My thoughts on Boris' strategy

[island]

Boris’s strategy, if we can call it that, is to procrastinate until the decision is obvious. It means that the better options cease to be available because of the procrastination.

 

[Yew]

While the idea of UBI has some things going for it, after this year I'd find it hard to see it as anything but another attempt by the Government to assert more and more control over our lives.

I struggle to see a situation where the Tories would implement UBI, as it would be fully against their mantra of low taxes and asset-stripping the state.

 

[brad465]

Yes, that's the key. Much more akin to 'disaster capitalism'. The effects will be very long-lasting - no-one in their right mind will want to start a new small business for years, and even if they did, no bank in their right mind would lend them the money to do so.

It is rather fair to say that between this and the way they handled Brexit, the Conservatives are quite clearly no longer the 'party of small business'.

According to journalist George Monbiot, when talking about capitalism's civil war, he claimed Johnson has been put into power by "warlord capitalism", which demands clearing out regulations limiting making money, and also tends towards monopolies.

 

[6Gman]

IMO Johnson is a narcissist, evidence being an inflated sense of his own importance, a deep need for excessive attention and admiration, troubled relationships and a lack of empathy for others.

Yep, that's about right.

Funnily enough, he's on the tv now giving a date (April 4th?) when he thinks things will be better.

Problem is every time he gives such a date it proves to be wrong (as with Test & Trace etc).

 

[6862]

Yep, that's about right.

Funnily enough, he's on the tv now giving a date (April 4th?) when he thinks things will be better.

Problem is every time he gives such a date it proves to be wrong (as with Test & Trace etc).

Sure that wasn't 1st April so he can turn round and say 'April Fools' to us all?

 

[HSTEd]

Yep, that's about right.

Funnily enough, he's on the tv now giving a date (April 4th?) when he thinks things will be better.

Problem is every time he gives such a date it proves to be wrong (as with Test & Trace etc).

Well come April 3rd SAGE will still be screaming for a hard lockdown and going on and on about small groups of photogenic vulnerable people.
Demand another few months for the glorious vaccination programme.

And so it will continue, until maybe restrictions are lifted for next christmas, maybe.

 

[NorthOxonian]

I struggle to see a situation where the Tories would implement UBI, as it would be fully against their mantra of low taxes and asset-stripping the state.

Not necessarily. Many advocates of UBI support it because it means other welfare programmes can be rolled back.

Not that I think the Tories will implement it, but there are certainly those on the right who quite like the idea of abolishiny benefits and just giving people a measly sum of money regardless of circumstances.

 

[HSTEd]

Not necessarily. Many advocates of UBI support it because it means other welfare programmes can be rolled back.

Not that I think the Tories will implement it, but there are certainly those on the right who quite like the idea of abolishiny benefits and just giving people a measly sum of money regardless of circumstances.

Well my own view is that material wealth is of little consequence now, what we need to do is economise labour in preparation for the demographic transition we will soon experience.

Which means means testing systems and progressive tax systems represent huge duplication of effort.

But then I'm emphatically not a Tory.

 

[Yew]

Not necessarily. Many advocates of UBI support it because it means other welfare programmes can be rolled back.

Not that I think the Tories will implement it, but there are certainly those on the right who quite like the idea of abolishiny benefits and just giving people a measly sum of money regardless of circumstances.

Ah, I was thinking of more left-wing schemes, where the payments are more reasonable.

 

[6862]

The Prime Idiot's speech had plenty of 'ifs' in it. Basically covering themselves to allow themselves to keep all these restrictions in place for as long as they want. He specifically mentioned keeping mask wearing. What an unsufferable man he is.

 

[MikeWM]

Ah, I was thinking of more left-wing schemes, where the payments are more reasonable.

Problem is, whatever the payment is, there's no actual guarantee that the Universal bit applies. How long before the Government decides you get 'sanctioned' if you don't do what they want - eg. get vaccinated/tested for the disease de jour, cut down on sugary food, get rid of your petrol car, don't drink too much, not fly too often, etc. etc. etc.

And after this year, I don't trust them not to try to do any or all of that.

 

[C J Snarzell]

The Prime Idiot's speech had plenty of 'ifs' in it. Basically covering themselves to allow themselves to keep all these restrictions in place for as long as they want. He specifically mentioned keeping mask wearing. What an unsufferable man he is.

Don't forget - those remarks are said by BJ for as long as BJ is in charge!!!

Hopefully, by this time next year the new PM will have the common sense to implement his/her own changes and erase all the nonscene BJ has inflicted on us.

CJ