Economic Illiteracy

I see the usual suspects are out in force protesting.

A central London councillor has mocked anti-austerity protesters on Twitter telling them to “go wave your banners” while the “grown-ups get on running the country”.

He has a point. When you are in debt, there are two ways you can get out of it; reduce your outgoings or increase your income. Given that for the state, the latter means more taxes on the productive, there is a limit to just how much you can squeeze people. And, besides, the state is inefficient and wasteful, so reducing spending makes sense. And, there are plenty of places they can do it without affecting front-line services. We have unnecessary departments doing stuff we neither need, nor want. We currently piss money away on foreign aid and the third sector. All of this can go forthwith.

But what really annoys me is the idea that the mild reduction in spending that we have witnessed is “austerity”. The cretins who claim that it is have clearly never experienced it. My parents’ generation lived through rationing. They understand austerity. The pampered generation of today don’t know what it means. I’m inclined to believe they should,  so that they really do have something to complain about. So, more cuts please. Deep, hard cuts. Slash and burn the state and the parasites that feed on the money generated by the productive.

Then, fine, let the whingers complain. I might even be inclined to listen. Until then, forget it.

Hundreds have gathered with placards reading “No cuts” and “Stop Union Busting” and celebrities such as Russell Brand and Charlotte Church have joined protesters on the street.

Oh, right, Britain’s finest brains, then.