I'm pretty sure that most readers of the Mail on Sunday probably dislike Brown anyway and their story this morning about his days at University and what he wrote will preach to the converted. Still, there is one section worth repeating, because they explain significantly where Brown fundamentally belief system comes from.
As we know, in the last Budget, Brown increased the tax take from low earners. The justification from Brown is that this is not true because he has increased tax credits at the same time (which are marginally taxed above 70% but that is by the by for Brown). However, we know that only 1 in 4 people who could claim tax credits actually do.
Rather than asking why this is, Brown, and his protege Ed Ball simply carry on with them regardless as consider them the pinnacle of their social policy. In the Mail on Sunday story they have published comments made in a tract from the 1970s edited by Brown called "Alternative Edinburgh".
It says, that "free money" from the state is a "right" and is not a "charity hand-out". It goes on to say that people should "never be be reticent about claiming them. For whatever the reason the so-called welfare State was brought into being, it can and must be used to its full extent."
The MoS then quotes a source close to Brown saying that they're "not sure [he] would support these ideas now". However, placed within the context of tax credits I'd say it's pretty clear that he probably does. Brown believes we should all be beholden to and dependent on the state for our subsistence, and we should be grateful to him too for giving us our money back for "free".
6 comments:
Right on!! I am quite well off but still get the £200 per annum for something that I christen 'The Winter Coal Allowance'
One set of Jobsworths take it off me and then another set gives it back!!
Total nonsense.
Dizzy he was a young man back then so leave it the past eh?
The present on the other hand thats a different matter.
However, placed within the context of tax credits I'd say it's pretty clear that he probably does. Brown believes we should all be beholden to and dependent on the state for our subsistence, and we should be grateful to him too for being giving us our money back for "free".
Tax credits why not bring up PFI? Also Nu Lab does attack anyone claiming a state benefit so its not the smooth hit that you think it is.
This is exactly what I have found with "Tax Credit". I am self employed, and it was quite a help to start with...but pointless once you make a tiny profit. Just money going back and forth...
"Dizzy he was a young man back then so leave it the past eh?"
Well that is an argument, however my ppint related to how this attitude towards state benefits persists through the very core philosophical assumptions underlying tax credits. i.e. the dependency culture which stems right up to people on joint incomes of £55,000. So yes, it is the smooth hit I referring to, assuming you consider filling in a tax credit form "smooth".
Dizzy its called working family tax credits. Meaning you must have a job to be able to put in a claim. Not exactly encouraging a dependancy culture unlike the previous Tory governments who shifted the unemployed from the dole to IB. For the record i believe that Milton Friedman was the man behind the tax credit.
Also Gordon Brown believed in the redistribution of wealth, nationalisation and revolutionary socialism back then. So why has he increased the tax burden on this low paid local government employee by scrapping the 10p tax band? Not very left-wing is it?
Actually you're wrong, this is not an unusual thing on my blog where I am always right. You see, it does encourage dependency because people who work are forced to go cap in hand to the Treasury and aks for their money back.
If they do this they then start budgeting on the basis of that money being available. That means they become dependent on the state for part of their budget and subsistence, and what's worse it's their money taken off them and then given back to boot.
Unlike universal benefits, tax credits snare many people who work and earn good money into their trap. As I pointed out already, you can claim tax credits on a joint income of over £50K. THat is an encouragement of depednency on the state becase it is extending who comes under the state hand-out scheme.
As to Milton Friedman and tax credit, I couldn't give a flying fuck who invented them. Note though that they are very different to "tax credits" as defined in the US.
Either way, any system that takes money from people, adnimisters it, and then give it back is idiotic because it connects individuals to the state.
Post a Comment