Medical research claim a furphy
Hans Peter Dietz, professor in obstetrics and gynaecology, writes: Re. “Health: political theatre aside, health cuts a bitter pill to swallow” (yesterday). The claim that monies raised by a $7 Medicare co-payment is going to fund research is utter hypocrisy. In Germany, a co-payment of 10 euro was disestablished with bipartisan support in 2012 because it was shown to cost more to administer than it raised.
A very uncharitable budget
Peter Matters writes: Re. “The vindictive budget: how the fiscal burden is loaded on low-income earners” (yesterday). The old cliche of the trickle-down effect — by big business prospering, some part of the gain would be trickling down to us plebs — has been constantly disproved over the years. Now Messrs Abbott and Hockey, the people who promised to represent all Australians, have tried something new, and I have coined a new word for it: “the trickle-up effect”.
Keith Binns writes: Much has been said about Abbott’s Catholicism. All I can say is that, as a Christian, it sickens me to see Abbott so blatantly ignoring the clear teaching of the Bible on how the poor should be treated. This is a Budget that hits the poor. That is the exact opposite of what the Bible teaches. Over and over we are told that the poor are to be protected and helped and that God will judge those who don’t do that. The other tragedy is that so many Christians are so badly taught they’ve never been told that.
Why the government hates the ABC
Joe Boswell writes: Re. “ABC’s foreign bureaux in danger after Australia Network budget axing” (yesterday). You quoted ABC managing director Mark Scott saying the government “should reflect on the evidence that finds the ABC is the most trusted and respected broadcaster in the country …”. On the other hand, Scott might reflect on the evidence that the government is already all too aware of this. It is the principal reason the Liberal Party and News Corp passionately hate the ABC and are determined to undermine and ultimately destroy it.
@ Peter Matters,
The idea of the “Trickle up Effect” is not new:
“The money was all appropriated for the top in the hopes that it would trickle down to the needy. Mr. Hoover didn’t know that money trickled up. Give it to the people at the bottom and the people at the top will have it before night, anyhow. But it will at least have passed through the poor fellow’s hands.”
Within an article by Will Rogers in the St. Petersburg Times – Nov 26, 1932
Thank you, campidg. And the chief mechanism by which it trickles up is the price of access to land, which is needed by all of us, produced by none of us, and owned by some of us, to whom the rest of us must pay tribute.
Keith Binns, I am also amazed at how many of these so-called Christians that run about the Tory party appear to be unfamiliar with Matthew 25:31-46, to whit:
31 When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.