Its supporters no longer represent my views.
You see I believe in universal benefits, paid for by taxes.
I think that everyone should pay taxes, even those on social welfare, so that they care about Government policy.
But everyone needs to be able to afford to pay tax, so I believe in the concept of a basic income.
I hate means testing. I think it's expensive, demeaning and always unfair on some children.
I'm sick of hearing about why Michael O'Leary does not need child benefit. It is not for him, it is for his kids. Perhaps he gives very little to his wife for the kids? PACUB knows that that happens in some families.
Child benefit has been the only payment to all families that is there for them no matter what happens or how their circumstances change.
I know this because - together with DCA for my special girl - it was the only income I had at first when my contract job finished. It may be the only income for women and children fleeing domestic violence. Without it people may die.
But the government and their media lackeys seem to have won. They have divided us into little groups, all trying to fight our own corner and protect our patch. Those who shout the loudest - and vote - are protected.
I'm sick of fighting.
Now there's talk about a two tier child benefit or giving parents food stamps instead of benefits. I can't even go there. Do you give your children vouchers for Easons or Smiths or Borders instead of pocket money?
And to the people who say that there should be NO child benefit, let me remind you of this:
Our children are YOUR future too.
Seems not that you've given up the belief, so in a way, not the fight? Just the splintered groups fighting for it? Seems as if 'divide and rule' has has worked?
ReplyDeleteI don't know whether the housing benefit changes that will affect us will affect you too - but we've had a letter from our housing association to say it will soon be that each local council will choose who gets what housing benefit and how much - there will be a certain amount (cut) to share round and each council will decide independently how it will do it. Seems a lot of scope for disagreement and division there too.
Very sad, but wise words
ReplyDeleteAud xx
Sorry about this...Once there are divides...everything seems to topple..well said..
ReplyDeleteI think there are times you have to retreat from a fight for your own sanity.
ReplyDeleteI do believe in Child Benefit as a universal thing. Ok - it means that royalty and pauper get the same amount - but heck - who knows what goes on behind closed doors?
For some it's the difference between a hot meal or nothing.
Some don't get much from the partner, so CB can be a blessing.
If you feel you don't need it - pay it to a children's charity or the like.
And means testing - always someone who misses out by pennies (been there done that)
I do believe in paying into the system - ok - i'm not working just now, but hubbie is. I chose to stay at home to look after the kids - one who is now working and paying into the system after graduating (and working her way thru uni) and one who is at college just now. And i make sure that Peter's support and respite get sorted.
Sorry - off on a rant!
Well said you articulate so well what I can't say so succinctly!
ReplyDeleteI cannot say how much I agree with EVERYTHING you have written here. From the tiring fight to the universal benefits to the divide and conquer nature of government in cutting benefits and just about everything else.
ReplyDeleteSee we have that going on here too with the coalition government - it is only a matter of time before CB becomes means tested here too, in fact it has already been suggested.
It disgusts me. All of it.
But the saddest part for me is the attitude prevalent today. Well I don't get this so why should they? and the demonisation of whole groups of workers so that no one will fight alongside them when they face yet another attack on their rights and pay/benefits.
It's sad, but I don't see anything stopping it or reversing the tide.
It's all so sad. Good news about your finalist award though - for some reason I can't comment on that post, but congrats! x
ReplyDelete@Esther Montgomery - Yes I will still share stories about child benefit, but I was doing a lot more than that, from now on I will just support others. That's a worrying policy about housing benefit, I really hope it's not copied here x
ReplyDelete@Aud - Thank you x
@kathleen - I hope it won't topple, but new people are needed I think!
@Julie - Rant away, I do :)
@Anonymous - Thank you!
@Beadzoid - It really makes me feel good that so many of you agree with me!
@Steph's Two Girls - Thank you! x
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm over in England, I agree with all you say. We have a similar thing happening over here; means testing (or something similar) of child benefit. I don't agree with it because it divides people and creates infighting which seems to be happening all over the place in the UK. Also I once heard an annonymous plea on the radio from a mother married to a rich man who denied her and her children money to live off. Child benefit was her only income so it seems wrong to deny her that just because she's married a rich man. Unfortunately our governments seem intent on encouraging envy between different social groups which really angers me as noone is working together any more. So I can understand why you're withdrawing from the organisation but as Esther says that doesn't mean you've stopped fighting. Reading your post you're still political. Deb xx
ReplyDeletePS well done on getting through to the final.
@Deb - Thanks and yes I agree with everything you say too. Oh and I'm still political, I can't stay away completely :) It's time for new people and already a number of new Mums have come forward, there are new petitions ( 1 has 25,000 signatures in less than a week) and I have ended up doing a tiny bit of helping and advising in the background. But I'm not writing and issuing press releases or being the main point of contact for the media any more. It's someone else's turn xx
DeleteIt's a minefield isn't it.x
ReplyDelete@Lynsey S - It certainly is x
DeleteI read this post the other day but my phone wouldn't let me comment so I've saved it in my reader.
ReplyDeleteObviously I'm over the water but the whole thing seems to be a shambles. I think child benefit should be universal too and I worry for those children who rely on the money to provide them with basic day to day things.
I'm so sorry that you've had to leave PACUB :(
@Heather - Sorry that your phone wouldn't let you comment, thanks so much for doing so now and I hope that you won't be badly affected by the proposed changes in the UK x
DeleteWhat is it with your country? I thought Ireland was first world.... families shouldn't have to suffer in this day and age! :(
ReplyDelete@The Bright Side of Life - They call it cutting the 'low hanging fruit' :(
DeleteIt also makes me concerned that it is based on one earners wages. Once one person is over the threshold, that's it. My friend told me with glee that they would keep their child benefit even though they are both pretty near the threshold. Somehow doesn't seem fair. Sorry you are leaving the group, but you have to do what feels right...
ReplyDelete@Bizzy Mum - No that doesn't seem fair at all - it's encouraging both parents to take up low paid jobs - good for some businesses though, perhaps that's what this policy is all about?
DeleteAgree with you one hundred percent. I've never understood why Ireland seems so determined to follow the American model where everyone is expected to look after themselves. A fair rate of taxation and universal benefits makes so much more sense to me.
ReplyDeleteA friend asked me recently if I thought rich people should get child benefit and he was so shocked when I said 'yes absolutely!'. Half an hour later, I think I'd convinced him but at first he just didn't get it.
@Breda - To me the American system seems to believe that everyone needs to make provision for themselves, whereas the European model believes that everyone pays into a universal system and draws that down when they need it, and since the former has a lot of luck involved in getting it right, I would always choose the latter!
Delete