Thanks, I was trying not to be interested in that election, but you made several points that proved me wrong.
About the consumption tax, currently at 8%, of course it needs to go higher. And as you say, it will be an issue of confidence, as in, do people believe that a higher rate will lead to direct social security benefits (like in Sweden). I think Japan needs a debate about that.
You said it, brother. It’s not that there is no debate whatsoever. The political class is failing us there. The media does feature the issue from time to time, often with substantive information. But when the nation gets all worked up because the administration decides to name a retooled healthcare system for the very elderly “後期高齢者医療制度 (Late-term Elderly…)” and the mainstream media fails to condemn the public for lose their perspective in a meaningless distraction, it’s hard to blame politicians for avoiding ownership of the matter or using it to bloodying the administration. (Ironically, the name has survived DPJ rule.)
I think that there is an opportunity here for a politician with credibility, vision and communications skills to outline an overhaul of the social safety net including labor practices and the way it is financed, give it a fancy name, and use it as the core of a national reawakening movement. There should be any number of high-powered technocrats in the public and private sectors, some of whom have already joined the political class, available as collaborators.
2 comments:
Thanks, I was trying not to be interested in that election, but you made several points that proved me wrong.
About the consumption tax, currently at 8%, of course it needs to go higher. And as you say, it will be an issue of confidence, as in, do people believe that a higher rate will lead to direct social security benefits (like in Sweden). I think Japan needs a debate about that.
"I think Japan needs a debate about that."
You said it, brother. It’s not that there is no debate whatsoever. The political class is failing us there. The media does feature the issue from time to time, often with substantive information. But when the nation gets all worked up because the administration decides to name a retooled healthcare system for the very elderly “後期高齢者医療制度 (Late-term Elderly…)” and the mainstream media fails to condemn the public for lose their perspective in a meaningless distraction, it’s hard to blame politicians for avoiding ownership of the matter or using it to bloodying the administration. (Ironically, the name has survived DPJ rule.)
I think that there is an opportunity here for a politician with credibility, vision and communications skills to outline an overhaul of the social safety net including labor practices and the way it is financed, give it a fancy name, and use it as the core of a national reawakening movement. There should be any number of high-powered technocrats in the public and private sectors, some of whom have already joined the political class, available as collaborators.
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