National Debt

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

...and we give away our money to others.
Maybe riskeee saying it, but charity begins at home, then if you've got some spare, help others.

Amongst a whole heap of other things the government do with our money

Sorry, but that's a crock of sh!te.

Who says this country is 'home'? If you want to service this country over and above others less fortunate, just because you had the privilege of being born here, why stop there? What if someone from London argued that money made there on the financial markets (most of the time ) shouldn't be re-distributed across the rest of the country. After all, charity begins at home. Anyone one unfortunate enough to live in an old mining town should sort themselves out without any help from the government; if that town can't pay their own unemployed, let them rot???!!!

Surely it sounds crazy when you here it taken to that extreme???

There's a whole world out there guys and we all live in it.

\Rant over

[Biker Biggles]

The reason we generally regard this country as "home" when looking at economic issues is because the government is a national one,organising finances on a national basis,raising tax from individuals and corporations based in this country.Hence the thread title -----National Debt.When we succumb to world government your comments might make more sense.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by bm1957

There's a whole world out there guys and we all live in it.

\Rant over

But I don't like paying one Pound stupid a liter to line the pockets of a 3rd world savage and can't see it's a good idea except to prop up British industry.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

But I don't like paying one Pound stupid a liter to line the pockets of a 3rd world savage and can't see it's a good idea except to prop up British industry.

Sorry, did I miss your point or was it just irrelevant?

I was replying to someone who thinks we shouldn't be trying to feed and clothe kids in Africa until everyone in this country has a job and enough money for Burger King every day (hyperbole added ).

Using the corrupt governments that might run those countries as a moral excuse for having those views is just weak.

But other than the irrelevance, I couldn't fault a word of what you said.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by bm1957

Sorry, did I miss your point or was it just irrelevant?

Using the corrupt governments that might run those countries as a moral excuse for having those views is just weak.

You replied to a post which mentioned the vast amount of money spent on overseas aid, it is relevant.

Not a moral excuse, a practical one. Morals very swiftly go out of the door when you're skint.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

You replied to a post which mentioned the vast amount of money spent on overseas aid, it is relevant.

Not a moral excuse, a practical one. Morals very swiftly go out of the door when you're skint.

I don't think suggesting that we shouldn't be giving aid is any way related to being pi$$ed off that aid we do send is skimmed (if that is the point you were making).

Morals too often go out the window because people aren't satisfied with what they've got. But skint? Do you think that starving African kid would be happy with the lifestyle of some of the hard-up brits? Roof, food, NHS, police... he wouldn't think he was 'skint'. It's all relative and too many people are narrow minded and blinkered.

I'm no saint, I could give more to charity. I don't think it's healthy though to think that we somehow 'deserve' the wealth of this country more because we live here. Are we 'better' than those in developing countries? And what right do we have to wealth which is built on an empire of 'free labour'? I think we have a responsibility to pursue humanitarian policies and that when things start going Pete Tong they shouldn't be the easy option to cut. That's just me though I guess.

[yorkie_chris]

Humanitarian policies =/= pouring money down the p*sser.

I'll keep my mouth shut before I offend the entire forum for the second time this week

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by bm1957

Sorry, but that's a crock of sh!te.

I'm sorry, but i'm afraid giving millions away that we as a country didn't ask to give is perfectly relevant. However if we choose as a public to raise money for charity from our own 'skint' pockets then that is an entirely different matter. You don't need to patronise me on people out there being less fortunate than ourselves.
Our government should be looking after the people of this land, sometimes they do well sometimes they don't. Trust me where I live there are some seriously needy people, in more ways than monetary, that the government neglect.
And by people of this land I mean any that have a right to live here.


BTW I may have had the privilege of being born here, but am descended from a family(on one side) that lost everything in a none too distant war in the past. I have been brought up to work hard for what you have, even though it could get taken away, have dignity and pride in everything you achieve...
Not one of us, that were born here, are true people of the land.....if you want to argue that fact. I am partner to a man who although born a Brit is from somewhere else, so you if think you I am being the old BNP type, you are sadly mistaken.


I truely believe in charity begins at home. I give my own part when I can.....because I made that decision, not because someone taxed me to do so.

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

I'm sorry, but i'm afraid giving millions away that we as a country didn't ask to give is perfectly relevant. However if we choose as a public to raise money for charity from our own 'skint' pockets then that is an entirely different matter. You don't need to patronise me on people out there being less fortunate than ourselves.
Our government should be looking after the people of this land, sometimes they do well sometimes they don't. Trust me where I live there are some seriously needy people, in more ways than monetary, that the government neglect.
And by people of this land I mean any that have a right to live here.


BTW I may have had the privilege of being born here, but am descended from a family(on one side) that lost everything in a none too distant war in the past. I have been brought up to work hard for what you have, even though it could get taken away, have dignity and pride in everything you achieve...
Not one of us, that were born here, are true people of the land.....if you want to argue that fact. I am partner to a man who although born a Brit is from somewhere else, so you if think you I am being the old BNP type, you are sadly mistaken.


I truely believe in charity begins at home. I give my own part when I can.....because I made that decision, not because someone taxed me to do so.

The only irrelevant bit was about expensive petrol and lining the pockets of corrupt governments. I agreed with it though, it just wasn't really a valid argument against my point.

I never meant to patronise. I'd agree that there are many people in this country who deserve more, and I agree that the government doesn't always do a good job. All I'd disagree about is Foreign Aid being at the top of your list of things to cut, just seems like a cop out. If we stopped wasting and squandering money here and still couldn't afford the economy, then it would be fair enough.

I know that no-one born here is a true person of this land, but that only strengthens my point!!! Why should any wealth be due to us just because we have the fluke and privilege to be born here, we're not even native...

Do you really think those less fortunate should suffer because of the mess our capitalist economy got us into just because they aren't part of 'our' country?

[dizzyblonde]

It was a mere example. NOT at the top of my list, read back it says 'amongst others'.