Egad, who would our unscrupulous pollies pick on instead?

Nothing whatsoever. We do already have that for Super, after all, which is the semi-UBI.

It's an idea that's been around a very long time. At least since the 1930s. Probably before.

To me, it's a recognition of the right of every human in a country to benefit from all the capital built by all the generations before…

Libertarians put it that way, but I know of nothing to stop progressive rates or other arrangements being added alongside a UBI. Other than 'efficiency' or suchlike, perhaps.

As you note later, a UBI usually suggests taxing *all* additional income.

Better tax on wealth and assets would help make up for reduced overall personal take, would encourage investment into…

How do we form a just & equal society? Remembering that we…

Yeah right – worked so well for us all eh?

As at the end of August this year there were around 319,000 people or 11.6 per cent of working-age New Zealanders on benefits. More than 161,000…

In other words, "what's good for Wall Street is good for America and the rest…

This article deals with only half the problem.

Stiglitz puts it this way, "We've been shaping our society to create people who are more selfish." Increasingly, policies are created by the richest 1%, and for the richest 1%. Their interests…

Thanks. Useful point about what's been so lacking from our own political discourse over recent years.

Stiglitz puts it this way, "We've been shaping our society to create people who are more selfish." Increasingly, policies are created by the richest 1%, and for the richest 1%.…

thanks. revealing

I thought of the idea of the black triangle before I even knew about their Web site. Even then, it was only a…

There are also some enlightening answers from the Minister to written…

I've heard of "Daddy State" and "Angry Stepfather State", but they haven't yet caught on in a big way.

Once again, I'm reminded of the 12 Cookies joke that sprung up in the wake of the Great Recession. And it's the perfect…

It's talking about England, but seems pretty relevant to this government's modus operandi. (And, uh, David Shearer's lately. Thanks a bunch, Shearer.)

Hardly.

A series of polls are…

On the other hand, John Kerry was never in the very strong position Obama is at this stage of the race.

Not trolling, but this does sound awfully like the rhetoric heard before Bush got re-elected.......

I just don't think so – Mojo isn't in anyone's pocket.

Mitt Romney is pretty much a perpetual political idiot – the only time he takes one foot out of his mouth…

Whats that?

For the record, the Ministerial Q & A sheet says,

"More than 161,000 people have received a benefit for at least half of the last 10 years and 139,000 have spent…

Will look fwd to reading. Hope for you it's option (b). :-)

"Nanny State" is an epithet only used when the Left is trying to help people.

Our common expectations about that capability and its real impact are the underlying problem.

Exaggerate, much?
Video shows Libyans trying to rescue US ambassador
"There was not a single ambulance to carry him. Maybe he was…

I think with sympathetic mentoring and better access to appropriate healthcare, a lot of people on health-related benefits would be less sick. Everybody wants sick and disabled people to achieve all they’re capable…

It would also require them sourcing better advice. One member of the Welfare Working Group and the subsequent Work and Income oversight Board has only a 'rehabilitation'…

But what the government is…

However the solution to that…

Yet.

And in particular, p17, which says that as of June 2009 among recipients aged 28-64, 171,100 (or two thirds of…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvLeQbwuKys

who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it.

Um, what? Health, nutrition, and shelter from the elements are "entitlements", right up there with McMansion and private jet ownership? Romney would really deny people medical treatment,…

Thanks Deep Red – will obtain and read that-

it would be hard to not see recent numbers being produced as anything but a well-orchestrated campaign to soften up the disgruntled middle classes.

Sadly, I think you’re right. They’re presenting the numbers so as emphasise dependence over mobility.

Doing the numbers this way supports the ideological decision to frame the core issue as 'dependence'. Watch those nutbar WWG terms of reference produce their natural…

In the words of Bruce Springsteen's "Badlands":

"Poor man wanna be rich
Rich man wanna be king
King ain't satisfield 'till he rules…

To me, she has a touch of the Christine Rankin's – been there, got into a position of power, now feel free to demonise those rely…

it’s more likely to be someone like a 45-year-old women who suffers from depression and stress

True. It's also worth factoring in unemployment hotspots. Without significant incentives, key employers have defected to greener pastures, gutting regions.

A popular image of a long-term unemployed person might be a fit young dude who'd rather spend his days smoking weed with…

That reminds of when I was 12, collecting baggage carts around LA airport (paying a quarter each). Lingering around the check-in counter in a scraggy T and jeans when one kind soul, looking me up and down, took pity and gave me a dollar.…

At Jun-12, 64,648 people on a main benefit have been on a benefit for >10 years. 69,449 for >4-10 years. Figures include people who have changed benefits over this time.

So, roughly speaking, the minister doubled the numbers. And no one called her…

Hey, you should see the library. I kept thinking , those kids should sleep in here. It is a remarkable building. ;)

In July 2013 about 130,000 people will move on to the new Jobseeker Support, of which 78,000 will have been on working-age benefits for more than 12 months.

Wasn't sure how much of the system that captured, but based on the public service goals:…

He's fucked.

That's it. She is the Highlander.

I've been doing a bit of my own research on this recently. The grant and cancellation figures on the MSD website suggest…

Ok good spotting Sacha .. well whanau is whanau but we have very tight boundaries around work and politics. Whanau is way more important than politics which is why we have such good boundaries.

So I am on my own with getting information here.

Thus artifically inflating the numbers as there will be some who were on and off within that time.

Can that dislike for the face of legislating away genuine support for vulnerable kiwis be turned into action? AAAP had a go…

???

Maybe. MSD reported just over half of DPB recipients in a 10-year period had been supported by a main benefit for 80% of the period observed (said period…

Super is, of course, five times more expensive than the next benefit category. But it's for old people, who are considered Us, not Them.

See, the demonization of beneficiaries serves several purposes to our rulers:
– generating an underclass such…

I suspect beneficiaries with children over that age will be moved onto the Job-Seeker benefit.

http://youtu.be/yef_zvyt8_w

Taylor Fry uses a sum of all beneficiaries within a benefit quarter instead of the numbers at a point time within the quarter

Or Richard, the answers should be easier for you to get than the rest of us. :)

Which…

Pullya Benefitville
The opposition is angry in the House today with regard Hekia Parata School closures in Chch.

If worst comes to worst and tent cities or shantytowns spring up, there's already a name for them:

Bennettvilles.

And in Canada, there's another Bennett that became infamous…

Definitely not super — that's not among the "main benefits". It possibly relates to invalid benefits, but there are only 83,000 of those, and they definitely haven't all been in receipt for 10+ years. They're also not to…