PLEASE can our New Year’s Resolution be to turn off the anti-austerity tape?

Get real! If 52% of the population are taking more out of the system than they are putting in this is not sustainable. Is it even equitable?

If we and our government are spending more than we are getting then this leads to bankruptcy. We cannot go on printing money for ever. Credit card debt is now higher than it was before the crash in 2008. Wake up and do the arithmetic!

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It is all very well blaming wicked capitalism (are we sure we do not mean corporatism i.e. the economic power of large corporations to lobby government and the EU to their advantage)? This disadvantages the small companies and entrepreneurs. These small capitalists are the ones who compete on price and innovation to the advantage of us all. It is their activities that have lifted millions out of poverty.

Sadly, there are a number of people who, for a variety of reasons, cannot afford the full cost of a home or food.

Just throwing more money at them is still trapping them in welfare dependency. Is this morally acceptable?

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I agree the roll out of Universal Credit has not been well handled but it has given many more people a role in society.

Look at the glasses before you as half full and raise your eyes to see the new opportunities ahead in this very different and rapidly changing world. Please don’t play last century’s tapes.

D BRADLEY
Kingston St Mary