To Robert,
Wow, you write real long essays. I have shortened them in my reply...
quote:RT: Â… unionism
You are advocating a socialistic argument, while I am advocating a capitalistic argument. The arguments never endÂ…
I am not advocating socialism and am not a socialist. LKY was once a socialist but he had admitted that he has since changed to a capitalist. As a result, he has probably lost touch with the ordinary people and is no longer able to understand their natural impulses and sharing their aspirations and struggles.
A capitalist society was since being built with great intense passions with his government practising the art of capitalism to the fullest to the extent of tweaking laws and regulations to stay in power as part of religion of capitalism.
He has transformed his ministers and civil servants into money making chief capitalists each to be given a first prize big sweep ticket like the lucky ones in the private sector oblivious to the struggles of fellow citizens who are increasingly getting poorer because of such capitalism.
So today HDB are profiteering from its public housing by tactics of creative accounting while GLCs are double-charging on lands and assets which were previously paid for by the people under taxation thereby driving up the costs of living and doing business.
In such a situation, it is no wonder that ministers are telling the people that unless they are paid more millions they might turn corrupt or leave for greener pastures in other turfs.
For your information, I am not a socialist. I am actually a capitalist by inclination as I will pursue wealth but with a heart so as not to cause big problems to my customers. What we need are more entrepreneurs who could create jobs for the people and not so many so-called ministers and MPs who only talk with no action. At least the entrepreneurs will work to create a win-win situation to add values to customers so that customers will come back to patronize their trades or business.
:RT: Â… autocracy
If thatÂ’s what you think our system is. Well, I am of the opinion that when things suck, the government will be voted out. 1) Things donÂ’t suck today. 2) That doesnÂ’t sound like autocracy, does it?
Autocracy is not a talent. By the nature of autocracy it is the opposite. A system of government is good only when they are not only good by autocratic assumptions but are seen and proven to be good and will benefit the greatest number of people and that is not necessarily socialist.
Will our scholars or elites have the talents to see that they are merely convenient tools for perpetuation of political power to serve sectional interest and far from serving for the greatest good of the greatest number.
Because of past mistakes we have become a country divided into super-rich and poor, talents and non-talents. Even with 66.6% votes by GRC it will be a failure if our people strongly objected to their wrong acts such as the ministers pay issue, NKF and Shin Corp.
Politics is such that for the time being there is no choice for the people to tolerate with eeking out a living for mere existence and bear with all the hypocrisy of our ministers presenting themselves as talents.
:RT: Â… ministerÂ’s salary
Again, I am ambivalent to this issue. Frankly, I am not sure. I am actually waiting to see how much pay cut the ministers will take when times are bad. Then, IÂ’ll decide.
If we want to build a competitive and cosmopolitan society, our leaders ought to take the criticisms by the people in the recent spat over their ministers' pay issues in their stride and change their mindset from worshippers to motivators and servants of the people for that will be the only way to build a united people where government and people act as one.
:RT: Â… foreigner-begging economy
If you are referring to FDIÂ… ThatÂ’s our economy. Maybe you are really a socialist who is waiting to witness the fall of capitalism. DonÂ’t hold your breathÂ…
The alternative of monies are many. The first is to change the major government policies so that the people do not have to continue to be the slaves as they have already sacrificed for the country for years without seeing any return and it would be sheer slavery to expect to continue to foot the bill.
:RT: Â… appointments of CJ and others
Just like most other democratic countries. Well, letÂ’s see if the opposition can deny the current government a two third majorityÂ…
When the ministers are afraid to lose face and constantly giving themselves excuses in arguments by fear tactics like comparing with the worse countries they might as well forget about working together and ignore all the feedbacks.
If so, we should not start this discussions even.
:RT: Â… dropping wages
If you are advocating minimum wages, I am for it. If you are advocating protectionism, I am against it.
We have created a capitalist society such that there is no loss of conscience or morality in promoting the interests of employers to get away with slavery but which one of our talented ministers will listen. Now the situation is getting from bad to worse with some workers being employed for #500.00 pm. How will he survive after paying for his bus fare?
:RT: Â… pensions
No, I am against pensions for Ministers.
Thanks for your support for this point.
:RT: Â… rebuttal as triumph card
I donÂ’t know if the Ministers are copying my argumentsÂ… Smile The point I am making is try to be less cynical and more positive.
It is a fact that people's suggestions are often ignored with "no free lunch" or other convenient catch phrases often uttered by money-making capitalist ministers who do not seem to realise that despite such lecturing they are the ones who take free lunches.
:RT: Â… unspoken craze of powerÂ… holier than thouÂ… etc.
Really? I seem to think that they are people of reason.
Prove that our talented ministers have the talents to understand people;s problems and I will give them credit for making the change all have been waiting for.
