Tuesday, May 8

So angry

Sometimes, i suppose, it 'd be much healthier not to read the paper early mornings.
Today's Ha'aretz tells me the minister of welfare wants to re-establish food coupons for the poor, to ensure they will receive food safety. What about paying liveable wages (some 40% of Israel's poor are employed full-time, but do not make enough money, the so-called "working poor") and enforcing these? And returning the horrid cuts in social security payments? These will do much more for food security.
The brilliant plan is an answer to the demand of various food charities, who believe they should not be held responsible for something so basic as food security. They are right of course, but a coupons program is NOT the answer.
Simply: PAY more.
Funny enough that has worked in several countries where it was tried. No, people did not loose their jobs and factories were not closed, and no there was not more unemployment as some of the cronies of the very wealthy want us to believe, whenever raising the minimum wage (and bloody well enforcing it) is mentioned.
Another "lovely" one from the Ha'aretz front-page: Netanyahu our next minister of defence? Noooooooooo, tell me i'm still asleep, please.

Which reminds me of the fact pointed out by "New Voices" that 18 families in Israel
"earn one-third of Israel’s commercial revenues, totaling approximately 44 billion dollars. This revenue counts for 32 percent of income within the State of Israel, but does not reflect the families’ inherited wealth, savings or any income from investments outside the country. The families’ earnings increased four percent from the previous year".

The same article also points out 7 of those families are friends of our beloved chairman (aka Olmert) , who, with Netanyahoo, sold them many of the country's assets in the framework of their beloved "privatization".

Where's the emergency exit?

6 comments:

Lirun said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Lirun said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Tsedek said...

Aaahhhh... so you DO read my blog :D :D

It's a total shame, but see how Nobody explained it in the comments section of my blog: tho I think it still doesn't justify for the corruption in this 'I'll scratch you back if you'll scratch mine' mentality that is holding our country hostage.

yudit said...

Lirun commented, then decided to delete his comments.
I'm against censorship and welcome anyone to comment. However, once the word is out, it's out.
And as i keep a copy:
Lirun's words once more, without any change or alteration. Which doesn't imply i agree with him:

its absolutely insane that the wealth is so concentrated.. but i dont blame anyone for prospering.. i also dont think its bad that people can work hard and aspire and achieve..

i am more concerned about the system being structured in a way that prefers the dreams of the "fraternity" over those of anyone else..

minimum wages are a tough one.. it is an art balancing the right amount without hurting th every industry that feeds and without driving inflation through the roof..

also.. most of the people thathurt from minimum wage stipulations are not the wealthy but small to medium business owners.. the same ones who are subject to a 90 % failure rate for years 1 2 and 3..

the big boys and girls mostly dont pay minimum wage but enjoy the fruits of highly skilled labour that in our country;s case happens to still be relatively cheap.. but these guys still wont benefit from a minimum wage threshold - except for while they are students..

another approach may be to return to the days when prices on staples were better controlled.. i remember as a kid - a bread roll was 10 aguroth and a pita was 20 aguroth.. shakshuka in a pita was 3shequels.. a falafel was 5 and a half was also 3.. these days a falafel is around 13.. i new i should have invested in chick peas hehe

i remember when mineral water was 90 aguroth.. when bus fare was 30 aguroth..

not sure who deregulation of these items has assisted..

another thing that may be done is the addition of luxury taxes..

all the while keeping in mind that without the greedy being so greedy we lose our crust - and with them we lose investment.. we lose entreprise and ultimately the middle class fades..

a balance needs to be achieved somehow..

i do have to add however - that taking 200 shequels from my grandmother every month and giving them effectively to me was the dumbest thing bibby ever did..

having said that with the car leasing tax increase the gov will be disincentivising a huge portion of the middle class and the incidental industries.. while it doesnt hurt me too much.. i can imagine that all the periferal towns that my friends and i visit every single weekend will suddenly lose the internal tourist dollar which until now helped to spread the wealth from the centre outwards..

yudit said...

And another comment by Lirun, which he himself deleted, once more, without any alterations.

hi

wondering if u had dinner at the namal today.. i thought i saw you..

Anonymous said...

One, found under a dust covered carpet:
A law is something which must have a moral basis, so there is an inner compelling force for every citizen to
obey.

Chaim Weizmann