RAPID RESPONSES
Firm interference
[Re: Supporters of capitalism must help expose blundering firms, yesterday]
When you compare corporate wrong-doing with the malfeasance committed by governments, corporate culpability is much smaller than the government’s. Would banks or other financial institutions offer fraudulent schemes if governments did not encourage them to? The problem can be traced to a fundamental fallacy – that government has a natural role in the economy, and a natural power to interfere in it. When governments interfere, corruption and waste follow. But governments don’t mend their ways as private companies must if they are to survive. The answer is to get the government out of the economy.
Edward Cline
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Safety net?
[Re: Should the government remove benefits from wealthier pensioners?, Wednesday]
Wealthier pensioners should not be receiving benefits. It’s a waste of money and it sends the wrong message – the message of entitlement. Beveridge envisaged a safety net for times of trouble, not a means for providing a dependent way of life. We need supply-side reforms to get our economy moving. Cuts in unnecessary benefits are a good place to start.
David Peddy
Many people seem to forget when the winter fuel payment was introduced. It was as a gimmick by Gordon Brown before an election that never happened.
Joanna Murray
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TOP TWEETS
It’s pretty impressive that with 2.5m unemployed, G4S couldn’t find 2,500 people to wear high visibility jackets and search people.
@WillardFoxton
To all our affected customers – I’m very sorry. The network is back. My focus now is restoring your confidence and trust in O2.
@ronandunneO2
While reluctance to intervene militarily in Syria is understandable, the lack of any threat by the West contrasts sharply with Iran.
@janekinnimont
A slowing Chinese economy poses bigger threat to the global economy than the Eurozone. But together they spell big trouble.
@RBReich