The unbearable lightness of cynicism
The wonder boys of the ministry of finance are at it again. They have served our (?) politicians with a wonderful mix of measures, presented in one booklet, to be voted upon in one go. Needless to say, they are talking about budget cuts. Where? From the poor, obviously, where & what else?
The idea is of course, that when these suggestions are made within the context of a few hundred others, no one will truly pay attention and all will be passed, as is usual, in one single vote.
I will highlight only one: child allowances will only be paid for children who go to school. Right. No wrong, bloody wrong.
In Jaffa the school drop-out rate is 49% from all Arab children enrolled in the sub standard public school system. When taking a closer look, you'll find out that many of these children come from extremely poor families, often cut off from the electricity grid, no running water, no adequate medical services nor adequate and healthy food.
When looking at drop out rates in all of the country, the picture isn't very different. Children who drop out of school, often come form poorer and more weakened families.
So instead of assisting those families and investing MORE in their children, in order to give them a bigger chance, perhaps invest in back to school programs (what about maybe ADDING to the child allowances of poor families?) they want to punish these families by REMOVING the child allowance.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. And our blind politicians will probably vote in favor, as the suggestion is stuck somewhere between x & y within a whole bunge of other small measures no one really pays attention too.
The idea is of course, that when these suggestions are made within the context of a few hundred others, no one will truly pay attention and all will be passed, as is usual, in one single vote.
I will highlight only one: child allowances will only be paid for children who go to school. Right. No wrong, bloody wrong.
In Jaffa the school drop-out rate is 49% from all Arab children enrolled in the sub standard public school system. When taking a closer look, you'll find out that many of these children come from extremely poor families, often cut off from the electricity grid, no running water, no adequate medical services nor adequate and healthy food.
When looking at drop out rates in all of the country, the picture isn't very different. Children who drop out of school, often come form poorer and more weakened families.
So instead of assisting those families and investing MORE in their children, in order to give them a bigger chance, perhaps invest in back to school programs (what about maybe ADDING to the child allowances of poor families?) they want to punish these families by REMOVING the child allowance.
Brilliant, absolutely brilliant. And our blind politicians will probably vote in favor, as the suggestion is stuck somewhere between x & y within a whole bunge of other small measures no one really pays attention too.
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4 comments:
I like Shimon Peres idea this week for the formation of a Gadna (IDF Youth Corps) Technological Unit to prepare youngsters for their army service....the technological training they would receive in the paramilitary course and in the IDF's technological units would stand them in good stead in civilian life when they go job-hunting.
Hopefully this Gadna Tech would be something that Israel's Science, Technology, Culture, and Sports Minister, Raleb Majadele, would promote with Ehud Barak for Druze/Arab/Muslim volunteers to IDF as well as for more Haredi volunteers in Nahal Haredi IDF units
I'm always amazed at the automatic link many people in this country make between "education" and "army".
To me it's the ultimate oxymoron.
The military and education should NEVER be mixed. Unless its educatiing the army.
But not militarising school.
Perhaps that's one of the sources of our many problems, mixing these two.
public child support is important.. but it is abused by our weaker communities and some have been found to purposely reproduce to up their allowances..
linking child support to education draws a connection between government assistance and responsible parenting..
i dont think its unreasonable..
if you cannot afford to have a huge family - dont have it.. if you love your children look after them.. educate them.. nurture them..
i think its a fair message..
having said that retroactive changes will obviously hurt some families unfairly..
and the end of the day - as always - the children suffer whether for their own parents' stupidity.. society's or the governments..
"but it is abused by our weaker communities and some have been found to purposely reproduce to up their allowances.."
What's your source for that statement?
And even if it were so, should children pay the price?
Wouldn't it make more sense to INVEST more public money in children from weakened backgrounds, so theyn will be able to ESCAPE poverty?
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