Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Treasury targets middle-class child benefits in spending cut plans
For grade due 22 April 2011. How do these spending cuts compare to the cuts needed in the U.S.? What are the back-end costs of depriving children of care? The government ministers in UK are taking a 5% pay cut. Should Congress take a 5% pay cut?
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Though the cuts being made by the British government may seem harsh, these policy makers should actually be commended: they are actually willing to consider (and make) the difficult choices. Of course, we all must act in our own self interest, but as politicians, it is the responsibility of Congresspeople to put the country before themselves. Our U.S. congress should take a note from the tune of the British Treasury and start making tough decisions instead of squabbling over less than 1% of the actual budget. It is time to make serious cuts across the board, and Congress could set a good example through a self-sacrificing personal salary cut.
ReplyDeleteThe British Treasury is standing up and taking the initiative to make change and get their country's deficit under control. The cuts seem extremely harsh but if they will benefit in the long run then I think they need to be put into action. I strongly believe that the Congress should take a salary cut, not because of the small benefit to the deficit, but to set an example. They expect everyone to be willing to accept cuts in spending but they aren't even willing to sacrifice some of their own wealth?
ReplyDeleteWhen comparing the British Treasury's actions to the United States, the main difference is that the U.S. is just floundering in mass incompetence and childish bickering. Politicians in Congress have chosen to be hypocritical as usual. They go on television and firmly espouse that now is the time to make sacrifices, yet they have the nerve to want full pay when they are aren't even doing their jobs right to begin with. So, should they take a 5% pay cut? Absolutely.
ReplyDeleteDepriving children of the care that they need has the obvious cost of having an uneducated population. The trend many fear is that having so many uneducated people will increase crime and decrease the gain on efficiency we receive every year by employing new technology. New technology increases the standard of living as does lack of crime. An assumption many people make is that private schools will educate the people who are worth educating. For example many say people going into the janitorial profession ought not to be required to go to school. This assumes that intelligence is decided via socio-economic background which it is not. Thus we will have wasted minds which will be counter productive to society if we have a privatized education system.
ReplyDeleteAlthough 5% cut is harsh, it is necessary in this situation in order to decrease the deficit. At least the UK ministers are willing to discuss it whereas US Congress would no doubt retaliate or they wouldn't even consider it even though they should get the cut because that could better the welfare of the people in the long run. Cutting the benefits for middle class children can affect their mental and physical development which could impair their ability to learn, generating a 'dumber' population in the future.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing, these spending cuts, compared to the cuts in the U.S., are actually cuts. The British government is taking a huge step in making this decision. Many people would see this as harsh and wrong, but it is necessary to have sacrifices if you want to become better. Back-end costs of this would be more children becoming less educated. When it comes down to health or education, most people would pick health. Therefore, most parents would put their money towards the health of the children instead of their education. As for our own government, if a 5% cut in wages is needed to speed up the improvement of our economy, then it should be done.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Alyssa, Congress should make pay cuts similar to the UK to set an example. They will endure "suffering with the American people." The likely hood of this actually happening is slim to none considering politicians are quick to act in their own best interest instead of the people of the country they represent. Cutting funding for healthcare and education is the perfect example. The rich (where politicans usually fall) can afford high insurance bills and top-noch private schools, while a large portion of Americans cannot. People would become sick and get care less often making others sick as well which decreases worker/student efficiency. The quality of education will also continue to decline.
ReplyDeleteOverall, it is obvious that the United States Congress needs to get real and take their job seriously. Yes, life is about making money, but holding such high positions should make these people realize that taking care of those below them involves sacrifices. Tax cuts like the ones in England are logical, and it is time for America to wake up. In the end, education cannot suffer because it is the key to a nation's future. It looks like not only are our country's leaders living large at our expense, but also causing future failures for our nation.
ReplyDeleteCongress should take a major pay cut, they themselves only work in the capital part time. So it is a sham for anyone to ask teachers to take a pay cut or call them part time workers, when a congressman can get paid over 150k.
ReplyDeleteSpending cuts are necessary in America and taxes must also be raised on all income brackets. Loopholes that allow companies to get away with paying 0% in taxes should be closed.
Our Congress is in a state of extreme stubborness. Both political sides can almost never agree on anything, regarding policy implementation or legistlation. Congress should step up their protocol on tax cuts and seriously consider passing them. U.K.'s tax cuts although may seem unorthodox, was the right step to take.
ReplyDeletei believe that what the British government is doing is very harsh however it is something that needs to be done. they are showing the rest of the country that they are willing o take the cuts that will be used throughout the system and that is truly noble. it is a very harsh decision but the fact of the matter is that these cuts must be made in order to bring the economy up and i give the British govt a lot of credit to enact these policies swiftly, i only hope that the us govt will take a note of this act and try and do the same.
ReplyDeleteCongress should take a pay cut, they make 6 figures easy every year while other people are struggling to live. America should follow the British and do exactly what they are doing.
ReplyDeleteCongress definatly should take a pay cut. This probably will not save that much money in reference to the entire budget, but it sets an example. Congress seems too often to sympathize with the rich, not the average American who is most harmed by the recession. Without this prospective they cut things that will result in larger long-term costs, like education.
ReplyDeleteCongress should take a pay cut, so they can see what its like to be a struggling middle class workers, even though they make huge amounts of money to start with. These cuts might not save huge amounts of money but it will give them an example. Most of the people affected by this recession congress could never sympathize with because of their huge salaries so they don't know how to handle the situation with everyone's best interests in mind.
ReplyDeleteThe congress should absolutely take a pay cut because it shows that they are not always on the rich citizens' side. Citizens who are affected by this recession need to be ensured that they are being helped and supported. Without Congress setting this example, many things will be cut, like education.
ReplyDeleteThe spending cuts by the British Treasury are prime examples of what needs to happen in the US. The British are not sitting around arguing back and forth. They are taking action. The US needs to do the same if we want to control the deficit. In addition, Congress should definitely take pay cuts to let the common people know that Congress is willing to take sacrifices.
ReplyDeleteBy depriving British children of care, their generation may suffer both mentally and physically. This will in turn create a weaker Britain in the future.
I think congress needs to make pay cuts like the UK. I think the whole suffering thing is nonsense and its just something that should be done. It isn't going to happen, there's not a shot in hell the politicians will actually do something that isn't going to benefit them, so this is a completely mute point. We are much more likely to see cuts in education, because that's not nearly as important as congressional yachts. At least the Florida congress had their priorities straight when they passed Jimmy Buffett Day. Thats what I call priorities.
ReplyDeleteThe British Treasury made a good decision by cutting Congress's pay by 5%. We ought to do that too if we expect to get our deficit under control. Cutting such a small sector as America has chosen to do only deprives our children of the care they really need, while saving us nothing but pocket change.
ReplyDeleteThe British treasury's choice to cut congress's pay by 5% was a smart decision. They are taking from the rich and providing more towards the middle and lower class who need this money at this time. By cutting congress's pay it prevents the government from cutting much needed programs like social security and other benefits which aid children. I feel that the U.s. should should follow in the British's footstep and cut congress pay.
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