government wasting 15% a year - and that's just a start | politics news at abelard.org
abelard's home latest changes & additions at abelard.org link to document abstracts link to short briefings documents quotations at abelard.org, with source document where relevant click for abelard's child education zone economics and money zone at abelard.org - government swindles and how to transfer money on the net latest news headlines at abelard's news and comment zone
socialism, sociology, supporting documents described Loud music and hearing damage Architectural wonders and joys at abelard.org about abelard and abelard.org visit abelard's gallery Energy - beyond fossil fuels France zone at abelard.org - another France

news and comment
politics

article archives at abelard's news and comment zone topic archives: politics

for previously archived news article pages, visit the news archive page (click on the button above)

– latest items
french misgiving at president macron's pretension
capitalists step into help notre dame
down the socialist memory hole, digging up franco's hole

New translation, the Magna Carta

site map
'Y

  government wasting 15% a year - and that’s just a start

51-page .pdf., with large print and copious charts.

£3000 per person per annum, and remember, this is year after year after year.

“Within the three themes that we studied, we have postulated savings in total of around £1.5bn each year. By applying both the general principles set out above and the learning from the thematic studies, we have suggested that the potential benefits of Total Place approaches that could accrue to the public purse in the capital could be as much as 15% of the £73.6bn total spend per annum: or some £11bn each year.”

end note

  1. “Total Place is a programme aimed at all localities in England and has its origins in pilot work undertaken in Cumbria under the banners Counting Cumbria and Calling Cumbria. Public sector partners in the county cooperated in a process that produced a map of total public sector expenditure in Cumbria and began the process of exploring together how they could be more effective in spending this resource.”



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#government_waste_250110





advertising
disclaimer


advertising
disclaimer


advertising
disclaimer




socialist ‘new’ labour invariably damage the poor: education

“79 boys in receipt of free school meals achieved three ?A?s at A-level nationwide compared with 175 pupils from Eton alone" [Michael Gove]

“ “We’re committed to a comprehensive programme of reform to elevate the status of teaching in our country. We want to make it the noble profession - the career path that attracts the best brains, is well-rewarded and commands the most respect.” [David Cameron]

“David Cameron struck back in the pre-election class war today insisting that closing the education gap between rich and poor needed a “brazenly elitist” approach.

“The Tory leader said he wanted to make teaching the “noble profession” and would bar students with a poor degree from taking government cash to train for the classroom.

“And in what was almost certainly a conscious echo of Labour rhetoric, Mr Cameron said: “Good education is the right of the many not the privileged few.” ”

Conservative education draft manifesto
Cameron Direct: Draft Manifesto Q&A video: Education


55.48 min



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#socialist_damage_education_230110

economic freedom - who is advancing, who is losing out?

Changes in Economic freedom scores since 2009
[chart from top of p.3]

The correlation between economic freedom and economic success is .67 (r² = .45).

Government interference, on the excuse of countering the banking meltdown, slows world freedom for only the second time since the index established. The interference has had virtually no effect on economic recovery (r² = -.005).

related material
world economic freedom



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#economic_freedom_200110

left continues to be driven back around the world

USA: Massachusetts Senate - Special Election

Poll Date Sample Spread

PJM/CrossTarget (R)

17 - 17 Jan 574 LV Brown +10
PPP (D) 16 - 17 Jan 1231 LV Brown +5
InsideMedford/MRG 15 - 15 Jan 565 LV Brown +10
PJM/CrossTarget (R) 14 - 14 Jan 946 LV Brown +15
ARG 12 - 14 Jan 600 LV Brown +3
Blue Mass Group/R2000 (D) 12 - 13 Jan 500 LV Coakley +8
Suffolk/7News 11 - 13 Jan 500 LV Brown +4
Rasmussen Reports 11 - 11 Jan 1000 LV Coakley +2
PPP (D) 7 - 9 Jan 744 LV Brown +1
Rasmussen Reports 4 - 4 Jan 500 LV Coakley +9
Boston Globe 2 - 6 Jan 554 LV Coakley +17
Suffolk 4 - 8 Nov 600 RV Coakley +31
Western NE College 18 - 22 Oct 342 LV Coakley +26
Suffolk 12 - 15 Sept 500 RV Coakley +30

If the Democrats lose this election, they will lose their filibuster-proof super-majority in the Senate.

Marker at abelard.org

socialism making ‘progress’ in venezuela - thieving, money destruction and lights going out

“A severe drought has forced Venezuela President Hugo Chavez to ration electricity in South America's top oil exporter, but underinvestment and shortsighted planning during an economic boom are as much to blame as the weather.

“Cities and villages are without light for hours at a time since rolling blackouts began last week in a desperate bid to stop water levels dropping further in the dams that provide more then two-thirds of the South American nation's power.

“The first day of electricity rationing in Caracas was particularly chaotic. Schools, medical centers, street lights and traffic lights were without power, forcing Chavez to order a suspension of the rationing.”

Marker at abelard.org

venezula confiscates french supermarkets

“President Hugo Chavez ordered Sunday the seizure of a French-owned retail chain [Casino] on accusations that it raised prices after Venezuela devalued the currency by half.”

“ ...Chavez's orders that retailers were not to adjust prices after he devalued the currency to 4.3 bolivars per dollar from the previous rate of 2.15 bolivars.”

As usual, the socialist nascent dictator looks for scapegoats - it’s all the fault of PlayStation.

“Chavez, criticized the PlayStation game console because he believes it is a product of capitalism. The same fate befell the blonde Barbie doll. He demanded that children play with the traditional yo-yo."

And, of course, it’s the fault of the USA - let them drink sludge oil!

“Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez on Sunday accused the United States of using the earthquake in Haiti as a pretext to occupy the devastated Caribbean country and offered to send fuel from his OPEC nation.”

Marker at abelard.org

left defeated in chile

Now they have their very own Berlusconi.

“After 20 years I think a change will be good for Chile. It's like opening the windows of your home to let fresh air come in.”

Marker at abelard.org

taliban wiped out in large attack on kabul

Three security force members killed, together with two civilians.

Increasingly, the Afghani government establishes control, while Lefties continue to whine and tell how “the West can’t win”.

Then there is the Groaniad ‘report’.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#driving_back_the_left_180110

i resigned because i could no longer continue lying for the clown - purnell

“...the economy was smaller than everyone had previously thought. GDP had been artificially inflated by the housing and financial bubble."

“I couldn't continue in Cabinet saying things I no longer believed to be true," he said. This, he knew, would prompt speculation about how
many who are still there have no such qualms.

“Mr Purnell went on: "There were major policy differences… It was clear that some cuts would be needed, because the economy was smaller than everyone had previously thought. GDP had been artificially inflated by the housing and financial bubble.”



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#policy_differences_170110

marxist-lite cable continues to misunderstand banking

Talking blatherer Vince Cable, last night [14.01.10] on BBC2’s Newsnight, babbled foolishly about those dreadful bankers, and Britain’s wonderful caring government.

He seems quite incapable of understanding that the major banks and the state are joined at the hip, with no chance of separation.

  • He blathered about separating the gambling arm [investment] of the banks from the deposit arm [High Street branches]. Can’t be done, Vincy. The banks will inevitably go for the biggest profits however you structure them. Separation is merely a fig leaf, or should that be an enticing thong? It is inherent in fiat banking that the bankers know perfectly well that if they threaten political objectives, the politicians will have no choice but to bail them out with taxpayers’ money (moral hazard).

  • He blathered about breaking up the banks to stop the ‘too big to fail’ problem. Again he fails to understand the realities. The various countries desperately want big banks, capable of competing in world markets. Even were the banks broken up, they would come together, as they already do, to form large consortiums to float risky loans, thus making no change to elements of systemic risk.

  • He blathered about stopping the (‘outrageous’) bank profits. The government wants those profits. It is a major source of taxation. The bankers are mere agents of the government money scams. If they stop the banks riding on the government scam, who on Earth is going to run the scam for them? Nationalised banks? Well, anyone but a marxist knows how efficient that would be!! Anyone with sufficient brains to run a bank, will also have sufficient brains to ride the system for ‘their’ house percentage cut.

    The present breakdown of banking stability isn’t much to do with ‘good’ or ‘bad’. It is not anything to do with capitalism. It is inherent in the nature of a fiat, nationalised money systems where no true competition can thrive.

Vince Cable, just another would-be genius in the fake Lib-Dem shambles.

Vince Cable, just another dense closet marxist living in a dream world.

related material
EMU (European Monetary Union) and inflation – a civil liberty issue



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#banking_dunce_cable_150110

interesting dynamic way of presenting the us economy

Screenshot of US Debt Clock - tick, tock, whirr, whirr
Screenshot of US Debt Clock - tick, tock, whirr, whirr

Note that several figures are year to date, and that the year has only just started.

Is there a similar site for the UK?
Anyone feel like becoming famous?



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#us_debt_clock_140110

socialist ‘new’ labour invariably damages the poor: health

From the Conservative draft manifesto on the NHS for the coming general election.

“At the same time, health inequalities are growing wider – the difference between the life expectancy of the richest and poorest in our country is now greater than at any time since the 19th century. We can’t go on like this...”

“ ...as a progressive government, we will weight public health funding so that extra resources go to the poorest areas with the worst health outcomes through a new ‘health premium’.” [David Cameron, in first part of Conservative draft manifesto]

Marker at abelard.org

The Conservatives are considering revising the financing of individual care in the NHS so, amongst other things, people would not have to sell their house to finance hospice care, as happens currently, patients would have far more control over their own treatment choices, and medical staff would have far more freedom to innovate to meet medical needs.

Perhaps medical insurance could be in two sections:

  • Treatment paid for above a threshold value, in a similar fashion to motor or house insurance. This would be funded by a savings account, sometimes subsidised by government. The money would be owned by the individual, from which incidental medical expenses and standard insurance may be paid.

  • Catastrophic insurance: “For the first time, we will allow everyone – on retirement – to protect their homes from being sold to fund residential care costs by paying a one-off insurance premium of £8,000.”

 

related material
Losing Ground: American Social Policy 1950-1980 by Charles Murray

Marker at abelard.org

lost, over one year’s gdp growth, and that’s before the clown’s borrowing and economic vandalism

“Lest anyone imagine Tyler is warming to Labour's economic policies, he isn't. And here's why: in the 12 years they have been in power, GDP has grown by just 2% pa (1997 Q2 to 2009 Q3); in the corresponding 12 previous Tory years it grew by 2.6% pa (1985 Q1 to 1997 Q2); over 20 years a 0.6% pa growth shortfall cumulates to a total sacrifice of well over one year's GDP. There's just one small snag: to reap such Tory economic benefits, you need a Tory government that pursues Tory economic policies”

And that’s before the devastating mess with the public finances.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#socialists_damage_poor_120110

profit-consuming government makework pays better than real work

No wonder productive industry can’t get the staff ...

Comparing private sector wages and pensions with those received in the public sector.

and the country is going bankrupt.

Sit in an office and laze around, and be paid more than if you work

Incentives work.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#public_private_wage_gap_110110

health and safety rules

“Apparently it was quite a day in Lochmaben. The ice had been checked by the local council and was 7-8 inches, and solid. However, someone phoned the police to say there were lots of people on the ice and they didn't think it was safe. Anne tells the story,

"Six police officers arrived but they couldn't go on ice to warn people because of health and safety so they passed the buck to the Nith rescue who came with a rescue boat but because of heath and safety they couldn't go on ice either. So the Coast Guard arrived, lights flashing! But guess what? Because of health and safety he couldn't go on the ice either! A great day was had by all.”

[Lead from DVH]



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#uk_hs_madness_090110

the birth of the world's highest building

The Burj Dubai/Khalifa was designed and supervised by Westerners and Koreans at just about every stage. It was designed by Americans, the window washing system is designed by Australians, while the fountain will be the biggest in the world and so is also American.

But the Burj building will have a mosque in the 158th floor, I don’t know who has designed that! And the inaugural song will be in Arabic.

This project has gone bankrupt, so it has been renamed at the last minute in honour of the Khalifa of Abu Dhabi who has just bailed out bankrupt Dubai. The building was to be called Burj Dubai, it is now Burj Khalifa! I wonder whether they will change it back if they ever pay off the debt, or if they persuade customers to take space in the white heffalump.

The Burj is designed to be the world’s largest shopping centre; eventually.

related material
proposed half mile high building, dubai - well, almost



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#burj_dubai_060110

‘new’ labour running out of money fast - your money, their money, everyone’s money

“The American investment group said it will be a net seller of UK Government bonds this year, at the very point when the Bank of England brings its £200bn programme of purchases to and end and the Treasury attempts to raise unprecedented sums through the capital markets.

“The move is doubly embarrassing for the Government because the head of Pimco's [described as world's biggest bond house] European investment team is Andrew Balls, brother of Schools Secretary Ed Balls, who is mastering the Government's re-election strategy. The move will be seen as a financial vote of no-confidence in the Government's handling of the economy.” [Quoted from telegraph.co.uk]

Marker at abelard.org

“...Labour — which is understood to have considered going into administration two years ago — has pared down the money it owes to £11.5 million. This is still a large enough sum to make Labour technically insolvent if it was an ordinary business, according to a leading City accountant last night.”

“The [Tory] spokesman defended the big spending advantage the Conservatives will have over Labour. “All advertising by the Conservatives is paid for by the party and is a fraction of the £540 million of taxpayers’ cash the Government spent on PR last year,” he said. [Quoted from timesonline.co.uk]

Both links thanx to guido.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#new_labour_party_debt_060110

*claims* that iran is having problems building a nuclear bomb

“The biggest disruption came in late September.... publicly exposed Iran’s covert effort to build an enrichment plant near Qum.”

“Another possible problem for Iran is the Western sabotage efforts. In January, The New York Times reported that President Bush had ordered a broad covert program against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including efforts to undermine electrical and computer systems that keep the nuclear program running....” [Quoted from nytimes.com]



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#iran_nuclear_probs_040110

no net job creation in usa for 10 years?

“For most of the past 70 years, the U.S. economy has grown at a steady clip, generating perpetually higher incomes and wealth for American households. But since 2000, the story is starkly different.

“The past decade was the worst for the U.S. economy in modern times, a sharp reversal from a long period of prosperity that is leading economists and policymakers to fundamentally rethink the underpinnings of the nation's growth.

“It was, according to a wide range of data, a lost decade for American workers. The decade began in a moment of triumphalism -- there was a current of thought among economists in 1999 that recessions were a thing of the past. By the end, there were two, bookends to a debt-driven expansion that was neither robust nor sustainable.

“There has been zero net job creation since December 1999. No previous decade going back to the 1940s had job growth of less than 20 percent. Economic output rose at its slowest rate of any decade since the 1930s as well.

The above article is innumerate, very innumerate.

The population is rising:

USA population
2000 281.5 million
2010 308.5 million

This is a nearly 10% rise.

Meanwhile, those employment figures - there is no such thing as an infinite compound increase.

If 50% of the population is ‘employed’ and the population is 100 million, and the employed numbers go up 10% a year...

Is this 10% of the original 50%? Then the employed population will rise 5 million a year. In ten years, everyone will be employed!

But then there are population changes, or perhaps the 10% is constantly changed to the present employed population! And so on.

And then you have to wonder about the reliability of government definitions. Look at the UK socialist ‘New’ Labour’s constant redefinitions!

Then there are all those luverly, ever cheaper computers and 600 inch flat TVs. None of which the poor slaves could have afforded 10 years ago.

If you are to grasp economic, it is utterly, utterly vital to learn to think dynamically. Everything over-responds and over-recedes, just like the tides. Meanwhile, the governments keep changing the numbers.

In my view, the UK economy is in a parlous state, while I continue to have high confidence in the usa economy

Of course, I do constantly broadcast that a citizen’s wage is vital.

Delenda est socialismus.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#us_v_uk_economy_020110

12 ½ years of socialist ‘new’ labour

In view of another new year’s rash of ‘New’ Labour lies.

FTSE 100                                                                                
May 1997 4621  
July 2009 4608  
December 2009 5412 After printing money at about 20% for several months
(FTSE 17% up on July 2009)

Marker at abelard.org

Concerning inflation

A better fit for inflation can be made by adding the growth of M4 (notes, coins and other cash equivalents in circulation) to the increase or decrease in GDP [gross domestic product].


Source: bankofengland.co.uk

There has been over 5% drop in GDP in this one year.

So 10% M4 + 5% GDP drop, makes for about 15% inflation.

UK property prices have more than doubled over ten years, a much more reliable indication of real inflation.

Marker at abelard.org

Even by the ridiculous ‘New’ Labour frigged CPI, the value of money has shrunk by 20% over the Labour years:

CPI Index
May 1997 89.6
November 2009 112

Thus, this leaves the FTSE still down over the 12 ½ years [1]. (My tracking of inflation is that it is more like 100% over that period, or the pound has lost half its value.)

Recall that GDP is down 5% on this year alone, and it becomes much worse as you dig into the figures:

“The 4.75 per cent by which Alistair Darling expects the British economy will have shrunk in 2009 when the bells ring out the old year tonight will, according to the National Institute for Economic and Social Research, have been the steepest fall since 1921 when Britain was physically and materially drained by the Great War.” [Quoted from timesonline.co.uk]

May the vermin eradicators come in and make 2010 a better decade.

end note

  1. FTSE 100, 1984-2009. Source: yahoo.co.uk
    FTSE 100, 1984-2009. Source: yahoo.co.uk

    Note the huge real losses in stock market capitalisation under socialist ‘New’ Labour [from May 1997] compared with inexorable rise of the wealth of Britain during the Conservative years [1979 - 1997].

    Further, note during the run-ups to the general elections of June 2001 and May 2005, the pumping up of the economy with more borrowing and inflation, and the subsequent collapses.

    Notice also the inertia of the rising economy at the end of the Conservative regime when Bliar and the Clown [Brown] continued Conservative economic policies for their first two years. This further emphasises the economic damage done by socialism.

    And now here we go again with typical ‘New’ Labour smoke and mirrors.



Share:

What is this?

the web address for the article above is
https://www.abelard.org/news/politics012010.php#new_socialist_record_010110


You are here: politics news from January 2010 < News < Home

latest abstracts briefings information   hearing damage memory France zone

email abelard email email_abelard [at] abelard.org

© abelard, 2010, 1 january
all rights reserved

variable words
prints as increasing A4 pages (on my printer and set-up)