Are you ready for 7 million people on tiny Singapore?

[3Boys]

WeiHan:

The ground IS indeed very unhappy about FTs issue because ever since they open the floodgate, wages have been suppressed for most Singaporeans despite good, reasonable economic growth. On top of that, prices for space, public utilities, transports etc... has increased for everybody. Like what was succintly articulated, the profits for increased population is privatised (i.e. it benefits very few people) but the cost of it is nationalised (everybody including the middle class and the poor).


The latest jobless report says that the jobless rate has decreased further to 1.7%. So how does controlling the floodgate chase jobs away as the government claimed?

You've got it backwards again.....sigh.

If the jobless rate is low, why are people so concerned about FWs?

[WeiHan]

3Boys:

WeiHan:

The ground IS indeed very unhappy about FTs issue because ever since they open the floodgate, wages have been suppressed for most Singaporeans despite good, reasonable economic growth. On top of that, prices for space, public utilities, transports etc... has increased for everybody. Like what was succintly articulated, the profits for increased population is privatised (i.e. it benefits very few people) but the cost of it is nationalised (everybody including the middle class and the poor).


The latest jobless report says that the jobless rate has decreased further to 1.7%. So how does controlling the floodgate chase jobs away as the government claimed?

You've got it backwards again.....sigh.

If the jobless rate is low, why are people so concerned about FWs?

Then the jobless rate must be high and the figure provides by government must have a hidden agenda.

[janet88]

Irrelevant:

ngl2010:

Btw, I think last year the govt also said that they will increase income tax. Not now but in the future. Life is going to be very very tough....

Now then you realise? [Sorry ah, sarcasm is in my blood.]

Every time opposition open their mouths to government = please spend more.

Every time government lose share of votes = spend more to buy back votes.

See where the inevitable conclusion is? Exactly, a race to buy votes.

I think many of us do feel some unhappiness.

It is ok to express your feelings.

Before election, give money...buy the hearts (sorry I am sarcastic now).

After the tragic accident, traffic police stepping up patrols. Road offences only seem more obvious now?

[WeiHan]

Irrelevant:

Every time opposition open their mouths to government = please spend more.

Every time government lose share of votes = spend more to buy back votes.

See where the inevitable conclusion is? Exactly, a race to buy votes.

Is quite interesting to see how you draw conclusion completely opposite from what what most people have been drawing.

majority conclusion: every time PAP won an election, prices increase ( be it GST etc...)

Your conclusion: Tax increased in future is due to opposition winning votes.

I think: If not because of opposition gaining some votes, GST would have already increased to 10%.

[3Boys]

WeiHan:

Irrelevant:

Every time opposition open their mouths to government = please spend more.

Every time government lose share of votes = spend more to buy back votes.

See where the inevitable conclusion is? Exactly, a race to buy votes.

Is quite interesting to see how you draw conclusion completely opposite from what what most people have been drawing.

majority conclusion: every time PAP won an election, prices increase ( be it GST etc...)

Your conclusion: Tax increased in future is due to opposition winning votes.

I think: If not because of opposition gaining some votes, GST would have already increased to 10%.

And pray tell, what is wrong with GST at 10%, if there is mitigation in increased social spending to compensate? Many countries with a socialist bent have higher GST than Singapore. One dimensional thinking again, WeiHan?

[3Boys]

WeiHan:

3Boys:

[quote=\"WeiHan\"]The ground IS indeed very unhappy about FTs issue because ever since they open the floodgate, wages have been suppressed for most Singaporeans despite good, reasonable economic growth. On top of that, prices for space, public utilities, transports etc... has increased for everybody. Like what was succintly articulated, the profits for increased population is privatised (i.e. it benefits very few people) but the cost of it is nationalised (everybody including the middle class and the poor).


The latest jobless report says that the jobless rate has decreased further to 1.7%. So how does controlling the floodgate chase jobs away as the government claimed?

You've got it backwards again.....sigh.

If the jobless rate is low, why are people so concerned about FWs?

Then the jobless rate must be high and the figure provides by government must have a hidden agenda.[/quote]Haha! If you say so..... :siao:

[Harlequin]

Irrelevant:

ngl2010:

Btw, I think last year the govt also said that they will increase income tax. Not now but in the future. Life is going to be very very tough....

Now then you realise? [Sorry ah, sarcasm is in my blood.]

Every time opposition open their mouths to government = please spend more.

Every time government lose share of votes = spend more to buy back votes.

See where the inevitable conclusion is? Exactly, a race to buy votes.

Incidentally, we do not have a monopoly on this phenomenon. Just ask Uncle Sam.


“The American Republic will endure until the day Congress discovers that it can bribe the public with the public's money.”
― Alexis de Tocqueville

Eh, a very good one!
And, excellent quote aptly applied here.
:goodpost:

[Harlequin]

pirate:

ngl2010:

How to make govt listen that we don't want this ponzi scheme? Petition (please don't say elect WP because we all agree that they are not ready to be the govt)? I am very pessimistic that they will listen to us because they usually carry out their plan regardless of the ground sentiments (please correct me if I am wrong). Really feel hopeless now :sad:

Don't just say what you don't want. Say what you want. Then think about the costs of what you want. After that, decide again whether you still want it.

Another good one! :goodpost:

[Harlequin]

Just relax:

I think the reaction to the White Paper is the knee jerk reaction to Singaporean's unhappiness with FT in general. The Govt. has miscalculated ground sentiment on this issue and has not done a good job to differentiate between SC and PR. It's lax policy of allowing PRs to become SCs easily has also devalued being a SC.


Govt. is now trying to change course and has promised tighter control but before can implement controls snd SHOW results the White Paper comes out and again Govt. seems desperate to have many FTs as possible.

Poor timing by Govt. which shows poor reading of ground sentiment. For Singapore-born SCs who love their country it appears that Govt. is taking them for granted. White Paper may be right in its numbers and are produced by bureaucrats who work with numbers and cold, hard reality of life but politicians must learn to translate cold hard reality into digestible news for the people. Govt. has hardware and software but lacks heartware! I hope Govt. realizes this early enough otherwise people will vote opposition for the wrong reasons and when opposition itself is not ready to lead the country. Then there will be confusion.

I think part of the problem is PAP does not want charismatic politicians for fear of undue influence over people. Look at US, Barack Obama is so ill-prepared to lead a country with zero CEO or Governor experience (Senator experience is even worse than our own MP's experience!) yet he got elected. The difference is that US is too big and strong to be affected by 1 individual, but Singapore is different.

So PAP has technocrats and nobody with charisma to fire up the passions of people and deliver news and policies that people can understand and accept. Opposition is also in the same boat except for LTK, but he can only fire up Chinese-speaking base not the English-educated base.

Wah, many good posts this Saturday afternoon.
:goodpost:

[Harlequin]

3Boys:

WeiHan:

[quote=\"Irrelevant\"]

Every time opposition open their mouths to government = please spend more.

Every time government lose share of votes = spend more to buy back votes.

See where the inevitable conclusion is? Exactly, a race to buy votes.

Is quite interesting to see how you draw conclusion completely opposite from what what most people have been drawing.

majority conclusion: every time PAP won an election, prices increase ( be it GST etc...)

Your conclusion: Tax increased in future is due to opposition winning votes.

I think: If not because of opposition gaining some votes, GST would have already increased to 10%.

And pray tell, what is wrong with GST at 10%, if there is mitigation in increased social spending to compensate? Many countries with a socialist bent have higher GST than Singapore. One dimensional thinking again, WeiHan?[/quote]Yap! That's right! Want more social spending? Gov must look into ways to broaden the tax base, or increase the rate of the current tax base!

Increase the population is also widening the tax base, but don't go down well with people. By 2050, every 1 working adult is paying for 2 retirees. But, that, leave it for our children to grieve, to complain, or to vote for opposition etc. But, all things too late!!

It's either we ride the stormy water now and steer to the safer and calmer side of the ocean, or forever trap in the storm and waiting to be capsized!