the blindingly obvious.

[DaShi]

1. Because they fear losing programs that benefit them.

2. Because they fear the consequences of issuing austerity measures during a recession.