Originally Posted by
scorpio
With all this rioting/looting going on there seems to be a general pointing of fingers at the government and their lack of understanding as to what we really want from them.
I was just wondering what other people thought should happen now...here are a few of my ideas:
I have said for some time that they should bring back national service. I realise that I don't have any children, other than an 11 year old stepson, and a lot of parents would be up in arms about this suggestion, especially with all the wars that we get involved in, but I'll be covering that too. My father did national service and so did many others, there will always be that element that rebel against it but I think, looking back, that it gave men and women a chance to learn a trade and discipline.
A lot of people appearing in court charged with looting are either too young for national service such as the 11 year old in the papers today or are in good jobs such as the teaching assistant and the graphic designer, social worker, youth worker etc. too old for national service and in established careers. My OH was in the army for 22 years and is totally against national service. Maybe some kind of boot camp for young offenders would be preferable to sending them to young offenders institution.
Although I think we should also start to teach a trade to those interested in that line of work from about the age of 14 rather than forcing them to stay in school and resent it. The country has become obsessed with university and it's not for everyone but everyone should be given equal opportunities to shine.
I also think that we shouldn't get involved in wars that have nothing to do with us. I understand that if we don't stamp on these terrorists then we could be the next target, but if we didn't get involved then maybe they would leave our country alone.
I think if we're going to police the world we should submit a bill for our services tbh.
I keep seeing adverts for malnourished children, many of them orphaned as their parents struggle to move them from one place to another in order to find food/water. I don't have a problem with us giving aid to them at all, but I do have a problem that these poor people are still able to have children...how much would it cost to provide contraception aids as well as food? If there was a curb on the number of children being born then there would be more supplies to go around. I understand that these people want children, but do they really want the heartache that goes with losing them in such a terrible way? At least if the contraception is provided they have a choice.
You can't force contraception on people and if we were to try maybe we should do it at home first. If they stopped having children without addressing the issues with water and food they would cease to exist. I think rather than keep reacting to famine situations we would be better off helping them to help themselves by ensuring they have clean water supplies and tools and implements to work the land.
People on the dole....if the government ordered that those capable of work were to perform duties in line with their capabilities then these people wouldn't have time to get bored, they would earn their dole money whilst possibly learning a trade. There are so many roads that need repairing, charity shops that need manning, hospitals that could do with more staff but budgets don't allow them to take anyone on. There are so many possibilities and I'm sure a lot of people that are on the dole would welcome the chance to prove themselves and feel worthy again.
I do think people should have to work in some way for their benefits, I also think they should be given more financial help to help them back into work, so that it is worth their while to work.
Companies that are making vast profits whilst the rest of the country struggle. Gas and electricity come to mind, why on earth are they being allowed to charge so much that they are making billions of profit, whilst some people cannot afford hot water or heating, or are in a constant worry because they owe so much to these companies and don't know how they are going to pay. The government should put a stop to it.
The price of gas and electricity is becoming horrendous but they are private companies so they have shareholders to satisfy, no different from virgin really, yet Richard Branson can do no wrong. Should the government put a stop to all companies making huge profits? Companies making huge profits also employ an awful lot of people either directly or indirectly.
Aid for other countries...we keep sending money that we haven't got to rescue other countries from bankruptcy....who is going to rescue us?
I thought it was the international monetary fund bailing them out, not us.
Immigrants - this really needs looking at, I have many foreign friends and am not racist at all. However, I do have a problem with people moving to our country and immediately going onto benefits or working illegally.
Obviously these are just a few of the things that have gone through my mind for some time now, and there will be arguments for and against...I don't have a problem with people identifying where I'm being daft and illogical but just wanted to get them off my chest