Scottish "Independence" manifesto

[kentonio]

this appears to be about the oil fund. i don't think anyone disputes that scotland, like almost every other country in europe, runs a fiscal deficit. however this hardly precludes raising extra money through other means.

They claim they aren't going to raise tax, and are going to cut corporation tax.

well, it's not surprising that the SNP are putting the best gloss on the case for independence. if i were a scottish voter, the EU entry would be important to me (or rather keeping the free trade etc.), and it seems unlikely that there will be any serious problems in this regard.

There are very real issues and not addressing them is an attempt to decieve the Scottish public. What about Schengen? What about teh UK only vetos that are going to be lost?

why would the rest of the UK have to 'go along with it'? does the US 'go along' with ecuador and zimbabwe using the dollar? in any case i don't see why it would be in the rest of the UK's interests to cause problems.

The Scottish don't need us to 'go along with it' if the BoE are going to continue to control the financial levers, but the SNP are claiming that they will retain influence on the BoE which is a complete lie. If they want to use a currency that they have no control over and which the BoE could change interest rates without any regard to the Scottish economy, then they're more than welcome, but they need to be truthful about that.

NATO membership seems trivial frankly, and i'd imagine that's the view of most scottish voters.

So basically you think Scotland should have no global defense ability and just take advantage of its neighbours defending it by proxy without any Scottish contribution?

[Hauldren Collider]

It is hilarious that Ban Kenobi thinks that taxes are externalities, especially considering pigovian taxes are generally the SOLUTION to externalities

That said, Ban K, your confusion is understandable. It is true that we encourage household production via the tax wedge, more than would otherwise occur. But it is not an externality, and government provided daycare would not result in the socially optimal consumption of daycare.

[Hauldren Collider]

If I work for an employer a third party benefits because I have to pay taxes on the income received. Please consult the definition of "externality".

You are the one who needs to consult the definition of externality. A third party benefits because of a price that you directly pay. An externality is a benefit or cost not priced into the market. kthxbye

[Ban Kenobi]

That is not an externality. That is actually a deadweight loss.

If I work for an employer a third party benefits because I have to pay taxes on the income received. Please consult the definition of "externality".

[Hauldren Collider]

Income taxes paid are a positive externality resulting from the decision to earn income. That is why it makes sense for the state to ensure access to child care so that more parents will get jobs.

That is not an externality. That is actually a deadweight loss.

[Ban Kenobi]

There's no ****ing externality to child care. Do you even know what that is? Are you confusing that with the lack of a tax wedge for household goods?

Income taxes paid are a positive externality resulting from the decision to earn income. That is why it makes sense for the state to ensure access to child care so that more parents will get jobs.

[Hauldren Collider]

There's no ****ing externality to child care. Do you even know what that is? Are you confusing that with the lack of a tax wedge for household goods?

[Ban Kenobi]

This is ****ing incoherent and also wrong.

Externalities are neither incoherent nor wrong.

[Hauldren Collider]

that obviously depends on the cost and availability of child care. at the risk of stating the obvious, there is a massive cost difference between providing a nanny for each family and providing a centre which caters for many children.

Of course it depends on the cost and availability of child care. As it should. Dude, if it would cost more for child care than for the parent to take care of her kid, SHE SHOULD TAKE CARE OF HER KID. That would be economically most efficient.

[Hauldren Collider]

The parents are only comparing the cost of daycare with the private cost of missing work. That is, the income from work minus the taxes they pay. Logically if the government does not subsidize daycare at all then the number of parents who choose to stay home with the kids will exceed the socially optimal level.

This is ****ing incoherent and also wrong.

[Aeson]

Any woman whose value to the economy is great enough that releasing her labor into the economy via child care is a net positive can already afford it.

Like this is a plainly obvious fact. If what you're producing is more valuable than taking care of your child you can afford to pay someone to take care of your child.

Now make the same argument for increasing top marginal tax rates and see what aspects of human nature you're overlooking.

[C0ckney]

Don't be stupid. Obviously nanny, in context, could also mean daycare. All of the same principles apply. If the costs of daycare plus the cost of not spending as much time with your kid are less than the cost of missing work you will put your kid in daycare.

that obviously depends on the cost and availability of child care. at the risk of stating the obvious, there is a massive cost difference between providing a nanny for each family and providing a centre which caters for many children.

[Ban Kenobi]

Don't be stupid. Obviously nanny, in context, could also mean daycare. All of the same principles apply. If the costs of daycare plus the cost of not spending as much time with your kid are less than the cost of missing work you will put your kid in daycare.

The parents are only comparing the cost of daycare with the private cost of missing work. That is, the income from work minus the taxes they pay. Logically if the government does not subsidize daycare at all then the number of parents who choose to stay home with the kids will exceed the socially optimal level.

[DaShi]

HC needs to keep poor and middle class kids at a disadvantage. Otherwise, he wouldn't be able to compete with them.

[Ban Kenobi]

Also, what is it with independence movements and candyland economics? Do they really think universal day care is a good idea?

It is if you want people to have kids who will support the current generation in old age.