Since last week’s riots here in London and around England, people have been talking a lot about the societal sickness inflicting the UK and are prescribing all sorts of remedies. I love being a know-it-all and thought I’d give it a crack as well. Here’s my ideas on how to fix this country.
1. Fix the Welfare System – The UK has too many people living off the dole and doing nothing else. Generations have been raised on benefits as their sole source of income and this generational stagnation and sense of entitlement is at the heart of the matter. I propose transforming the benefits system into a Work-Fare program. The nation has no end of things that need tidied up or maintained. Every able bodied person receiving benefits and not working would be put into a civic work force that will be on hand to work on behalf of the community alongside and under the supervision of council and government employees. A formula would be worked out to assign work hours according to the amount of benefits received. Disabled and elderly people, of course, would be exempt from service. Women with children under 2 years old would also be exempt. People already with jobs would just have to provide verification of employment on a regular basis and go along with business as usual. If welfare recipients choose to not find outside employment, they would be able to work indefinitely in the Work Fare system. This would instill in people, especially the younger generation, that you have to work for what you receive. It would create a stronger work ethic, sense of urgency and pride in the benefit recipient class.
2.Make Kids Go To School – Right now, kids can leave school at a much too young age. This creates a whole mess of teenage kids with no place to go, no job opportunities, no responsibilities and tons of unharnessed energy. Make it mandatory for kids under the age of 18 to attend school. A child not receiving an education can not be tolerated.
3.Drop Tuition Fees – Cameron really screwed up by jacking up tuition fees. Drop the fees back to their lowest possible point and then provide grants to cover the gap for the poorest of students.
4.Mandatory Post-Secondary Education/Training: Kids graduating from Secondary School should not be allowed to just put on a track suit and Chav out for the rest of their lives. They need to go on to university, technical college, training program or the military.
5.Immigration Reforms – The UK can not just allow every body in the world to pitch camp and call it home.
a. Cut defense spending by 20% and allocate that money to Immigration and Policing.
b. Hire thousands of new police and immigration officers.
c. Create tighter security at all points of entry.
d. Enlist the military in border security.
e. Track down all expired visas and give their holders the immediate boot.
f. Pass legislation allowing only skilled and essential workers to be granted citizenship.
g. Pass legislation allowing visas to issued to skilled and essential workers.
i. Of course folks like the Gurkhas, who have a separate deal are exempt.
h. Mass deportations of illegals to send a message to either apply the legal way or get out.
i. Streamline the process of applying for citizenship.
6. Promote Progress – Cultural relativism can only be taken so far. Any cultural values brought into the nation that clash with the liberal, secular, Western values of the nation should not be allowed to be practiced. Full on Burqas should not be worn for security reasons. Spousal abuse and child abuse can not be tolerated – no matter how accepted they are by an immigrant’s native culture. I’d personally extend this to things like tribal scaring and the more a culturally accepted practice of circumcision. Also not to be tolerated is hate speech in public forums, homophobic practices etc. This is a Western nation with Western values of tolerance and those values need to be promoted. If people can not abide by those laws then they need to find other shores to wash up on. This can be extended to home grown groups like English Defense and BNP, whose actions need to carefully observed and recorded by the government to prevent any kind of terrorist or criminal actions.
7.Decriminalize Drugs:
a. Legalize Marijuana – Too much money is spent policing this harmless, especially compared to booze and tobacco. Legalize it. Sell it like booze in licensed shops. Kill the black market for weed and end the criminal enterprises surrounding it, while at the same time make some nice coin off the taxes on it.
i. Use money raised by pot sales to help fund NHS drug addiction treatment centers.
b. Treat Substance Abuse As A Health Issue – Free up space in prisons by treating users medically and therapeutically.
c. Make Drug Dealing A Tax Crime – Chase down dealers for avoiding paying their taxes.
8.Education Reform – Stop focusing on national exams and focus on teaching the subject matter. Get rid of those awful 11+, GCSE and A Level exams. They just encourage schools to teach for the exam. Put together a single standard test for students moving on to College from Secondary School to replace the myriad GCSEs. Have a single A Level exam for students moving on from College for students moving on to University. Very simple and allows for teachers and schools to address the real educational needs of their students without the stress of constant exams.
These steps will create a cohesive society of people sharing in the progressive, Western culture of the UK, prevent young people entering the adult world without any marketable skills, allows young people time to mature before entering the adult world, stops creating criminals through the enforcement of victimless “crimes”, prevents overcrowding in schools and housing, reduces the strain on the public benefits system and creates a healthier education system.
