Sunday, July 15, 2012

Great principle - poor application

Great quote from Paula Bennett in the Herald on Sunday about people having large families on welfare :

"There's two words we don't use often enough in this country and that's self-responsibility," Bennett told the Herald on Sunday. "The size of someone's family is their business, so long as they don't expect someone else to pay for it."

Just one problem there. Spot it?

10 comments:

Viking said...

Subtle but you are correct.

WWallace said...

The "someone"? (Rather than a "couple")

S.Beast said...

I would have said that the problem is that most families ALREADY receive and expect to continue to receive extensive government support through AS, TAS, WFF...

Brendan McNeill said...

but they do expect someone else to pay.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

That's what I was thinking S Beast. Add PPL, childcare subsidies, 'free' education and health....

It all puts a large question mark over the Minister saying she doesn't care how many children families have so long as they don't expect someone else to pay. It's great fodder for the opposition.

Strictly speaking only a libertarian could stand by such a statement.

Anyone else has to define boundaries. Glad I'm not a politician.

Manolo said...

PC crap has infested today's NZ. It could be too late to dislodge the notion that someone else is always responsible for your own actions (and mistakes) in life.

Oswald Bastable said...

Missed it, but that might be due to a Robbie Burns night, last night ;-)

HOS reader said...

Interesting that the journalist felt the need to include that Sue Bradford was a former Green MP but they didn't feel the need to include that you were an ACT candidate and activist for that sad little party.

S.Beast said...

Gosh, didn't even think about free education.

There is a pattern developing here... test for drugs...but not the addicts...

Anonymous said...

The point is, what is Paula Bennett going to do about it, or are we just hearing empty rhetoric, for the sake of looking good? Personal responsibility? Not in modern day NZ!