Comments on: Is an appeal to self-interest the only solution?

By: Spikeyboy

Spikeyboy — Wed, 15 Sep 2021 07:52:52 +0000

There is a very simple reason why our productivity is so low and it has nothing to do with small business or labour inefficiency but rather to do with the eye watering amounts of the contribution of the FIRE (finance, insurance, real estate) to gdp. None of FIRE are productive (they don’t produce any material thing) and hence only serve to water down productivity. We could change our productivity over night by sticking a large sharp pin to the real estate bubble and in fact will have no chance of addressing poverty until this is done. The people that shaft workers with rental accommodation that chews up 2/3 of their wage are the same leaches that destroy our productivity. Until a government takes on this sector we will continue to have little say over our future since the rules will continue to be written that elevate property rights over human rights.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 20:26:54 +0000

In reply to bert.

Bert, life just isn’t fair and never will be.
But in our society there are still plenty of opportunities for people to elevate themselves if they have the wit and desire to grasp the opportunities presented to them. I am the son of an invalid solo mum and was brought up on welfare. But I paid attention at school, passed exams and slowly worked my way up from zero. This is why I know what I’m talking about.

By: Michal

Michal — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 02:18:51 +0000

In reply to Ex Labour. Yes but she is so good at hand wringing and angst and many of us thought that would then move into practical application and did it no no no

By: Ernie Hall

Ernie Hall — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 21:02:02 +0000

No, that’s not correct. CGT’s are not revenue gathering taxes, they’re behavioral taxes. They are meant to redirect investment into more productive assets. End of!

By: Bert

Bert — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 20:20:18 +0000

“These people need work that pays”

Fascinating concept.

People like New View believe all people are equal and all have the ability to work. People like New View believe that long term all poor people should stay in school longer and not get pregnant. Life was clearly uncomplicated for you growing up New View as your views are idealistic.

The money comes from a livable wage, a government promoting a livable wage and not businesses and right wing governments believing in a low wage economy.

By: bert

bert — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 17:42:45 +0000

Trump did and went bankrupt three times, how did that work out for “the people”.
Remember the mid 2000’s when we had a “rockstar economy” which resulted in people living in cars and under bridges and a higher unemployment rate than now?

As the caption reads today…
“I have a joke about trickle down economics…
but 99% of you won’t get it”

By: Pragman

Pragman — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 16:39:57 +0000

You could be the modern-day alchemist. Transform all those ghost properties into gold along with any other horded wealth and waste of resources. It’s mainly a redistribution issue. NZ has painted itself into a corner and only major reform can get us out of this. Greed and selfishness are at the heart of the situation. You blame the leader. Do you really believe any leader in this so-called democracy has the power to make real change?

By: Binky

Binky — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 11:37:04 +0000

In reply to Ex Labour. Ditto

By: In Vino

In Vino — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:59:43 +0000

In reply to OnceWasTim. Nice, OnceWasTim Andrew: promoting a system that allows only a tiny minority to succeed, then making the silly claim that all can succeed if they do what that tiny minority did is downright dumb.

By: bert

bert — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 06:40:29 +0000

In reply to Trevor Sennitt. Sadly Trevor I work with many of those poor whom have grown into adulthood that have gone further down the rabbit hole of despair. When you are the result of Fetal alcohol syndrome or Neonatal abstinence syndrome you will most likely have a life constantly in need. Thus why I am irritated by people whom make generalised statements like they just need to stay in school longer or not get pregnant or we need business minds to run the country so that monies will trickle down(false) when in fact none of that will make any difference, if it did the cycle would well and truly been broken by now. Happy for someone to prove me wrong?