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There was talk about renaming the Krugman thread for this purpose, but that seems to be going nowhere. Besides which, I feel the Krugman thread should be left to discuss Krugman while this thread can be used for more general economic discussion.

Discuss:

  • The merits of competing theories.
  • The role of the government in managing the economy.
  • The causes of and solutions to our current economic woes.
  • Comparisons between the economic systems of different countries.
  • Theoretical and existing alternatives to our current market system.

edited 17th Dec '12 10:58:52 AM by Topazan

Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#16851: Oct 19th 2016 at 11:30:36 PM

@ Khudzlin: And I suppose it also depends what the role in question is.

edited 19th Oct '16 11:31:09 PM by Greenmantle

Keep Rolling On
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#16852: Oct 21st 2016 at 11:33:35 AM

Noting here that the ratification of the Canada-EU free trade treaty has been blocked by Wallonia, and Canada has decided to walk out the process.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
war877 Grr... <3 from Untamed Wilds Since: Dec, 2015 Relationship Status: Having tea with Cthulhu
Grr... <3
#16853: Oct 21st 2016 at 11:45:00 AM

Congratulations, wallonia, people in Canada have now heard of you. Also, what is the problem?

TotemicHero No longer a forum herald from the next level Since: Dec, 2009
No longer a forum herald
#16854: Oct 21st 2016 at 11:47:28 AM

Insert joke about Belgium being a horribly offensive curse word here.

Have an article. (Something about arbitration issues, whatever that means.)

edited 21st Oct '16 11:48:01 AM by TotemicHero

Expergiscēre cras, medior quam hodie. (Awaken tomorrow, better than today.)
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#16855: Oct 21st 2016 at 11:49:32 AM

The usual: Concerns about "investor tribunals" that will become tools for corporations to get rid of laws they don't like with bogus rationales. And a bit of protectionism as well. Also, pharmaceutical patents may be an issue, but I can't find much info on this.

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#16856: Oct 21st 2016 at 12:22:11 PM

Arbitration is a method for resolving disputes without going to court.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#16857: Oct 21st 2016 at 1:24:31 PM

[up] I think they'd prefer parties to go to Court. By the way, Wallonia is the French-Speaking part of Belgium.

Keep Rolling On
SeptimusHeap from Switzerland (Edited uphill both ways) Relationship Status: Mu
#16858: Oct 21st 2016 at 1:28:32 PM

I think they prefer that no such complaints be heard at all. Such things give off a strong appearance of impropriety.

(Does someone have a link to detailed judgments of these tribunals?)

"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman
Krieger22 Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018 from Malaysia Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
Causing freakouts over sourcing since 2018
#16859: Oct 22nd 2016 at 1:57:47 AM

The Malaysian 2017 Budget is now out.

Here's its highlights in a handy infographic.

Cliff Notes version here

Budget allocation:

- Total budget allocation: RM 260.8 billion, excluding RM 2 billion contingency fund.

- In contrast: RM 267.2 billion was announced for Budget 2016.

- RM 214.8 billion for operating expenditure, down 0.2%.

- RM 46 billion for development expenditure, down 11.53%.

- Revenue collection estimate: Up 3% to RM 219.7 billion

- Fiscal deficit target: 3% of GDP in 2017, down 0.1% from 2016

- Operating Expenditure: RM 77.4 billion allocated for emolument, up 8.9%

- Fall in oil prices causes loss of RM 30 billion in government revenue.

Taxes:

- GST collection as of Oct 19, 2016: RM 30 billion.

- Increase in GST rate? "Hearsay," says PM.

- Only 2.1 million income tax payers out of 14.6 million total workforce.

- New tax scheme for SM Es, will result in firms paying slightly lower taxes.

Puchasing power:

- PM calls Malaysia a 'upper-middle income' country.

- Malaysia's PPP per capita has increased from USD 23,100 in 2012 to USD 26,891 in 2015.

Civil servants:

- One-off RM 500 payments for civil servants to be paid out in January 2017. RM 250 for retirees.

- Motorcycle loan scheme increased from RM 5,000 to RM 10,000.

- RM 5,000 computer loan scheme now includes smartphones.

- Child quarantine leave: Five days max.

- Study leave with full pay.

- Housing loan scheme: Increased from RM 120,000 and RM 600,000 to RM 200,000 and RM 750,000 respectively.

- 30,000 Perumahan Penjawat Awam 1Malaysia to be sold to civil servants between RM 90,000 and RM 300,000, at 20% below market price.

- 2,600 doctors who were unable to receive housemanship placements will be hired on contract.

Housing:

- New My Beautiful New Home scheme for bottom 40 percent income category (B40). 5,000 units to be build. Price: RM 40,000 ro RM 50,000 per unit. Total allocation: RM 200 million.

- Housing and Local Government Ministry to build 9,850 units of People's Housing Programme (PPR) houses.

- Government-owned land to be used for 30,000 low-cost homes. Price: RM 150,000 to RM 300,000.

- Approximately 10,000 homes to be built in urban areas for rental to youths with permanent jobs, including young graduates entering job market.

- 5,000 units of People's Friendly Home. RM 20,000 to be subsidised by government. RM 200 million to be allocated.

- 1Malaysia People's Housing Project (PR 1 MA) is well-received. 12,000 units valued at RM 3.3 billion has been booked.

- New 'step-up' end-financing scheme for PR 1 MA to make it easier for buyers to obtain financing.

- Stamp duty exemption for first time home buyers increased to 100%. Limited to houses with value of up to RM 300,000 between Jan 1, 2017 and Dec 31, 2018.

BR 1 M:

- Households in e-Kasih database with monthly income below RM 3,000: BR 1 M payments now RM 1,200, up from RM 1,050.

- Households earning RM 3,000-RM 4,000: BR 1 M payments increased from RM 800 to RM 900.

- Single individuals earning below RM 2,000: BR 1 M payments now RM 450, up from RM 400.

Rural development:

- 97,000 new street lights and 3,000 LED lights at crossroads for 7,500 villages nationwide

- 616km of village roads and bridge to be built and upgraded. Costs RM 1.2 billion.

- RM 4.6 billion to maintain state roads under Malaysian Road Records Information System.

- RM 350 million to build and refurbish 17,000 houses in remote villages and Orang Asli settlements.

- RM 732 million to increase water supply to another 5,200 houses and upgrade FELDA water supply system.

- RM 460 million to provide electricity supply to rural areas. Target: 10,000 houses.

Health:

- Building of new hospitals and clinics or upgrading of existing ones in Perlis, Kuching, Mukah, Jempol, Muar and Johor Bahru.

- RM 536 million to be spent on upgrading hospital facilities nationwide.

- RM 4.5 billion allocation for operation of 340 1Malaysia Clinics, 11 1Malaysia mobile clinics, 959 health clinics and 1,800 existing rural clinics.

- RM 4 billion to be spent on drugs, consumables, vaccines and reagents for all government hospitals and health facilities.

- One-off grants of RM 200,000 for health providers to purchase haemodialysis equipment to establish more dialysis centres.

Transport:

- RM 60 million allocation for scheme to provide RM 5,000 grant for taxi drivers to purchase new vehicles.

- Individual taxi permits to be given.

- SOCSO coverage for individual taxi drivers for taxi drivers with monthly income of up to RM 3,000.

- Government will encourage ride-sharing drivers such as Uber to help "bottom 40%" group generate additional income.

- Rebate of RM 4,000 for Proton Iriz purchase. Limited to non-vehicle owners.

Pro-business strategies

- Private investment expected to grow by 8.1% in 2017 to RM 230 billion.

- Small and mid-cap PLC research scheme to be introduced to conduct research for 300 companies.

- GLC investment companies will allocate RM 3 billion which will be invested on small and mid-cap companies.

- Private Retirement Scheme (PRS): Government to increase incentive of RM 500 to RM 1,000 to contributors with a minimum accumulated investment of RM 1,000.

- Emphasis on increasing yield and export of palm oil.

- RM 75 million allocated to implement SME master plan.

- Guarantee of up to RM 15 billion provided under Syarikat Jaminan Pembiayaan Perniagaan (SJPP) scheme extended until 2025.

- 2% rebate on interest charged to SME borrowers under SJPP scheme to boost export. Limited to accumulated funding of RM 1 billion which involves allocation of RM 100 million for a period of five years.

- RM 200 million allocated under working capital guarantee scheme (WCGS) fund for startups.

Tourism:

- RM 400 million allocated for "clean air" and eco-tourism initiatives.

- Tourist arrival target: 32 million

- eVisa scheme extended to Balkan and South Asian countries.

Broadband:

- Broadband speed to be doubled from Jan 2017. E.g. Subscriber of 5 megabyte per second service will have double the download speed at still pay the same price.

- RM 1 billion allocation to improve coverage and quality of broadband nationwide.

Education:

- Special Fund for Improvement and Maintenance of Schools:

  • RM 250 million for national schools;
  • RM 50 million for national-type Chinese schools;
  • RM 50 million for national-type Tamil schools;
  • RM 50 million for sekolah agama;
  • RM 50 million for fully residential schools;
  • RM 50 million for government-aided religious schools;
  • RM 50 million for registered sekolah pondok; and
  • RM 50 million for MARA junior science colleges.
- RM 250 1Malaysia student book voucher scheme to be replaced with student debit card of same value. Can be used to purchase books, computer accessories and internet access.

- Scholarship allocation (e.g. JPA, Mara etc): RM 4.3 billion

- Discounts on PTPTN loan repayments:

  • 15% discount on outstanding debt for full settlement;
  • 10% discount for payment of at least 50% of the outstanding debt made in a single payment; and
  • 10% discount for repayment through salary deduction or direct debit in accordance with the repayment schedule.
Valid offer from Oct 22, 2016 to December 2017.

Women:

- RM 2 billion allocation for programmes involving women, including I-KIT, I-Keu Nita and Women Career Comeback schemes.

- RM 30 million allocation for free mammogram and HPV vaccination scheme.

Childcare:

- RM 1,000 tax relief for breastfeeding equipment, claimable biennially from assessment year 2017.

- RM 1,000 tax relief for taxpayers who enroll their children aged 6 and below into registered nurseries and pre-school from assessment year 2017.

- RM 85 million allocation for Permata early education programme for gifted children.

Insolvency:

- Government will amend Bankruptcy Act 1967 early next year on matters concerning those declared bankrupt especially 'social guarantors' (e.g. scholarship guarantor) and among others certified with chronic disease and the elderly. Details to be announced.

Islamic activities:

- Allowances for Imam to be increased from RM 750 to RM 850. Involves nearly 15,000 Imam.

- RM 500 one-off payment for nearly 16,000 Bilal and Siak.

- Allowances for KAFA teachers increased from RM 800 to RM 900 a month. Involves nearly 33,000 KAFA teachers.

- New RM 30 million scheme to coordinate tahdiz education.

Indigenous affairs:

- RM 50 million allocated for Native Customary Rights land survey in Sabah and Sarawak.

Ethnicity-based allocations:

- RM 50 million allocation for development of Chinese new villages.

- A total of RM 90 million allocation for loans through Kojadi, Malaysian Chinese Women Entrepreneurs Foundation and 1Malaysia Hawkers and Petty Traders Foundation.

- RM 150 million allocation for Tekun and Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) scheme for Indian community.

- Pre-school programmes for Tamil schools to be expanded to 50 schools. Allocation: RM 10 million.

- RM 100 million allocation to SME Bank for loans specific to bumiputera entrepreneurs.

- RM 300 million for Tekun and Temanita scheme for bumiputera community.

- RM 120 million for Mara to conduct entrepreneurship programmes.

Fairly expectable, really, since taxing the rich or stimulus spending isn't really something people here agree with.

I have disagreed with her a lot, but comparing her to republicans and propagandists of dictatorships is really low. - An idiot
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#16860: Oct 22nd 2016 at 3:29:43 AM

The government funds Islamic activities and pays for imams?

Does the UK do that with the Church of England?

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
murazrai Since: Jan, 2010
#16861: Oct 22nd 2016 at 3:42:11 AM

[up]Yes. The thing is, Islamic clergy, unless very few popular (and by popular, enough to publish books and paid a lot for sermons), rarely a form of full time job. So does clergy of other religions. Islam, being the religion of the state, gets the sole attention from the government.

Silasw A procrastination in of itself from a handcart heading to Hell Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#16862: Oct 22nd 2016 at 7:18:49 AM

[up][up] Tecnically yes as the Church is an arm of the state, but I think it's pretty much self funding, though the Lords Spiritual (the bishops who are members of our upper house) may receive a standard striped for sitting in the House of Lords.

"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
TheHandle United Earth from Stockholm Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: YOU'RE TEARING ME APART LISA
United Earth
#16863: Oct 22nd 2016 at 7:37:06 AM

[up]In the US it seems like preaching is a full time job even in small towns.

In North Africa the imam often doubles as a schoolmaster

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Silasw A procrastination in of itself from a handcart heading to Hell Since: Mar, 2011 Relationship Status: And they all lived happily ever after <3
A procrastination in of itself
#16864: Oct 22nd 2016 at 8:06:52 AM

Keep in mind that at least in the UK the vicar is also in charge of maintaining the physical church building( or at least organising its maintenance), helping the members of the parish (so looking into special requests for a marriage, just being there for people, etc...) and probably with our hierarchy attending some conferences and stuff to talk about and learn about faith.

You do get part time vicars, but they're generally retired ones who just fill in when a regular vicar is on holiday or something.

"And the Bunny nails it!" ~ Gabrael "If the UN can get through a day without everyone strangling everyone else so can we." ~ Cyran
Greenmantle V from Greater Wessex, Britannia Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: Hiding
V
#16865: Oct 22nd 2016 at 9:18:05 AM

[up]

...and probably with our hierarchy attending some conferences and stuff to talk about and learn about faith.

...and PR and the latest employment regulations, etc. smile

Keep Rolling On
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#16866: Oct 22nd 2016 at 3:47:07 PM

In the US it seems like preaching is a full time job even in small towns.
It depends. In established churches of major denominations (the sorts of congregations with their own church building and such), yes, it's a full time job. But it's not uncommon for a preacher to lead a small group of worshipers and meet in a public facility, like a school or a community center — those are generally volunteers with a day job.

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
tclittle Professional Forum Ninja from Somewhere Down in Texas Since: Apr, 2010
Professional Forum Ninja
#16867: Oct 22nd 2016 at 4:30:43 PM

AT&T in talks to buy Time Warner for $80 billion.

"We're all paper, we're all scissors, we're all fightin' with our mirrors, scared we'll never find somebody to love."
megarockman Since: Apr, 2010
#16868: Oct 25th 2016 at 6:12:32 AM

Health insurance premiums under Obamacare set to go up 25% in 2017.

It's disheartening when those I've talked to cite the cost and I don't have any practical counter-argument for it.

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#16869: Oct 25th 2016 at 6:25:48 AM

My understanding is that it's cherry-picking the data, but regardless, premiums do go up because the cost of healthcare in general rises. Obamacare's mandate was universal coverage, not direct cost reduction. Since it went into effect, per-capita costs have risen much more slowly than before, however, so something's working. And it's better than having no insurance at all for the vast majority of recipients.

edited 25th Oct '16 6:27:12 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
NativeJovian Jupiterian Local from Orlando, FL Since: Mar, 2014 Relationship Status: Maxing my social links
Jupiterian Local
#16870: Oct 25th 2016 at 7:54:53 AM

Government subsidies for low-income people also go up as cost rises, so the actual increase in premiums that most people are seeing will be much less than the 20-something percent that's being quoted.

The numbers being thrown out vary pretty significantly, too. I heard 22%, 27%, and 25% all on NPR within a half-hour. From actual NPR reporters, not people they were interviewing. So there's obviously some swing in the numbers themselves.

Which doesn't mean that this isn't a significant increase, but it does mean that you should take things with a grain of salt.

edited 25th Oct '16 8:25:34 AM by NativeJovian

Really from Jupiter, but not an alien.
megarockman Since: Apr, 2010
#16871: Oct 25th 2016 at 8:01:11 AM

So how much sodium will I add when I hear premium quotes of over $2000?

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
megarockman Since: Apr, 2010
#16873: Oct 25th 2016 at 8:10:59 AM

Don't know, didn't think to ask (mainly because the family in general aren't really fans of government - AFAIK they don't vote).

Fighteer Lost in Space from The Time Vortex (Time Abyss) Relationship Status: TV Tropes ruined my love life
Lost in Space
#16874: Oct 25th 2016 at 8:12:20 AM

Don't vote, but complain about our political system, while remaining passionately ignorant about how it actually works. Forgive me for not getting out the violin and getting all weepy.

edited 25th Oct '16 8:13:21 AM by Fighteer

"It's Occam's Shuriken! If the answer is elusive, never rule out ninjas!"
megarockman Since: Apr, 2010
#16875: Oct 25th 2016 at 8:16:16 AM

The $2000 thing was for some third party I haven't met before so I have no idea what they're like.


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