Is the Conservative answer to a national crisis socialism for the rich?.(UK)

The Conservatives have used a huge level of state intervention and some smart-arse commentators have pointed out that their level of government spending is now much greater than was in the Labour Party manifesto. The same manifesto that they said would be economic suicide and turn us into Venezuela and so on.

Whilst I support heavy Government intervention to deal with the crisis, there are aspects of this which are not good. Its a kind of 'socialism' which reflects Conservative priorities. homeowners get mortgage holidays, businesses get subsidies but this is a top-down form of economic life support.

Nothing has been done for renters so that landlords are still legally entitled to rent even when they are not legally entitled to pay their mortgage. Businesses get subsidised for their staff's wages though have no obligation to actually pay those wages. Basically, use 'big government' to protect the wealthy first and everyone else is an afterthought.

curiosi · 61-69, F

It's always the same old same old. We went through this after 9-11. As an example the airlines were given huge amounts of money. They used the money to buy back stocks. They did nothing for their employees etc. Then there is a user on here telling us her landlady wants the rent buy the end of the month or buh bye. Yet it is in the stimulus package that she doesn't have to pay her mortgage. They are arguing that if the business fails the whole economy will tumble, I'm not so sure that isn't a bad idea given what we know.

Northwest · M

In the US, there's a half-assed attempt, through the stimulus package, if I understand it correctly. Landlords, who owe the banks themselves, will be given a break, if they do not evict people who cannot pay their rent.

In Seattle, the city already acted, and prevented evictions, at least for the next 3 months (I think this may be state wide now).

The problem though, is that this marks an individual (or a family), as bad risk. A better solution, would be to give everyone a break: landlords and renters, without making it specific to preventing evictions.

Ynotisay · M

Interesting. Because we're seeing that play out in the U.S. with our stimulus bill. Some politicians want to feed money to corporations and others want to serve the people. Where we're seeing the most action is through the states. We have some responsible Governors and Mayors who are running their own show and doing it well.