A place to share musings and thoughts on the world of Finance and the Buttercase universe...
The big issue for me at the moment is the creeping threat that is the ageing population in Western economies. The first baby boomers are now reaching retirement and this will peak in 2012 when an extra 0.8 million pensioners will have retired - a bigger increase in two years than in all the previous decade. So those in the next wave, Generation X, and to some extent the younger Generation Y will pick up quite a hefty tab in additional tax and lower spending by the Government.
Solution: policies must be redistributive across the generations. The huge asset price increases enjoyed by the baby boomers must be reflected in tax policy - maybe inheritance tax is a good thing after all if it means better hospitals and school buildings (and fewer wars) but maybe there should be incentives for other forms of redistribution. Tax incentives for Grandparents to fund higher education, housing and employment for example. Tax is seen as a bad thing yet hypothecated tax may not be. Encouragement for the baby boomers to support their less fortunate children and grandchildren through the tax system may earn support.
OK - also for my very first blog I will share all that I currently deem wonderful in the world, edited into a Top Ten in true High Fidelity Bloke style (although in no particular order):
1. The Guitar : http://www.prsguitars.com/products/index.html
2. Tony Benn : http://www.tonybenn.com/publ.html
3. Poetry : http://www.poemhunter.com/
4. Tom Waits: http://www.tomwaits.com/
5. Dali Art: http: http://www.dali-gallery.com/
6. Chess: http://www.chess.com/
7. Popular Science: http://www.popularscience.co.uk/
8. History: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/
9. Christopher Hitchens: http://www.hitchensweb.com/
10.Politics and Economics: http://www2.lse.ac.uk/home.aspx
There - it will change I am sure but right now today August 2010 that is the way life is...
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