A Predictable Autumn Statement
Predictable in that it was more of the same, even if you don’t like one or more of bankers, large corporations, benefit claimants, pensioners, unions or drivers. I don’t like at least three!
Some taxes and allowances went up and some went down. Was it ever any different?
We need some radical ideas to get the economy going?
Take these statements which are more or less agreed policy between all the major parties.
1. Banks should lend more to individuals and businesses, so that they purchase capital goods and services.
2. Savers should get a better return on their money.
3. The banks should have more capital reserves.
Point 3 is the elephant in the room, as any money the banks get goes on salaries or to improve their balance sheet rather than more lending.
So let’s leave it out and go to peer-to-peer lending, where borrowers and savers are put in touch by intelligent computer systems.
The Chancellor didn’t take the radical route and help peer-to-peer lending at the expense of the banks. After all if he did, the price of all those Government bank shares would drop. So as they will continue to lose value, wouldn’t it have been better if Gordon Brown had done the prudent thing and put them down, when they went bust?
But then Labour would never have got another vote in Scotland. As it is, Labour doesn’t seem to get many!
Is This Proof That The Lottery Is A Tax On The Stupid?
This story from the BBC says it all. Someone bought a lottery ticket and then failed to claim a multi-million prize.
That makes them doubly stupid in my book.
All the lottery does is encourages more people to waste money they don’t have.
If you want to give a little to charity through the lottery, you are probably better to give it directly to a suitable charity.
I do gamble occasionally, but only where some degree of knowledge or mental skill is involved.
The Anonymous Widower 