Donald Trumps Wall appears to have started in Yorkshire. Here it’s probably to separate the privileged few from the many.
In my country professions like Teaching, Policing, Nursing, Clinical Specialties once we’re highly respected. This respect was reflected in pay and pensions. Unfortunately times have changed. Or should I say Government Priorities have changed. The argument was that low taxes was the new king. Low taxes on the rich and the money generators started to dictate thinking. The Government started to pick fights with various professions. A deliberate attempt was made to erode public confidence in areas like teaching, health and policing. Then the money generators messed up and we had the financial crisis. Suddenly austerity was needed. But again it was austerity for the many while protecting the few. So the Many and the Public Sector took the hit.
Government introduced competition into all areas. Suddenly contracts were awarded on best value for money. Best value rapidly became defined as the cheapest. As a result the workload on services increased. Quality levels dropped. Providers repeatedly changed. Unfortunately on top of this the pay and pensions of hard working professionals were also squeezed.
When people find their wages and pensions squeezed three things can happen
- They buckle down for less money but their standard of living is eroded,
- They become disillusioned,
- They leave the job.
The Government trots out the argument about the cosy public sector life. The country will be better when everyone works in the good old private sector. Let’s not forget that our Prime Minister said of his own position
‘My Cabinet Ministers salary of £141,000 is not enough for me to live on’
When he said those wise words he was living in his rent free £20M Ministerial Mansion…. one rule for the few and a completely different rule for the rest of us.
A kid with Autism needs above all stability. Continuity in care. Trust is a commodity which takes along time to develop. But those key qualities have been destroyed by Government Policy. This year every single Teacher and Teaching Assistant changed for our Son. We have had to start again trying to build up the so important knowledge base of his particular educational needs. His Paediatric Care Provider has changed and we wait for his new clinicians. Wait is the buzz word. Appointments have gone from 4 times a year to twice a year to once a year. Not sure what the definition for a Year is. We recently received a letter saying that due to the change of provider the next appointment will be significantly delayed. He has had the same Physio for 4 years. But she quit her role. Then the next Physio left after one session. Another Physio then left before the first session. Currently we are waiting another a Physio to be appointed. He had access to a brilliant Clinical Psychologist but she retired and was never replaced. He started work with a Speech Expert but after 2 months she left the profession and the service was cut. He started a programme to work on his optical muscles but the service was cancelled with responsibility passed over to Education. Education refuses to provide that programme. I could go on…
So while our PM moans about his falling living standards the many are picking up the pieces. That’s modern Britain. It’s not Great Britain anymore. It’s certainly not great if you are not one of the Few. And it’s certainly not Great if you are a kid with Autism.
😱🤬🤯😳😱
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😊
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Politicians out of touch. Our premier recently stated that university professors shouldn’t be paid as high a salary once they turn 65 and collect a pension (which they paid into) …says a politician who will receive a Golden pension after leaving office even if they are many years away from the retirement age of 65.
That’s what entitlement does to one’s thinking.
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The top team look after themselves everyone else is unimportant. The fact that a headteacher looking after the future of so many kids gets paid a fraction of the hedge fund investors says it all.
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I feel frustrated just reading about your challenges, I really don’t know how you manage .
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Too many people are in a far worse place than me. That is so worrying.
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Indeed!
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🙏
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Look how Great the Orange Idjit is making America. Shall we send him over? Oh wait, you’ve got his clone already. Well education then, want DeVos? Oh that’s right, you already have someone similar.
I was talking to my pain doc about how medicine is a business now instead of a calling. He absolutely agreed. He said he spends more time trying to figure out the billing and fighting insurance companies for payment than he does with patients.
Something has to change soon. I really think people have had enough. I have to hope so anyway.
💌
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It doesn’t matter how things change–as long as we have politicians! And as long as we have capitalists controlling those politicians. There is no sane or safe cure. The deck is stacked, the fix is in.
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That’s what the pragmatist in me says, but still I hope…
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Hope is a good thing, but not a sure thing. Time will tell.
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There is always hope. Might be false hope. But it is hope.
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One day at least for our kids.
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The deck needs to fall.
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The poop deck?
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No but you can send Obama or Ocasio-Cortez or Bernie.
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Wait. What? You actually want those three? You actually think those three would be any better? O.M.G.
Please. Take them. PLEASE.
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Better than our muppets.
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Oh dear god, one of our politicians said the same thing -.- They have to be on some sort of drugs. I just can’t stand how entitled they’ve all become!
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Particularly now as the ‘Age of Entitlement’ is over as our ex-treasurer said not so very long ago. 😦
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But not for them. It’s back to Victorian days.
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🙏
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When you are so self centred it becomes second nature. These days it seems to be the only qualification for high office.
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If Britain ever needs a ‘bale-out’…. 😉
You’ve gotta laugh at life, huh? It’s become a joke for so many.
A sad, sick joke.
I’ve heard on two separate occasions this week that firms don’t hire accountants any more, no-one is looking to employ them – their duties are basically performed by algorithms on virtual shared-platform networks.
So what do you do if you are a surplus accountant now? Drive for Uber Eats?
What will be the next profession to disappear, I wonder?
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But how long before Uber Eats drivers are replaced by drones?
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There could be made argument to the effect that many humans have effectively already become drones themselves.
Bzzz, Bzzzz. Buzz-bzzzzzzzz….
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👍
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I need a degree in drone piloting
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A big one to keep us going. Probably teachers or nurses next.
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Support staff in each – certainly. 😦
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Our Home Secretary smiles a sickly smile as she told us that it was a great day that freedom of movement was being stopped. You smile while you take away our rights to travel freely to 26 countries. Doesn’t bother her in her private jets….
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Money can’t buy you happiness – but it does get you greater degrees of Freedom! 💰 💰 💰
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It does and it’s going to increasingly do so.
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‘Till the Revolution gets up to speed at any rate! 😉
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Better make another a cup of tea.
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Hahahahaha. 😀
There’s always time fer a cuppa!
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There always is.
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Just shocking!!!
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It is
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It is all utterly appalling.
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It is.
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Service? What’s that?
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It’s a standard charge on bills now…
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🙂
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🙏
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Politicians should be made to live in the real world for a year with no expense account, and no rebates afterwards. It makes my blood boil when they say £140K plus is insufficient for their needs. They should sell the second home, cancel the exotic holidays, ditch the posh car and kick the mistresses into touch. We are officially in severe poverty (Government web site!) yet we probably lead a better life than they EVER will, which defeats the bloody object as it’s seen that we don’t need help. Education is a farce……. exceptional talent and abilities are ignored in favour of computer screens. Even teachers can’t spell and heaven forbid a student should ask a question that is not in their idiot guide to teaching, and the whole class is disrupted because they don’t know how to answer. Your son is amazing with his retention to detail, but do they focus on that? No.
Sorry Gary. Your post has hit a nerve and I’m behind your comments all the way.
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Many are angry. Sadly when people are angry the extremists can move in. But again the people at the top won’t ever experience that.
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That’s the sorry part. 😦
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🙏
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There is such a disconnect, it is so frustrating. Wish it would change. I guess like it has been said, there is always hope.
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We have to have hope. But this is not sustainable.
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Happening here.:(
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Which is so sad.
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Sobering thoughts! 🤔
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It is
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Yup. Still suffering from a salary freeze although I think we got 1% last year. Both my wife and I are public servants, recently now civil servants and we are a great deal worse off than we were ten years ago. Income has been flat but prices, the cost of living, has snowballed in the same period. None of this easy with two kids. I never will understand why the public sector are vilified by the wealthy, it just doesn’t make any sense.
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It’s because the ruling elite don’t tend to use or rely upon the public sector. It’s so sad.
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DAMN. This is just one of those shake my head, “damn, man” moments. You’re absolutely right–those who’ve never had to live without the silver spoon have NO IDEA what it’s like just to FIND any sort of spoon, let alone hold onto it.
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They have no idea. They don’t want to have any idea. Fundamental change is needed.
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