Should the state let Michael Buerk die to save the NHS money?

[BrilloPad]

really? On what basis?

AGW is here. We can either live more environmentally friendly(get real!) or reduce the population. Probably both are needed.

So to reduce population. We can't kill people off. We could make sure people can only have one child - but that is not easy right now.

So a start is to remove fertility treatment. However much much more will be needed.

[NigelJK]

Start with the those who are a drain on resources.

FTFY.

[BrilloPad]

In a similar vein, what is it with child benefit? I don't understand why the state should pay me to raise a child, if I chose to have a child. I get that the intention is to stop children being raised in poverty but can't help feeling that it encourages the wrong behaviours. Why do people choose to have children when they can barely afford to feed themselves?

Some people will have children anyway. Why should the child suffer?

Hopefully soon a guaranteed fertility method will be found so only people who can afford children can have them. Though its still hard on the child if parents lose their job or have some other sort of life changing event.

[original PM]

In a similar vein, what is it with child benefit? I don't understand why the state should pay me to raise a child, if I chose to have a child. I get that the intention is to stop children being raised in poverty but can't help feeling that it encourages the wrong behaviours. Why do people choose to have children when they can barely afford to feed themselves?

Sadly for some people having 3 different coloured kids by the time they are 17 is seen as a career choice.

[WTFH]

Sadly for some people having 3 different coloured kids by the time they are 17 is seen as a career choice.

I agree, those kids could grow up and pay taxes to keep grumpy racists stealing oxygen for a bit longer.

[BrilloPad]

Sadly for some people having 3 different coloured kids by the time they are 17 is seen as a career choice.

Quite a few round my part of North Wales. And the child benefit seems to get spent on cigarettes....

[BrilloPad]

I agree, those kids could grow up and pay taxes to keep grumpy racists stealing oxygen for a bit longer.

If only that were true.

[original PM]

I agree, those kids could grow up and pay taxes to keep grumpy racists stealing oxygen for a bit longer.

If only that were true.

Yeah sadly I think there is a certain amount of encouragement to get into that state so you can live off the state - and that is often all the kids will learn and so you end up with sometimes two or three generations of a family who have never worked and who generally frown upon their kids working.

Sterilisation is the only option really.

[Paddy]

In a similar vein, what is it with child benefit? I don't understand why the state should pay me to raise a child, if I chose to have a child. I get that the intention is to stop children being raised in poverty but can't help feeling that it encourages the wrong behaviours. Why do people choose to have children when they can barely afford to feed themselves?

Not an easy one to solve. However, direct benefits such as “child benefit” does not target the welfare of children. The money is often spent elsewhere by the parent/s.
I believe that money is best spent on education and free school meals, that way there is a chance of the welfare cycle being broken.
It makes me smile when I see a chav mother with a kid that talks more intelligently than her mother.

[ladymuck]

Not an easy one to solve. However, direct benefits such as “child benefit” does not target the welfare of children. The money is often spent elsewhere by the parent/s.
I believe that money is best spent on education and free school meals, that way there is a chance of the welfare cycle being broken.
It makes me smile when I see a chav mother with a kid that talks more intelligently than her mother.

It isn't easy, I agree. I do believe, like most benefits, that they were originally conceived with the genuine desire to help people. It's just that over the years they have become a huge tax burden and I'm not sure we reap much benefit.

I also agree about education and school meals, and hopefully other initiatives, that directly help the child.