The soap box

[av4ever]

Turned the radio on this morning 3000 people have applied for 300 asda jobs before a piece of sod has even been turned, floods have more or less drowned somerset and local services are slashed to the bone in fact we are down now to the marrow my point...

A£8.3 million pound sent out every year in foreign aid...A£8.3 can you get your hat on please lets at least try and get our own house in order before we help others then we will be in a stronger position to help more in the future.

[ozfan]

It's a hefty sum. I'm not sure what the current figue is but in 2012 Australia had a 7.2 billion foreign aid budget. but when you consider the military budget it pales. The US military budget is $771 billion. Not including actual war. The 2014 'winding down' budget in Afghanistan is $92 billion. Compare that to the $71.2 billion for the entire education department.


I guess for foreign aid it depends how the money is channeled. Does it reach those who actually need it and how much is lost in commerce and embezzlement?

[MissWinnie]

Yes, there's been a lot of publicity recently about the amount spent on foreign aid recently ... I'm afraid the cynic in me notes that every time the government is caught short (in this case dealing with the flooding), then there are either headlines about the no of people in receipt of welfare, 'bogus' asylum seekers, or attention is drawn to the amount of money spent on foreign aid. In other words it is all the fault of those who are most vulnerable, ie those without a voice. Neatly sidesteps the vast sums spent on funding wars, bailing out banks, and tax loopholes exploited by the rich and big business. Surely, we should be looking to the richest, not the poorest to bear the cost?

I also think that we are part of a global community, and that if we just ignore humanitarian issues elsewhere, then they will eventually come home to roost. For example, if the help to displaced Syrians is stopped, then it creates a refugee issue, that we will end up funding anyway.

Having said that, I

[av4ever]

Oz.

I know what you're saying and defence budgets are ridiculously high and on the face of it seems a complete waste of money in the ideal world we wouldn't need armies and we could all live peacefully together.

But this isn't the ideal world and must always prepare for the what if because as witnessed in the past if you get a nutter in with power you need to defend yourself.

For instance take Australia what if you had nothing including no allies what would stop the biggest rising power China from marching in taking your resources and killing all friends and relatives in the process ?

Don't say it can't/wont happen because it's happened before (hitler)

There's always a potential Hitler just lurking somewhere.

--------

Whinnie.

Whilst I agree big business should definitely pay more towards the community I'm not so sure about rich individuals because you are punishing people for being successful.

I.e my daughter studied so hard all her school life to get her degree at uni at th

[MissWinnie]

I hear what you are saying AV and of course people like your daughter shouldn't be penalised. It's just that most of this country's wealth is in the hands of few - most of which has been inherited, not earned, and I was really thinking about the super rich in society. I also firmly believe that just because someone is on a low income doesn't mean that they haven't/aren't working hard. Different academic abilities, a need to earn money at a young age rather than stay on in education for example also create inequities in opportunity. Cleaners and care workers, for example, work incredibly hard, doing essential jobs that most of us wouldn't want to do, but are paid really poorly.

It's interesting that when there are big tv/disaster fund raisers, the most generous donors are the least wealthy in society.

I just don't like the way that those in power try to blame those who are most in need for the country's difficulties ...

[av4ever]

My mistake the overseas aid is £ 11 billion :(

[dazzyo-villa]

Totally agree Av, winds me up to be honest sometimes, like you say lets get our own ship in order..

While I'm on the soap box thread.. Working class family's with pretty low income receive next to nothing to help through tough times yet lazy doll sponging can't work won't work family's get it all..

[ozfan]

The dole spongers stack 8 in a house, split the rent and live quite comfortably. When you tell people in third world countries that our government will pay you to do nothing they're flabbergasted.

Meanwhile in NZ a smelting company told the government it would have to start laying off lots of workers so the taxpayers funded 30m to save the jobs. Then the company announces a 1.2B :O profit. Naturally you'd think they'd be asked to return the 30m. No they're not required to return the money and apparently they won't be volunteering. Just disgusting. Threatening to lay off workers unless they're funded is extortion but to then announce such a fat profit is mind boggling.

[av4ever]

Homos3xuality...

In the link Bernie Eccelstone agrees with Putin on this subject and have to say I agree with them also.

I couldn't give a stuff what adults get up to in their own homes that's their business but trying to normalise it to under 18's doesn't sit right with me.

Another thing that get's me is why do these so called celebs have to announce to the world that they are coming out and say I am g4y


you know what...who cares !!!!!!!

I'm sure it's to try and justify what they are doing. - view external link (http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/formula-1-ecclestone-39-completely-agrees-39-putin-170139681--f1.html?)

[MissWinnie]

I can't agree on this one AV. Putin speaks of not wanting *** relationships to be seen as socially equivalent to hetero***ual ones. I just don't understand what the problem is? They are making youngsters with feelings towards their own *** feel like they are inferior in some way. ***uality isn't a lifestyle choice.