tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post3470977694726557453..comments2023-08-11T13:48:58.583+01:00Comments on Mid-Wife Crisis: A Parallel Universe?Polly James (aka Molly Bennett)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10997400503233527235noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-53651362479425784602010-05-22T12:00:54.318+01:002010-05-22T12:00:54.318+01:00Try telling that to the people out there strugglin...Try telling that to the people out there struggling to pay the bills and feed their families. Without any flat screen tvs.<br />I'm sure they would feel much wealthier if their bank balance was a little less red.<br /><br />Anonymous no. 2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-43842810283647296432010-05-21T13:08:43.248+01:002010-05-21T13:08:43.248+01:00To anonymous 2: I'd have to suggest you're...To anonymous 2: I'd have to suggest you're looking at the wrong things. "Wealth" and "rich" apply to the consumption of goods and services which is enabled by (amongst other things) "cash". The rich are richer not particularly because they have more money but because they have more ability to consume.<br /><br />The poor are getting richer because they too have an increasing power to consume as wealth grows within the economy and as technology brings prices of goods and services down (yes, I know fuel prices always rise, but that's tax and eco-lunacy for you). If it wasn't so, we'd still be in the 1950's or 1960's, instead of seeing living standards rising relatively constantly. In case you're too young to remember, "poor" then meant something very different to whether you only have one flat-screen tv in the house.<br /><br />I agree there are many things that can be done to help the poor improve their lot - getting rid of a benefits system that penalises at the rate of >90% on marginal tax rates and allowing people to keep what they earn would be a good start. But don't confuse bank balance and wealth. It's an elementary - some might even say naive - mistake to make.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-8690236145419595692010-05-20T16:46:20.780+01:002010-05-20T16:46:20.780+01:00Ooh, gosh - think Greg and I have started a debate...Ooh, gosh - think Greg and I have started a debate! Thanks for commenting, you guys.....Polly James (aka Molly Bennett)https://www.blogger.com/profile/10997400503233527235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-83519165401147949722010-05-20T16:16:42.657+01:002010-05-20T16:16:42.657+01:00To anonymous:
Of course the gap matters. If the po...To anonymous:<br />Of course the gap matters. If the poor are getting richer, but the gap is widening, any gain in riches at the bottom end of the scale will be eaten up (and more so) by the associated increase in cost of living and general inflation. Don't be so naive.<br />From anonymous no.2Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-28490011931600448682010-05-20T09:22:23.476+01:002010-05-20T09:22:23.476+01:00I did think Labour and the Tories swapped policies...I did think Labour and the Tories swapped policies and ethics over the last few years.<br /><br />I thought it was just me imagining things.<br /><br />The Tories giving a monkey's arse about income gaps...who'd have thought eh?Roseshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07469442580348062913noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3329300544060491287.post-37746794630552395842010-05-20T09:15:18.509+01:002010-05-20T09:15:18.509+01:00The gap between rich and poor doesn't matter. ...The gap between rich and poor doesn't matter. What matters is that the poor are getting richer. It's not rocket science.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com