Thursday, February 02, 2012

Sandwiched middle class

Mitt Romney, the contender for the Republican nomination for US Presidential election, said "I am not concered about the very poor". Read this news.

His reasoning is that the very poor are already taken care by government assistance programs. The middle class are the ones that face the squeeze. This remark also applies to Singapore.

What is the best way to help the people? Where do you draw the line between the assistance to be given to the very poor and those that do not need assistance? What are your views?

I wish to add a personal note. Mitt Romney comes from a wealthy background and was a high income earner from a management consulting firm. He belong to the 1% elite and will not be able to solve the challenges faced by the  USA.  I hope that he is beaten by Barack Obama in the Election.



8 comments:

  1. Wow, I never have thought of that idea! Hmm, that's just why the economical status of the country, if not on the same stream, just continues to fluctuate because as poor people are being raised up, the middle class are left behind are are slowly being dragged down by poverty.

    financial planner Adelaide

    ReplyDelete
  2. I hope Mitt Romney wins the Republician ticket so that Obama has a easier task to get his 2nd term. Everyone knows Bush started 2 wars, brought US Finance to the blink of bankruptcy & has 2 shoes thrown at him in Iraq. Obama will win his 2nd term as there is no one who fit the bill now. As for Sgp Sandwich class, how can the Govt help? I don't think they will do anything since the next 5 years is spending money on infrastructures [MRT/Drains & Ministers' Salary] and moderately reduce inflow of foreigners. As for us, keep debt low, hold cash and hope more good quality oppositions win GE 2016 as PAP is not doing much to connect with the voters after GE2011. Like they say, TOO BIG AND PROUD TO REINVENT....

    ReplyDelete
  3. No political party can win 60% mandate without majority support coming from the middle class.

    And in developed countries like USA or Singapore, the middle class is huge, at least 50 to 60% of the total, if not more.

    When the middle class are happy and satisfied, they will most likely support the best party available.

    And in Singapore, I think PAP has no problem getting middle class support, even though not all are happy and satisfied.

    Simply because PAP is perceived by the middle class as the best party available. And for 46 years!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are not risk takers.

    We know only one style of Government
    Any other idea is shot to pieces.

    Would you risk your CPF(whatever is left of it)?
    Would you risk your HDB flat?
    Would you dare rock the boat by writing your name on any feedback such as this blog?

    We enjoy the status quo too much and we are very comfortable. Despite the loss of a GRC.. we will continue to vote the PAP.

    We are not risk takers, despite some of us being regular gamblers at the resorts.

    It will take many more years for any change to happen.. not in my lifetime..I am already 55.

    My vote is secret.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Actually, Romney is much more complicated than that. Yes, he is wealthy, but he didn't inherit his wealth, he earned it through hard work. And despite his wealth he lives a very frugal life(there are many stories about his frugality on the internet). So I wouldn't assume he lost touch with the ground.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yes, we plump for Obama to continue a second term, Republicans usually come from rich backgrounds or supported by the rich Jewish Americans, who like to churn the American economy to benefit themselves only.
    But Obama so far has not shown any real success to solve the economic troubles. His only hope is to start a war with Iran, maybe a minor one, and has been provoking the Iranians to make the first move. Democrats are anti war by history, but Obama could take the excuse to go into one, if American interests are at stake. He has wrapped up American involvement in Iraq and Afganistan, so could concentrate on Iran now. CIA has killed the Iranian scientist by stealth, but killing one is not enough to make Iran declare war, and Obama knew this, but he would keep on irritating Iran.
    By the way, LKY did not believe a coloured American would become President, let's see whether Obama would be the only one term President by default of his colour.
    But we guess he would only lose out in November not of race, but by the still languishing economy.
    As he represents the poor and the middle class, we are on TKL's side.
    Obama must take on a second term, for the poor and middle class Singaporeans' sake.
    Enough of Elite politicians bullying us.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Add more assistance fund and raise household income limit for whatever government assitance to meet the sandwish or medium income group and issue more "fund" for the poor and less for the medium income to ensure all singaporean benefit from the government assistance scheme.

    Give incentive for employers who hire those singaporean age 45 and above as these group of singaporean has been marginalized by singapore's pro-FT policy (ie. this group has been victimed or sacrificed by singapore its own success...)

    ReplyDelete
  8. A very interesting post maybe the government needs attention for this issue. thats all i can say.

    ReplyDelete