Austerity??

Buy a history book.

And read how the 1930s depression and mass unemployment was brought to an end by massive public spending.

Total US government spending (federal, state and local) was not much more than 10% of GDP in 1930 compared to about 40% for the UK today, and total debt as a percentage of GDP was down at 20% compared to the 80% (now 100%) we're starting from.

Or to put it another way, Roosevelt had a totally different starting point to Cameron, May and Johnson.

So are you asking for a phased 75% reduction in UK government spending, reduction in debt by 80% so that we're ready to cope with the next crisis?

Didn't think so.

Turns out I own history books and economics books as well.
 
And the longest sustained growth in US history was achieved with high taxes and sustained investment in research and education.
 
I will read that definitely to get a better understanding.
Thanks Costero 👍 Infact am on leave this coming week and due a trip to Waterstones, if they have it I will treat myself 🤗
I went to waterstones last week and asked if they had any books about turtles
The girl in the shop said "hardback ??"
I said yes and small heads
 
What we should be doing, is treating the economy like any successful business - if we can reduce waste, then the business / country will become more efficient and profitable.
We tend to fall into the habit of bad practices and not learn lessons when they are needed.

Just one example off the top of my head:
The NHS. There is no function in this country to charge or take payments from visitors or people from outside the U.K. using the NHS, for free, while they are here. If I went to the US and broke my arm, with or without insurance, I’d expect to pay. Not here. We don’t even have a function in the payment system to charge for treatment. Must cost the U.K. a fortune and it’s been going on for years.

And don’t get me started on foreign aid payments to China & India.
There is a system of payment. I ended up in Chester hospital once and was charged £25 because I wasn't a local.
 
Total US government spending (federal, state and local) was not much more than 10% of GDP in 1930 compared to about 40% for the UK today, and total debt as a percentage of GDP was down at 20% compared to the 80% (now 100%) we're starting from.

Or to put it another way, Roosevelt had a totally different starting point to Cameron, May and Johnson.

So are you asking for a phased 75% reduction in UK government spending, reduction in debt by 80% so that we're ready to cope with the next crisis?

Didn't think so.

Turns out I own history books and economics books as well.
To quote another poster whose name I can’t recall....

Really?

Can we see the proof please?
 
To quote another poster whose name I can’t recall....

Really?

Can we see the proof please?
Not for people from outside the UK
Only hospitals are required to charge overseas visitors

The NHS was founded on the principle that it's a service "free at the point of use" for those ordinarily resident in the UK. But foreign or migrant patients usually need to pay a fee for their treatment.

Only services provided in or linked to a hospital in England are required to charge for overseas visitors.

From Full fact, the independent fact checkers

Apparently the waters are muddied by ex pats coming home for treatment and claiming they live here whole getting treatment.
 
Apparently the waters are muddied by ex pats coming home for treatment and claiming they live here whole getting treatment.

And we also pay their resident country a lot of money to cover them whilst living abroad . So in effect, we (as tax payers) are paying for their treatment/prescriptions twice!!
 
To quote another poster whose name I can’t recall....

Really?

Can we see the proof please?

It's easy to google, but since you're too lazy:

US government spending: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_spending_in_the_United_States

US debt/GDP ratio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_public_debt


I'll leave out current UK figures as I don't think they're in doubt, but if you can't work out how to find them let me know and I will post links.
 
Only hospitals are required to charge overseas visitors

The NHS was founded on the principle that it's a service "free at the point of use" for those ordinarily resident in the UK. But foreign or migrant patients usually need to pay a fee for their treatment.

Only services provided in or linked to a hospital in England are required to charge for overseas visitors.

From Full fact, the independent fact checkers

Apparently the waters are muddied by ex pats coming home for treatment and claiming they live here whole getting treatment.
Wiz. My post you’ve quoted was directed at another poster. 👍
 
Only hospitals are required to charge overseas visitors

The NHS was founded on the principle that it's a service "free at the point of use" for those ordinarily resident in the UK. But foreign or migrant patients usually need to pay a fee for their treatment.

Only services provided in or linked to a hospital in England are required to charge for overseas visitors.

From Full fact, the independent fact checkers

Apparently the waters are muddied by ex pats coming home for treatment and claiming they live here whole getting treatment.
All well and good in principle & written down.
Except we don’t do it. The payment system isn’t set up to charge. There’s no process for it.
 
All well and good in principle & written down.
Except we don’t do it. The payment system isn’t set up to charge. There’s no process for it.
An old friend of mine who moved to Canada over 40 years ago came home last Xmas to stay with family, he took ill over xmas and was admitted to BVH, for several days, before being discharged, and he was charged for the treatment he received
 
What we should be doing, is treating the economy like any successful business - if we can reduce waste, then the business / country will become more efficient and profitable.
We tend to fall into the habit of bad practices and not learn lessons when they are needed.

Just one example off the top of my head:
The NHS. There is no function in this country to charge or take payments from visitors or people from outside the U.K. using the NHS, for free, while they are here. If I went to the US and broke my arm, with or without insurance, I’d expect to pay. Not here. We don’t even have a function in the payment system to charge for treatment. Must cost the U.K. a fortune and it’s been going on for years.

And don’t get me started on foreign aid payments to China & India.
Efficiency in business is not the manna from heaven that everyone assumes. There is a direct correlation between what are considered to be ultra efficient businesses and poor customer service or abusive customer and supplier relations. You cannot run a government like a business the two things are entirely different. Its the same with those who compare household budgeting with government budgeting.
 
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