We should be outraged but most don't give a rat's...

Before Xmas I blogged a letter I wrote to my local paper which was published and has duly led to a couple of 'interesting' discussions with 'neighbours' who don't give a f--k about the daylight robbery of nicotine addicts and are quite happy for smokers to pay outrageous taxes to be spent on whatever the govt likes, thank you very much. The very same people would complain bitterly about unreasonable taxes that affect them but are happy for smokers to be persecuted. Also people have told me they love mass surveillance. It makes them feel safe.

Anyway, Jamie left a comment on it this morning which nobody will notice if I don't highlight it today.

Jamie said... I'd like to report a robbery Lindsay

https://r1016132.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/crimes-act-1961-235-aggravated-robbery-ancestors-of-mine-would-not-be-impressed/

Great post Jamie. I've borrowed a couple of images.



A Nazi anti-smoking ad titled “The chain-smoker”: “He does not devour it (the cigarette), it devours him"

US - more welfare spending, more poverty

The Manhattan Institute has just released a paper detailing US welfare spending and a making a further case for reform. I've done no more than scan through it but here's a telling couple of graphs and commentary. SNAP is the old food stamps program now re-named Supplemental Nutrion Assistance Program.(It is difficult to make any meaningful comparisons to NZ as Medicaid is included whereas unemployment insurance and social security are not considered 'welfare'.)