Monday, March 04, 2019

Inequality 37, Freebies forever

Free education until university, free healthcare via UHC, free cash transfer, free condoms and pills, free housing for the poor, wow. Next will be free iPads, free flat tv, free cars for the poor. The PH is turning socialistic, legislators and politicians do not have to think, just promise "free ____ for the poor", endless and no timetable. Consultants and academics (so many of them now) provide the studies to support and justify all freebies. Taxpayers are bottomless milking cows, and if they protest they are heartless and greedy for wanting to keep more of their earnings.

See these two reports:

(1) New department eyes ₱1-trillion budget, squatter housing focus
February 25, 2019 | 10:26 pm

“’…we are envisioning to have a budget of P50 billion per year for 20 years; because to construct 2 million housing units, we need P1 trillion more or less. In the next four to 20 years, we are targeting that,” Mr. Del Rosario explained.”

(2) House adopts Senate version of proposed cash transfer law
February 25, 2019 | 10:24 pm

“The cash transfers will be provided for a maximum of seven years, but may be extended upon the recommendation of the National Advisory Council….
If enacted, the DSWD will grant the following cash transfers to beneficiaries: at least P300 per month per child enrolled in day care and elementary school and at least P500 per month for a 10-month school year for those in junior high school.

Students enrolled in senior high school are entitled to a cash transfer not lower than P700 per month. Currently, education grants range only from P300-500. The education grant may be given to up to three children, aged 3-18 years old, in every household.”

Education socialists, healthcare socialists, ecological socialists, housing socialists, they expand fast. Save the planet, save the poor, save the dolphins -- but what they don't admit is "save our pockets, we need endless bureauacracies, pork barrel and endless consulting rackets."

The UHC will never have enough money. P200 B a year, P500 B a year, won't be enough. When a service is given for free or highly-subsidized, expect that demand will be larger than supply. Always, 101%. Healthcare, education, ecological and housing socialists will always demand "trillions more... forever."

Meanwhile, we may have exagerrated the role of politicians. We have underrated the role of consultants and academics, the role of multilaterals (UN, WB, IMF, ADB,...), the role of big NGOs, the role of mainstream media -- in justifying all sorts of freebies forever. The politicians happily listen to them then legislate all sorts of freebies, all sorts of taxes to finance their freebies. Income tax, consumption tax, franchise tax, property tax, vehicle tax, travel tax, oil tax, coal tax, tobacco tax, alcohol tax, sugar tax, soon bacon tax, candies tax, burger tax,...

Pwede pakuya-kuyakoy, painom-inom, sugal-sugal regularly and do little or no work. Or work 6 days a week but also drink and party 6 nights a week with zero savings. Only very few things are personal and parental responsibility, they are now state responsibility. Tamad or masipag, magastos or matipid, pare-pareho lang kakain, may free education till college, may free housing, free healthcare, ayos na ayos. Lots of incentives for people who declare themselves as poor. 
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