Politicians, eh? While they feather their nests with cosy pensions, travel expenses, food and second home allowances, and all sorts of other top perks that no one in an 'ordinary' job ever gets to see, they're currently targeting the most vulnerable people in society, the sick, the poor, and the elderly. The ones who don't enjoy the 'benefits system' that the politicians get to exploit.
Old people now have to work longer before they can retire (thereby exposing the nonsense of Tomorrow's World, which once assured us that, in 'the future', we'd all have much more leisure time), and people in wheelchairs and with cancer (I kid you not) are now having pressure put on them (under the false description of 'assisting' them) to return to the 'jobs market'. (At a time when there are far fewer employment opportunities around than ever.)
Not only do some politicians pick up 'attendance fees' (actually paid for turning up for work on top of their wages - strewth), all of them have access to 25 subsidised bars in the House of Commons and goodness knows exactly how many canteens or restaurants. Just think - those who already have far too much handed to them on a plate (literally), can partake of the finest wines, ales and spirits in the world - for a nominal fee - while you have to pay full price for your pint of Stella in a dirty glass down your local pub on a Friday night. (A little hyperbole in that last part, but don't worry, it's free.)
And as you wonder if you have enough money to afford that microwave meal for one and a can of Coke, they tuck into a king's banquet of the most tantalisingly-delicious meals available - all laid on at our expense. Aren't they supposed to work for us? Do tell, pray, why they get to dictate to their collective employer (that's you and me, buster), the terms, conditions and remunerative fee for sitting about on their fat @rses all day, stuffing their faces with the best bevvy and grub that our taxed-to-the-hilt dosh can buy for them.
Remember when Norman Tebbitt told us all to "get on our bikes" and look for work? That's rich coming from some titled tit who has at least two homes, one of which the taxpayer pays for, so that him and his spoiled ilk don't have to get on their own bikes; or rather in one of their several luxury cars which adorn the mono-blocked driveways of their country estates (or London apartments). No sirree. We pay their first-class transport costs to and from the plush offices in which they're supposed to toil on our behalf. Make you sick or what?
The so-called benefit reforms currently under way, spring from nothing more than a resentment by the 'haves' of society, who begrudge having to part with even the most minimal portion of their over-abundance in order to assist the poorest and most unfortunate amongst us, the 'have nots'.
Of course, there are those who abuse the system, and no decent person is happy with the situation, but the amount of unclaimed benefit which never finds its way to those entitled to it probably far outweighs the sum collected by the spongers and malingerers in our midst. It is certainly significant, but you don't see the government putting as much effort into ensuring that it finds its way to those who need and deserve it.
Don't be fooled: this is Robin Hood in reverse. (More like Robbin' B@st@rds in fact.) The rich are stealing from the poor, the better to weather the continuing downturn in the economic climate.
Politicians? Nothing but money-grubbing, self-serving, cheating, lying b@st@rds!
Or do you think I'm over-reacting?
I believe the figures usually claimed are that an estimated £1.7 billion a year is lost through fiddled benefits, while £20 billion a year is saved through unclaimed benefits.
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone should encourage everyone to go out and claim all the benefits they're entitled to, and watch David Cameron's head explode.
They're just going after easy targets while feathering their own nests, Steve. I hate the buggahs.
ReplyDeleteI despise all politicans because I worked in the East End of Glasgow for several years and saw corruption, fraud and nepotism first hand. Fortunately, some of that culture is being investigated at last.
ReplyDeleteThey wouldn't be politicians if they didn't feather their own nests. We wouldn't know what to do if we had more than a few decent politicians actually there to serve the people.
ReplyDeleteNot often I agree with your posts, Kid, but this one I certainly do.
Not often you agree? Andy, are you ill? I'm the very model of reason. (Hee hee.)
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by.
Dougie, they do my head in. Always filling their pockets with the choice cuts from the table, and trying to steal crumbs from those picking them up from the floor. A total, utter shower of...
ReplyDeleteYou can finish that sentence for me.
Speaking as a victim of the bedroom tax, and with my utter FURY that they have just driven one poor lady to suicide, I would like to say Guy Fawkes had the right idea!!
ReplyDeleteOf course he did. That's why we celebrate him every year, isn't it? It should be.
ReplyDelete