Scottish "Independence" manifesto

[Hauldren Collider]

it's funny that you two see a plan to provide child care and automatically think of a nanny, as if the plan were to hire a nanny for every family in scotland.

honestly, try to think of a way that child care could be provided in a cheaper way than hiring a nanny for every family in scotland and then get back to me.

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.

[DaShi]

We should ban parents from raising their own children, just like we should ban private schools and homeschooling. After all they might raise their kids the wrong way or teach them the wrong things. Only government-licensed nannies and teachers should take care of kids, anyone else maybe unqualified.

I would offer an option for biological parent to raise their own children. They would just have to go through the same hoops as parents looking to adopt children.

[C0ckney]

it's funny that you two see a plan to provide child care and automatically think of a nanny, as if the plan were to hire a nanny for every family in scotland.

honestly, try to think of a way that child care could be provided in a cheaper way than hiring a nanny for every family in scotland and then get back to me.

[Lorizael]

Exactly.

[Hauldren Collider]

Daycare should be universal. It should just be run by robots, of course.

[regexcellent]

We should ban parents from raising their own children, just like we should ban private schools and homeschooling. After all they might raise their kids the wrong way or teach them the wrong things. Only government-licensed nannies and teachers should take care of kids, anyone else maybe unqualified.

[Hauldren Collider]

not necessarily. child care is a low value activity which almost anyone can do. providing it should release women into the workforce more quickly, many of whom will be able to undertake more economically valuable activities.

I expected this to be your retort, but refrained from addressing this because its silliness is so obvious that I hoped you wouldn't go there. I guess that's MY wishful thinking.

But here's the reason this is nonsense: If it's a low value activity anyone can do (and I agree that it is), then if you would earn more by not taking care of your kids, then you will hire a nanny in the first place. God damn.

Now, some mothers choose to do it anyway even though they could earn more money. That's because child care for mothers has both a labor and a consumption component to it--it is enjoyable to spend time with your child, so they are essentially spending money to do so by taking time off work. It would be false to say the economy would be improved if these mothers went to work anyway--again, this consumption is very real economic activity, it is just informal and not covered by government metrics like GDP, and thus cannot be taxed.

[Lorizael]

Daycare should be universal. It should just be run by robots, of course.

[regexcellent]

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.

That's not even getting into the ridiculous insanity that is involved in thinking raising children is somehow the government's business...

[C0ckney]

Sorry man. Their pension system would be ****ed. Your "all that needs to happen" is wishful thinking.

errr...no.

Omg what

No. Think about this. The mothers are already part of the informal economy, raising the children. This doesn't show up in GDP because it is a household good, but it is real economic activity. People are going to have to replace the mothers--the nannies--so net change will be minimal. Come on, let's put on our thinking caps please.

not necessarily. child care is a low value activity which almost anyone can do. providing it should release women into the workforce more quickly, many of whom will be able to undertake more economically valuable activities.

[regexcellent]

No you see when you pay people to dig holes and fill them up again and throw bricks through windows it actually improves the economy. Totally true. And the government can make money appear out of thin air by handing out pensions and benefits.

[Hauldren Collider]

pensions are going to be a challenge for all developed countries. however, i think the worries are overblown. all that needs to happen is for productivity to rise faster than the worker to pensioner ratio. that has always happened so far, as far as i'm aware. the pensions lock will at least guarantee pensioner living standards.

Sorry man. Their pension system would be ****ed. Your "all that needs to happen" is wishful thinking.

the childcare thing is interesting, it may increase childbirth, although it's short term effect would be to unlock more economic potential, with mothers returning to work sooner.

Omg what

No. Think about this. The mothers are already part of the informal economy, raising the children. This doesn't show up in GDP because it is a household good, but it is real economic activity. People are going to have to replace the mothers--the nannies--so net change will be minimal. Come on, let's put on our thinking caps please.

[C0ckney]

If scotland leaves what happens to northern ireland?

nothing. most of the people of northern ireland wish to remain part of the UK.

also, most scottish people do as well...

[Hauldren Collider]

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

[Hauldren Collider]

If scotland leaves what happens to northern ireland?