Read on Twitter
Ok, for people such as this one who don't like the Green party because they want to increase social support, here are a few friendly thoughts: 1/n
#nzpol
#GreenParty
#equality https://twitter.com/HandsMegan/status/1283509993312972801
#nzpol
#GreenParty
#equality https://twitter.com/HandsMegan/status/1283509993312972801
Firstly, people have a range of different needs and/or abilities, and some need more support to have the same level of opportunity. A 'fair' system is not necessarily equitable:
Secondly, their policy of a guaranteed minimum income of $325 per week equates to $16,900 per year, or $14,922 after tax. With the proposed new tax rates, someone earning $200k and owning net assets of $1.5 million would pay a total of $68,420 tax (an effective rate of 34%)...
Leaving them to survive on $131,580 after tax – nearly 9 times as much. A 9-fold difference in after-tax income is not by any stretch "equality of outcome".
Raising the incomes of the poorest amongst us is the best way to improve equality of opportunity, as it is hard for people to aspire to better themselves when they are struggling to put food on the table.
Indeed, numerous studies have shown that the best way to get poor people out of poverty is…wait for it…give them money! ( https://bit.ly/2CBaD9E , https://bit.ly/3eA5r2Q , etc)
Thirdly, inequality increases social problems, and reduces social cohesion. Social cohesion is important for happy and healthy societies ( https://bit.ly/2WoSqDa ).
The current pandemic has highlighted how important social cohesion is, as our success in stamping out COVID relied heavily on everyone – rich and poor- doing their part.
Fourthly (and just to add a little bit of snark, because this is Twitter after all!)…if your disdain for poor people is strong enough to stop you supporting environmental policies, maybe you're not as much of an environmentalist as you thought…
