Quote of the Day
Milton Friedman once said…
“I am in favor of cutting taxes under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it’s possible. The reason I am is because I believe the big problem is not taxes, the big problem is spending. The question is, ‘How do you hold down government spending?’ Government spending now amounts to close to 40% of national income not counting indirect spending through regulation and the like. If you include that, you get up to roughly half. The real danger we face is that number will creep up and up and up. The only effective way I think to hold it down, is to hold down the amount of income the government has. The way to do that is to cut taxes.”
What a clever man Mr Friedman must be!
What a shame he died three years ago, I love to hear Friedman’s take on Brown’s current financial mismanagement.
One of the worst offending councils is Newcastle upon Tyne, which employs a dedicated “breastfeeding peer support co-ordinator” — separate from midwives who usually give mothers advice on how to feed – and a “composting supervisor” who earns a salary of up to £23,470 to run a facility that turns garden waste into compost.
The council also employs a part-time sword bearer and mace bearer to clear the way for David Wood, the mayor, on ceremonial occasions.
Wood, who is the political agent of Nick Brown, the government’s chief whip, also has access to four chauffeur-butlers, collectively paid more than £60,000 a year.
At the height of turmoil in the financial markets late last year, Tewkesbury council in Gloucestershire deemed it necessary to appoint a “falls prevention fitness adviser”, primarily to help elderly people.
Falkirk pays a part-time “toothbrush assistant” to teach nursery children how to clean their teeth. The council also employs a “cheerleading development officer”.
In Glasgow, taxpayers are funding a £17,000-a-year “street mediator” to deal with children hanging around on street corners, a florist on a £17,800 salary and a “chewing gum removal labourer”.
As with all such posts – the trick is to think in terms of investment rather than cost – which is how business approaches spending money. It is just possible that a chewing gum removal labourer might be a useful investment – if it means the pavements look better and more people come to the town centre… maybe – but it needs evaluating of course. As for a toothbrush assistant – if this stops expensive dental treatment later on in life – not a bad a idea…!
Of course taxes should be cut – but the question is what do we spend less on. If I had my way – I would spend a lot less on machines that can only be used once (aka bombs).
Any politician with a “Head of Marketing”
Get rid of the GLC or whatever its called now. Waste of time.
George Osborne, or whoever, needs to convince the City they can bring Gordon’s mad spending under control. That means a 10% cut in spending within a few weeks of an election.
If they don’t do this the City will take the view that they are not serious.
Anything less and confidence in Gilts will fall off a cliff.
I am in favour of cutting government under any circumstances and for any excuse, for any reason, whenever it’s possible!
Why is there no large scale outcry in the press about Labours mess of deliberate, unrestricted, open border immigration policy that allows more and more people into the UK, many of whom do not pay income and other earnings taxes and thus, we who pay tax and local council tax fund Labours policy to rig the population of the UK.
No wonder the councils are in trouble, what with silly jobs and an increased call on the services by people who do not pay for the services.
Once upon a time this may have made sense – but in the borrowing frenzy of today?
Deficits matter
as the impoverished US citizen will find out soon enough as his dollars become worthless while those he trusted to run the economy (many of whom are unthnking Friedmanites) make off with his hard-earned loot for (tax-free) off-shores abroad in helicopters navigated by bailout buddy ben bernanke
Unfortunately, this does not hold true today because spending is no longer limited by income. Deficit spending has rendered this mind set obsolete. It has eliminated any self control that the republican party had. They are now the party of low taxes, big spending, bigger government. Our country is doomed.