[peanut]

Originally Posted by Chris

I care about the economic health of the country, which if it is good will provide the right environment for those who work hard to get on, do well and, who knows, earn enough to drive a nice car like IDS.

I look at those who have done well as success stories to learn from and perhaps emulate, not hate figures to be envied and punished.

It must be nice to be in that position, you've earned it, good for you. You can now crap on the little people as it now doesn't affect you. I don't mean this to be a dig either, but it is the general feeling.

This country cannot afford its benefits bill. The bill has to come down. But even with these changes the bill is not coming down, its increase has merely been slowed a bit.

In such a way that it is hitting the most needy just as hard. They can do things a lot better and at such a more cost effective way, but it seems they aren't interested in doing the 'right' thing just cutting costs is the only important part.

I've been on jobseeker's, and within the last 4 years, and without the extra safety net of HB as I own my own house. The only reason I still have my own house is that I've not spent my life sucking up credit like sweeties and tried to do only what I could afford. These days I'm self employed, earning not very much but increasing year on year.

I know all about the benefits system and what it's like to live on it and I still think IDSis doing the right thing for the right reasons. Though I am fully aware that the very fact that I agree with IDS will be more than enough reason for some of you to discount my own experiences of the benefit system as somehow invalid, or less important than your own, just the same as you rush to discount IDS's own experience of the system.

You know all about the benefit system??... I've been on benefits for about a decade now (never claimed HB, Council Tax, presciptions etc etc) and I haven't got a clue to the minefield of the system. And you state this because you claimed it once. Maybe I should come to you for advice then.

Again maybe I am getting all this wrong, I was on about my position yet we're now talking about those that don't want to work. It seems the wasters and the genuine are just the same thing.