8/04/2008

The unusual burden shouldered by the poor

GST is across the board, no exception and no exemption. Who would this hurt most? Who would have to pay more as a percentage of their income? Under the old tax system, the poor do not have to pay taxes. Now they are shouldering the bulk of the tax in view of the large numbers of them in the population. Then everything goes up. They still have to pay. No escape. And their income has been stagnant for the last 10 years. All the good years they missed on real growth in their income. And now, when the economy is just beginning to show a little weakness, the message is that they should not get pay rises. And if they do, should not be too big to offset inflation. And they are expected to provide the workforce to clean up the rubbish and the lower level of jobs. They are expected to provide the bulk of the NS men to defend the country. And now they are expected to produce the babies to form the pyramid base. Can they afford it? Who cares. All is needed is for them to keep producing. The country needs the numbers.

5 comments:

Mockingbird said...

Should the poor get their act together and vote the uncaring elite gahmen out of power? A gahmen that keeps sucking their blood mercilessly?

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

no need to. the poor must be getting a good deal. and the govt is doing all it can do help them. and the poor know that they have a good govt and will always vote for the govt.

Anonymous said...

When they believe in more good years and GST is to help the poor, and getting handouts every now and then, they will vote for the goodies. Naive and gullible children love lollipops.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

with gst they have a lot of money to give away. that may be the reason why vivian is asking the people to help him to help the poorer people.

he needs help. he wants to help. he has a lot of money to give away, but how and to who?

Anonymous said...

So, in other words he has so much money he does not know how to give it away and he needs someone to help him or give him some idea how best he can give it away. Ok, the message is now loud and clear. Someone must bring this up to Lily Neo.