boredAFman👍😲😡 4/sgnews
WP’s proposal for needs-based COE system is subjective and divisive: Jeffrey Siow
Among Workers’ Party MP Jamus Lim’s proposals were COE discounts for parents of more than one child under 14.
www.channelnewsasia.com
Wealth based is less divisive than needs based?
Well, you are asking people who preach "meritocracy". If my father is rich I basically have more "merit".
Technically true. If the punishment to a crime is only a fine, then it is only a crime for the poor.
Look, it is totally reasonable if Jeffrey Siow thinks it is better for COE to remain simple and be distributed by price and the incentives are properly designed. But the argument that it is difficult for the government to determine "how many children and how old the children must be to qualify for benefits" or what income level to draw the line is bloody stupid. In redistributing the COE revenues through government subsidies, the government already draws those lines - more baby bonus for how many babies, more medical/housing subsidies for what income levels, transport vouchers for who. Those lines are already drawn at the redistribution end. In all cases, there are people left out. So he's absolutely talking bullshit to use that as an argument. It's fine to reject Jamus' idea and argue that the government already subsidies families/disabled through other means (which they can use to offset COE costs). In fact ,SM Lee's response to Jamus' FB post previously was precisely that and logical, even if you disagree with the size of the cross-subsidy. But Jeff Siow's response is just plain dumb.
A whole army of smart, cream of the crop elected representatives. They can debate and refine the proposal, but no, it is easier for one man to shut it down and move on. Why is it we have to ALWAYS count on the opposition to bring up topics and ideas that are against the status quo but can potentially benefit the people.
"Ultimately, Mr Siow said, the priority is to expand connectivity for all Singaporeans through investments in public transport. For instance, S$2 billion is spent on operational subsidies to keep bus and train services running each year." wow surely that translates to a reliable public transport, right? and surely there will be no need to further increase public transport fares, right?
Want everyone to use public transport but still can say cannot have zero disruption…
He has 2 cars...
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