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Shameful Government Shameful PAP

metalmickey

Alfrescian
Loyal
It's good to have these sorts of discussions. It enables people to digest both sides of any debate. Life is never black and white and there is no perfect system of government. It's always about compromise.

Threads which contain nothing but page after page of derogatory comments about pappy dogs bring nothing to the table.

No! They are great fun! Especially when you can see that half of Singapore is tripping over each other to suck PAP balls, and the other is tripping over each other to establish who has the best "fuck PAP" credentials.

Even though no government is perfect the PAP is distinctly less perfect than it used to be.
 

TracyTan866

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Even though no government is perfect the PAP is distinctly less perfect than it used to be.

You are too kind to the pap.

A govt which is greedy is not less perfect, it is bad
A govt which neglects the poor and the orphans is not less perfect, it is bad
A govt which competes with its citizens for business is not less perfect, it is bad
A govt which taxes the sick 7% for medical services is not less perfect, it is bad
A govt which favours foreigners is not less perfect, it is bad.
A govt which compels its male citizens to do NS but gives jobs to foreigners is not less perfect, it is bad
A govt which charges its poor citizens tuition fees but gives free scholarships to foreigners is bad
A govt which doesn't tell the whole truth is not less perfect, it is bad
etc

The pap govt is bad
 

TracyTan866

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
The stats (which by the way are massaged by the Gahbrament and one can check out many articles on this including those by Mr. Leong Sze Hian) do lie or shall I say do not paint the complete picture.

By the way, Singapore is right at bottom of some happiness index. If the figures say it all, then Sinkies must be crazy people or more likely Sinkies are not crazy and the figures mask many unsavoury things. And yes, Sinkies are ball-less.



Well the political cost is yet to be known and may rise as the years go by hopefully before it's too late. In any case, in a democracy, what kind of welfare system the country should have ought to be decided by the people and not by any political party regardless of how dominant it has become due to dirty tricks, et cetera.



I didn't say you were, but should you happen to lose all your money due to some unforeseen circumstance and all your children have yet to become wage earners or God forbid do not live up to the Confucian ideal, then you will count your lucky stars that in addition to a great climate, New Zealand also has a comprehensive welfare system. :rolleyes:

By the way, we are discussing the utility of a welfare system to a country and not whether any particular individual might need it or not due to his own peculiar set of circumstances. Like you I don't need the welfare system personally, but I recognise its utility at a macro level. :rolleyes:

Thank you, Asterix!
 

Leongsam

High Order Twit / Low SES subject
Admin
Asset
An interesting article regarding welfare and income inequality from an NZ perspective. It echoes the same sentiment that Singaporeans are bleating on a daily basis.


printLogo.png


Damien Grant: Poverty isn't fault of rich


By Damien Grant
5:30 AM Sunday Nov 3, 2013

poverty_220x147.jpg



Inequality in New Zealand is rising. This is a fact. What is not clear is why some people think it is a problem.

A recent book edited by Max Rashbrooke, Inequality; a New Zealand Crisis, portrays an alarmist view of an unfolding dystopian disaster. However, Rashbrooke and many of those concerned at rising inequality fall for the zero-sum fallacy; the idea that there is a set amount of cash in the economy.

The fallacy goes that if Bob has made an extra dollar then he must have taken it off someone else; the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
The easiest way to dismantle this illusion is to imagine two farmers. The first is content with his lot but the second works extra hours to build himself a new cow shed, making his farm more valuable. He has become richer but not at the expense of his neighbour.

Economic growth is driven by innovative entrepreneurs adding to the total economy. They sometimes become rich by retaining some of the extra wealth they created. Equally, a surgeon who works long hours will derive a large income, but only as a result of repairing the lives of his patients; both benefit from the transaction. We can reduce inequality by restricting the amount of operations he performs, and rising income tax has that effect. However, that will not reduce poverty, it will exacerbate it. The rich will buy the reduced number of operations and the poor will miss out.

There's no evidence that rising social and health problems are a result of income disparities. Poor people get diabetes because they eat junk food, not because Sir Peter Jackson is rich.

Key to the inequality fantasy is that New Zealand is a neo-liberal rich-man's paradise but the facts do not support this. Bill English said the top 12 per cent of households, those earning over $150,000, pay over three-quarters of all tax. To balance this, half of all households take home less than $60,000 and pay $2.7 billion in tax; yet they receive $8.1 billion in transfer payments. Half the population are net beneficiaries.

The maligned 12 per cent are business owners, accountants, surgeons, lawyers, singers and tradesmen who make things, employ others and create wealth. We work for them and buy their goods, then we tax them into the ground and curse them their easy life. Poverty has many causes, welfare dependency amongst them, but blaming the hard-working for the failings of the indigent is not a solution.
By Damien Grant

- Herald on Sunday



 

Asterix

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
... ...
A country is different from a company. Even a 5 year old Swiss boy will know that but I doubt how many Sinkies know that even if they had migrated to First World countries.

... ...

I will also add that even a Chinese helicopter knows that.

For those who can't read Chinese, my condolences especially if you are from that race, quick go and get a tutor and start work you lazy bums:

C觀點 - 施永青
從公司管治到社會管治
2013年10月29日

曾有人倡議,可以用管理有限公司的方式來管理國家或社會。在某種角度來看,兩者的確有共同的地方,公司以股東為基礎,社會則以人民為基礎;不過,股東的投票權以持股量來決定權重,但人民的投票權則以個人為單位,不會因投票人的知識水平或社會角色有所區別。

人民在投票時,票票等值,所以實際上即是數人頭,少數得服從多數。其合理性在於最終的決定順從了大多數人的意願,不滿意的人會比滿意的人少。

但這種做法也有缺失,就是多數人的決定不一定是正確的決定。投票只能計量,不能計質。結果政客為了當選,只好順從民意。而民意則常只看眼前,不理長遠利益。政客只顧自己任內的政職,離任後才會出現惡果,政客就不予理會了。
這是有任期的壞處,但有任期亦可讓人民有機會修正自己之前的選擇錯誤。可惜,群眾的眼睛並非真的那麼雪亮,所以常常一錯再錯,飽受政治野心家操弄。

政府管的是公眾利益,火未燒近身,社會上的人不一定肯花心思去理。但商業機構則涉及私人利益,利益攸關者對公司管治的關注與緊張程度,往往比人民關心社會的程度為高。因此,公司的管理一出了甚麼問題,股東一定會十分緊張,並會設法補救。
此之所以,公司的投票權以持股多少來決定權重,持股較多的人因涉及的利益多,一定會要求有較多的話語權。如果沒有相應的權重,誰肯投資多一點?

同樣理由,由於社會並沒有讓投資多、能耐大的人在投票時有較高的權重。這類人只有兩種取捨:要麼變得對社會問題相對淡薄,把自己的能耐盡量發揮在商業方面;要麼就耍弄政治手段,透過代理人去操弄民意,以保護自己的商業利益。他們的手段往往比公司的大股東在欺壓小股東時更卑劣。因為公司的大股東有合法的權力,毋須搞陰謀詭計。

未上市的公司,小股東不容易套現,會較關心公司的運作,但上市之後,小股東如對公司的管治有何不滿,他們多會選擇賣股,而不會透過行使自己的投票權去改變公司的管治。因為這條路太遙遠了,難度極高,成效甚差。

因此,大部分上市公司的小股東都只關心股價的上落,而不太關心公司的實際管治。而公司的管理層亦不會真心相信小股東的意見可改善他們的管治。每年股東大會選董事,管理層與大股東都早有安排,只搞等額選擇,不搞差額選舉;實際上只形式上走過場,完全沒有選舉的真正內涵。

在現實世界,社會的管治比公司的管治更複雜,而人民對社會管治的關心程度往往比小股東對公司管治的關心還有所不如,因此,很多民主選舉也和公司選舉相差不遠,亦是走過場,只是場戲做得好看一些吧了。

http://www.am730.com.hk/column-178712
 

gingerlyn

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Singapore Government and PAP is very shameful.
Malu!
Its servers were hacked last saturday and today Clementi is flooded.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/flash-floods-at-several/873732.html

You can see PAP and government screws up almost everyday! Where are the PAP intellectuals who are receiving millions of salary and claim that ordinary sinkies are duff?

Singapore is sharing the same border as JB and you don't see JB flooded as frequent as Singapore.
what is the function of Marina Barrage?

Flash floods at several areas after afternoon heavy rain:

PUBSINGAPORE: National water agency PUB said flash floods were reported at a number of locations following heavy rain on Monday afternoon.

The areas affected by floods were -- Dunearn Road (between Yarwood Avenue and Binjai Park), junction of Sunset Drive and Sunset Square, slip road from Clementi Road to Ulu Pandan Road, junction of Clementi Avenue 4 and Commonwealth Avenue West, and Lorong Kismis.

PUB said the heaviest rainfall was recorded at Ngee Ann Polytechnic rain gauge station, at 86.6mm from 3pm to 4.40pm.

It peaked between 3.30pm to 4pm, with a rainfall of 51.8mm.

The agency added that at Dunearn Road, intense rain had caused a section of Bukit Timah Canal to overflow, though the road remained passable to traffic, and the waters subsided within 25 minutes.

The slip road from Clementi Road to Ulu Pandan Road, however, was not passable to traffic for 15 minutes.

PUB advised the public to exercise caution as flash floods may occur in the event of heavy storms.

- CNA/nd
 

gingerlyn

Alfrescian (Inf)
Asset
Shameful PAP regime uses SPH MSM media to show to sinkies that SMRT is not crowded and comfortable for the commuters. Please read this news link and you will notice that this kind of picture is not truthful and perhaps only happen once in 50yrs.
How often you can experience such a comfortable cabin situation? No crowded, no foreigners and all happily read their newspapers and using their smart phone? The SMRT that I know is always crowded and dirty and filled up with inconsiderate foreigners. Surprisingly in the photo below, there is no Indians, Chinese PRC and Filipino in the cabin! Can you believe this photo?

http://www.straitstimes.com/breakin...rators-asked-share-gains-hikes-needy-20131106
 
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