Sadly the WRB (Welfare Reform Bill) is now law, we are now well on our way to becoming like the USA, one of the richest, yet unequal countries in the world. I wanted to illustrate this to you by putting in a link so you could see Morgan Spurlock (he of “Super Size Me” fame )’s “30 Days” documentary “Minimum Wage” where he and his fiancé as a couple of middle class New Yorkers move to Ohio to live off the minimum wage for 30 days. Unfortunately for copyright reasons it’s not available on Youtube, but here’s a trailer planetgreen.discovery.com/v... and a bit of info via Oprah - oprah.com/oprahshow/Minimum...
There’s not a lot now we can do about the WRB we just have to live with the consequences, people have already started to move to cheaper areas due to the Housing Benefit cap, us folk who are currently unfit to work will be working for our ESA for big multi-national companies, PIP, (Personal Independence Payment) has been rolled out in the North East and the Universal Credit will be rolled out next year and young people who are unable to work and live with their parents will have their ESA means tested based on their parent’ income. (So yes, as the Manic’s James Dean Bradfield sings our children ARE NEXT and the majority of the sleepwalking UK population are tolerating this). As well as this chipping away at the welfare system we are due to have Legal Aid cut, so for those of us who have a benefit related problem, an abusive partner problem, an employment problem or some other life-changing problem you most likely won’t be able to get legal aid. Also, if you’re lucky enough to land yourself a job Cameron and friends “to improve the economy” want to make it easier to hire and fire employees, this, if like me, you’ve done a range of minimum wage jobs or temp jobs creates, paranoia and distrust. I worked once for a big burger chain for minimum wage, the ideal US style company, the “crew members” didn’t trust each other let alone the management trusting the staff, fellow crew members would steal your uniform or any personal items if left unattended for more than 1 minute, any till discrepancies came out of your wages. We also know that the Tories don’t like the idea of minimum wage and would gladly ditch it if they could. Don’t they realize that paying employees more, say a LIVING WAGE rather than a minimum wage would save the government’s tax credit bill? (Tax credits are to top up a working person’s income to make their income from a low paid job a livable income). Another WRB element that hasn’t really been publicized much (as this effects those that think the benefits cap is a good idea) is that with the Universal Credit (replacement for JSA or Working Tax credits etc) those who are in work and are on a low wage or low hours will be called in to the Jobcentre Plus and quizzed about how they could increase their income, such as asking for a pay rise, more hours, and second job etc this is quite worrying as currently I get DLA so if I get a job I can safely get a part-time job and be topped up with Working Tax Credits, however as some of us may loose our DLA we’ll have to work full-time to get an income that I can live off. I know that presently if I work full-time that at some point I’m going to fall apart at the seems and cost the NHS money.
This brings me on the NHS and the Health and Social Care Bill (HSCB) which is being discussed at the moment, in the ideal world, Lansley would swallow his pride, withdraw this outlandishly huge bill, resign and go and live on some desert island somewhere, maybe he should take Cameron with him. Despite such opposition against it, they just seem to be pushing it through just to save any political embarrassment. Ridiculous, we would actually respect them more if they did put up their hands and say “Look it is a load of s*** , and I resign , I’m ditching this whole NHS reform thing and I’m off to the Seychelles” If you have a moment and you haven’t already please sign this petition - epetitions.direct.gov.uk/pe... Cameron and friends, as well as wanting to shift over to a US style welfare system want to also emulate the US healthcare system, already the advertising campaigns are after us to take out health insurance, basically in the US you take out health insurance, so when you see you GP or need treatment your insurance pays……but…..here’s the big but that will affect us ticcers……as Morgan Spurlock and his fiancé found out that if you’re on a low income you can’t afford health insurance, also many health insurance companies don’t insure those with pre-existing conditions, such as TS! So as the providers of our Healthcare can have up to 49% private patients. As 3 out of 4 ticcers are unemployed will have a loooooonnnggg wait! And our esteemed consultants may find themselves redeployed to another role (treating private patients with other conditions) to fill up their time. Not a good situation. youtube.com/watch?v=cX8szNP...
