Ideas for solving economic woes

[zeitghost]

Originally Posted by sasguru

Can the CUK collective solve the country's economic problems?

Time for ditching ideology (left or right wing) and using pragmatic solutions:

1. Nationalise the big 4 clearing banks (for a pre-determined fixed period) and institute proper lending policies with the interest rate cuts passed on- i.e. Yes to sound small and large businesses, Yes to mortgages up to 3.5 times income, No to 100-125% mortgages, No to increased unsecured credit card debts and personal loans for unsound borrowers.
2. All people claiming unemployment benefit for more than 6 months to do compulsory infrastructure work around the country, improving housing stock, cleaning graffiti, whatever needs doing. To be paid at minimum wage. This is cheaper than paying them to sit at home doing bugger all.
3. Immediate tax breaks for companies working on future technologies e.g. non-carbon based modes of propulsion, bio-tech etc.

Any others?

It runs out after 6 months now.

After that it's either Income Support or whatever you have left in the bank.

HTH.

[zeitghost]

Originally Posted by TimberWolf

Misses the point IMO, by assuming that money is real wealth. We need to get our energy supply sorted and our population under control. If not, we will always rely on the rest of the world as a life-support system, and pay for it by being good at providing something they want in return, like building cars or having a City of London. I think this is risky.

That certainly is...

[tay]

Scrap Public sector pensions and spend load of money on infrastructure improvements, mainly rail and youth centre facilities in inner city ghettos.

[Mich the Tester]

Ultra high speed magnet trains to every city in Europe, a moon mission, a hypersonic replacement for Concorde, wine pipelines around Europe from Burgundy, etc etc.

Where’s the ambition gone?

Hell, if we’re going bust, let’s go out with a bang! Oh dear, I shouldn’t have said that; they’ll start another war now.

[BrilloPad]

Originally Posted by sasguru

Can the CUK collective solve the country's economic problems?

Time for ditching ideology (left or right wing) and using pragmatic solutions:

1. Nationalise the big 4 clearing banks (for a pre-determined fixed period) and institute proper lending policies with the interest rate cuts passed on- i.e. Yes to sound small and large businesses, Yes to mortgages up to 3.5 times income, No to 100-125% mortgages, No to increased unsecured credit card debts and personal loans for unsound borrowers.
2. All people claiming unemployment benefit for more than 6 months to do compulsory infrastructure work around the country, improving housing stock, cleaning graffiti, whatever needs doing. To be paid at minimum wage. This is cheaper than paying them to sit at home doing bugger all.
3. Immediate tax breaks for companies working on future technologies e.g. non-carbon based modes of propulsion, bio-tech etc.

Any others?

point 2 - isn't that what hitler tried to introduce?

[EternalOptimist]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

point 2 - isn't that what hitler tried to introduce?

yes, but he lacked the vision and drive to force it through.

[sasguru]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

point 2 - isn't that what hitler tried to introduce?

Not every idea of Hitler's was bad.

[Gordon Brown]

1. Tell the public taxes are going to be cut and then raise them.
2. Pretend Britain is better served to survive the crunch than the rest of the world.
3. Blame the Americans.
4. Increase pay and pensions for civil servants.
5. Outsource all highly skilled work overseas.
6. Make tax credits a bit more complicated.
7. Increase the number of immigrants.
5. Force everyone to move house or face a prison sentence.
6. Vote Labour

Should do the trick.

[Moscow Mule]

Originally Posted by sasguru

2. All people claiming unemployment benefit for more than 6 months to do compulsory infrastructure work around the country, improving housing stock, cleaning graffiti, whatever needs doing. To be paid at minimum wage. This is cheaper than paying them to sit at home doing bugger all.


Any others?

I'd also up the tax free allowance to NMW * 40 * 52 but structure higher rate tax so that personal allowance tails off from £100k and disappears at £150k.

Apparently there's only 350000 people in the country earning over £150k.

[Bunk]

Originally Posted by Gordon Brown

1. Tell the public taxes are going to be cut and then raise them.
2. Pretend Britain is better served to survive the crunch than the rest of the world.
3. Blame the Americans.
4. Increase pay and pensions for civil servants.
5. Outsource all highly skilled work overseas.
6. Make tax credits a bit more complicated.
7. Increase the number of immigrants.
5. Force everyone to move house or face a prison sentence.
6. Vote Labour

Should do the trick.

That's some fine number crunching there Gordo. I hope your lot count that well when they see my tax return