Britan In 12-18 Months?

[Mega]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/us/07cutbacksWEB.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

FEAR, REAL FEAR!

Mike

[Executive Sadman]

Surprising. I know some people from Colorado springs and its all air force and defense contractors around there and a few evangelical churches. No recession, just govt spending.

Think this was their zipcode. Houses dont look particularly cheap either. Not Inland California/Texas/Florida/Nevada/Arizona/Detroit cheap anyway.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/80921?sby=1

[wonderpup]

They are already turning out street lights in my area- I assumed it was some half baked environmental gimmick to save energy- but maybe its just to save money- accident rates have increased a lot where the lights used to be- lots more roadside shrines and sad little grime coated teddy bears tied (ironicly) to those same, now non working, lamp posts.

Edited August 7, 2010 by wonderpup

[Guest sillybear2]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7929223/Motorway-lights-to-be-turned-off-to-save-cash-and-carbon.html

Colorado Springs only has 1 copper for every 600 people, at least the revolution will be quick and painless.

Edited August 7, 2010 by sillybear2

[heresjohnny]

I heard something the other day about turning off motorway lights - wasn't really listening so no idea if its likely or anything other than an idea.

[Johnny Storm]

They are already turning out street lights in my area- I assumed it was some half baked environmental gimmick to save energy- but maybe its just to save money- accident rates have increased a lot where the lights used to be- lots more roadside shrines and sad little grime coated teddy bears tied (ironicly) to those same, now non working, lamp posts.

hmm two birds with one stone?

[Mega]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7929223/Motorway-lights-to-be-turned-off-to-save-cash-and-carbon.html

Colorado Springs only has 1 copper for every 600 people, at least the revolution will be quick and painless.

Why do you think "Barry" (Obama) is bring the troops home?

Mike

[wonderpup]

hmm two birds with one stone?

Hard to tell which of the dead kids were worthless scum and which where from nice respectable homes- all the grime covered teddy bears look the same after a few days.

Still, a few more RTA's are a price worth paying to keep the quangocracy in the style to which it hopes to remain accustomed I guess.

[Guest Noodle]

It's strange to watch all this from here.

Our village just got it's very first fire engine, brand new as well. Local unemployed chaps have been employed and trained to be firemen.

They spend all day playing with the thing and throw cats up into trees to get practice with the Simon's truck. I kid you not!

[Executive Sadman]

Why do you think "Barry" (Obama) is bring the troops home?

Mike

To go and wreck Iran instead.

I dont believe it personally, but thats what people are saying.

[ralphmalph]

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/us/07cutbacksWEB.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&hp

FEAR, REAL FEAR!

Mike

I do not think that Britain will be be as bad as America in 12-18 months. The simple reason is that the US has two debt/deficit problems. One is Federal but also in the good ole US of A the municipalies (local councils or county councils in our language) were also issuing debt (muni bonds I believe) to live beyond there means. As far as I know here our councils are not allowed to issue debt at all so we do not have the same problem. The councils are facing funding reductions here but the US local regions are facing a reduction in tax revenues and the fact that they can not issue debt anymore so it is a double whammy over there.

We will see change at a local level, but hopefully cutting the waste and axing non core public services we should be able to still provide the core public services to a high level. As the article illustrates the cuts being forced in America, even with Barry stimulating like crazy and the fed borrowing to fund the local regions, they are laying off teachers, cutting back the school week to 4days not 5.

I used to think at the start of this crunch that America would bounce back quickly. Now I think there is going to be an almost Thatcherite change in American society, will the American public let there municipalities get up to there necks in debt in the future.

[Realistbear]

I do not think that Britain will be be as bad as America in 12-18 months. The simple reason is that the US has two debt/deficit problems. One is Federal but also in the good ole US of A the municipalies (local councils or county councils in our language) were also issuing debt (muni bonds I believe) to live beyond there means. As far as I know here our councils are not allowed to issue debt at all so we do not have the same problem. The councils are facing funding reductions here but the US local regions are facing a reduction in tax revenues and the fact that they can not issue debt anymore so it is a double whammy over there.

We will see change at a local level, but hopefully cutting the waste and axing non core public services we should be able to still provide the core public services to a high level. As the article illustrates the cuts being forced in America, even with Barry stimulating like crazy and the fed borrowing to fund the local regions, they are laying off teachers, cutting back the school week to 4days not 5.

I used to think at the start of this crunch that America would bounce back quickly. Now I think there is going to be an almost Thatcherite change in American society, will the American public let there municipalities get up to there necks in debt in the future.

Gordon left us in good shape with only 4-5TR government debt and debt servicing just north of 100% of GDP (US is around 90% and Japan is 200%).

All our local governments are fine as the salaries for the top lads are more than the PM's so there must be plenty to go round.

As Gordon aid, we are insulated from the troubles of the rest of the world and it began in America and we have no such problems associated without our stable housing market.

Dream on.

[ralphmalph]

Gordon left us in good shape with only 4-5TR government debt and debt servicing just north of 100% of GDP (US is around 90% and Japan is 200%).

All our local governments are fine as the salaries for the top lads are more than the PM's so there must be plenty to go round.

As Gordon aid, we are insulated from the troubles of the rest of the world and it began in America and we have no such problems associated without our stable housing market.

Dream on.

I have not said we are fine and everything in the garden is rosy.

[hilltop]

To go and wreck Iran instead.

I dont believe it personally, but thats what people are saying.

Daft Dave said that Iran has nuclear weapons, so it could be true.

Are nuclear weapons the same as WMD? Doesn't matter, Dave doesn't do history.

[Jack's Creation]

Daft Dave said that Iran has nuclear weapons, so it could be true.

Are nuclear weapons the same as WMD? Doesn't matter, Dave doesn't do history.

Unlike the Labour Filth that lied about the WMD, dragged us into an illegal invasive war and sanctioned torture using rendition flights as cover. Now that's historical fact and it should always, always be hung round the neck of the Labour party supporters who voted in those psychopaths.

Never forget hilltop that your vote has lead to the deaths of innocent children.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Jack's Creation

[Unexpected]

I do not think that Britain will be be as bad as America in 12-18 months. The simple reason is that the US has two debt/deficit problems. One is Federal but also in the good ole US of A the municipalies (local councils or county councils in our language) were also issuing debt (muni bonds I believe) to live beyond there means. As far as I know here our councils are not allowed to issue debt at all so we do not have the same problem. The councils are facing funding reductions here but the US local regions are facing a reduction in tax revenues and the fact that they can not issue debt anymore so it is a double whammy over there.

Wonder how many billions those municipalities lost when Iceland went under?

[ralphmalph]

Wonder how many billions those municipalities lost when Iceland went under?

Immaterial when muni debt (separate from fed debt) is 22% of US GDP.

[Guest Noodle]

How does comparative US and UK debt maturity and roll over (if possible) play in all this?

[Darkman]

Many transit systems have cut service to make ends meet, but Clayton County, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, decided to cut all the way, and shut down its entire public bus system. Its last buses ran on March 31, stranding 8,400 daily riders.

Wow, for America this is extreme. We all know that without a car in the USA, getting round is impossible. The only alternative is a bus. What the hell are the poor going to do with no bus service? Cycle 50 miles to the store?

All this does perhaps illustrate the greatest weakness of the USA. It's so reliant on oil and transport etc, that it can't cope well with real austerity. In the UK most things are close and within reach. People could manage if they had to. But if you hit America's transport network, you effectively destroy the country.

[Johnny Storm]

Wow, for America this is extreme. We all know that without a car in the USA, getting round is impossible. The only alternative is a bus. What the hell are the poor going to do with no bus service? Cycle 50 miles to the store?

Ermm, maybe the poor should live in inner cities? Is this a radical idea? Then the rich can live in better areas, and everyone is happy

[miko]

Ermm, maybe the poor should live in inner cities? Is this a radical idea? Then the rich can live in better areas, and everyone is happy

Oh what a wonderful idear, we could do that over here , lets bring all the poor into the centre of london , they could all buy houses in places like , Chelsea, Belgravia,Kensington and Mayfair , im sure the rich would be up for that. Then they could all walk to the dole office or low paid jobs.

[Johnny Storm]

Oh what a wonderful idear, we could do that over here , lets bring all the poor into the centre of london , they could all buy houses in places like , Chelsea, Belgravia,Kensington and Mayfair , im sure the rich would be up for that. Then they could all walk to the dole office or low paid jobs.

Im afraid I cant take credit for this "idea". Poor people have always lived in the centres and the rich moved to the suburbs to get away from them. Funny that.

[Dorkins]

Unlike the Labour Filth that lied about the WMD, dragged us into an illegal invasive war and sanctioned torture using rendition flights as cover. Now that's historical fact and it should always, always be hung round the neck of the Labour party supporters who voted in those psychopaths.

Never forget hilltop that your vote has lead to the deaths of innocent children.

Think the Tories would have kept Britain out of Iraq had Iain Duncan Smith won the 2001 election? I doubt it very much. IDS was fervently pro-invasion at the time of the war.

Edit: Just reread that, if you are a LibDem or minor party voter I apologise!

Edited August 7, 2010 by Dorkins

[tomwatkins]

I do not think that Britain will be be as bad as America in 12-18 months. The simple reason is that the US has two debt/deficit problems. One is Federal but also in the good ole US of A the municipalies (local councils or county councils in our language) were also issuing debt (muni bonds I believe) to live beyond there means. As far as I know here our councils are not allowed to issue debt at all so we do not have the same problem. The councils are facing funding reductions here but the US local regions are facing a reduction in tax revenues and the fact that they can not issue debt anymore so it is a double whammy over there.

We will see change at a local level, but hopefully cutting the waste and axing non core public services we should be able to still provide the core public services to a high level. As the article illustrates the cuts being forced in America, even with Barry stimulating like crazy and the fed borrowing to fund the local regions, they are laying off teachers, cutting back the school week to 4days not 5.

I used to think at the start of this crunch that America would bounce back quickly. Now I think there is going to be an almost Thatcherite change in American society, will the American public let there municipalities get up to there necks in debt in the future.

Yea but here in the US they at least have a sense of "let's do something now". It's amazing but we Brits have to have gun stuck our arses before we sense any danger. Fed stimulus has done nothing for main stream USA. Here in Rhode Island I can't name you anything that can remotely be attributed to Fed spending at all. The roads are in bad shape but at least we have had a new section on 195 to the Cape. That was budgeted and paid for long ago but opened last year. State money.

[Dorkins]

Ermm, maybe the poor should live in inner cities? Is this a radical idea? Then the rich can live in better areas, and everyone is happy

What a brilliant plan, good thing there is no low-wage work that needs to be done outside of city centres.