Volunteers get power to take over running library

“I remember some hoo-hah a few months back about 5 women losing their "jobs" changing recording tapes in the Court building. Despite the digital age and the ease and desirability of automation, the lefties ranted on about how unfair it was.
I suggest that those who pay their council tax might have disagreed with them.”

“Joe_Sucksmith - green energy jobs are con - and UK produces very little of what it consumes - UK is 73% dependent on outside sources.

UK wealth is mainly due to international finance, insurance and other services - as such any increase in consumption of material goods and services by artificially created jobs will me meaningless - only suck in imports.

Most of the public sector jobs - increased over the past 2 or 3 decades - taking these out will mean nothing to the real wealth of the country - people just have to get used to lower living standards - share more what is going round - stop using mobile phones or go on holidays, etc,

Someone mentioned evening out of wages - not a bad thing - no reason why wage differentials should not flatten out - believe it or not countries such as germany are already recognising reality - they have a huge productive sector, good at making things that they export - and wages are also more even. UK population will just have to put their hands to making things and also make do with what is there.”

“There are masses of socially useful jobs, entire sectors even (esp. green energy sector), that could be created at the drop of a hat by a government that understands monetary sovereignty and inflation-risk"

You mean that we can have our cake, and eat it, with creative accounting?”

“Bonkim,

"As things stand today, UK has a fully convertible currency - and its value fluctuates with supply/demand in the international market place..."

You've misunderstood what is meant by "non-convertible". By non-convertible, economists mean that governments no longer convert their IOUs (notes, say), on-demand, to gold or other precious metal (as under the "gold standard"), and instead offer to convert only into their own IOUs! To confirm, take a note out of your (hefty?) wallet and read the central bank's guarantee. What you describe above is, rather, covered by the term "floating"– as in, the currency "floats" on international exchange markets, generally in the manner you describe. Contrary to what is generally believed, however, this provides MORE policy space, not less, since it means the currency doesn't need to be constantly defended.

"For the UK, it will be suicidal to simply print bank notes or float bonds beyond the capacity of the system to back the promises..."

Operationally, a state that issues its own floating currency will ALWAYS be able to "back its promises". Markets know this – that's why monetary sovereigns are able to issue bonds at low rates, despite running deficits and accruing more "debt". Meanwhile, the inflation risk arises only if there is spending in excess of the economy's capacity to produce MORE goods and services in response. Right now, with massive unemployment, we are nowhere near this so-called "inflation barrier", and there is thus no economic impediment to targeted government spending. Period.

"In that context creating non-jobs and expanding consumption would be suicidal..."

Who said anything about creating "non-jobs"? There are masses of socially useful jobs, entire sectors even (esp. green energy sector), that could be created at the drop of a hat by a government that understands monetary sovereignty and inflation-risk. These jobs could even have a profit motive, if this were your bag. "Consumption" is an issue, I agree, but right now it's secondary, in my view, to building the physical infrastructure required to transition the economy to something more sustainable.”

“The Hester's Way library staying open did not involve the youth club shutting. I am aware that the county council withdrew funding from the Oasis Youth Club building, which is what I assume that you are referring to; but the library didn't take its funding, which was going to be withdrawn anyway (a decision that was taken before the U-turn on Hester's Way library). I am aware that a minority of people wanted the library to be moved to the Oasis building in order to save it, but the main purpose of a library is not to support a youth club but to function as a library.”

“Well done on Hesters way library staying open...which involved the youth club SHUTTING!

Perfect example of these posh-nobs riding rough shot over the wishes of local people. I guess they dont know their selfish campaign had this outcome...cos guess what...THEY DON'T CARE!!

(never mess with posh folk, they do NOT like democracy!)

One question - how long did you consult for it Hesters Way? Ha ha ha ha ha, as if, THEY KNOW BETTER THAN YOU!”

“Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries is an organisation that has fought for the last two years to keep open as many public libraries as possible. We supported last year's High Court challenge, which resulted in three more libraries being saved - Hester's Way, Matson and Tuffley.

Some other libraries may manage to stay open under new management, although there is still the thorny issue of Public Lending Rights to be overcome.”

“Joe_Sucksmith - don't want to speculate/get involved in idle arguments but

"instead issues its own non-convertible, floating currency."

As things stand today, UK has a fully convertible currency - and its value fluctuates with supply/demand in the international market place - it is fairly high up as a reserve currency in international trade following the US$ which is at the top - these values are based on perceptions of strengths and weaknesses of regulation, national financial management, economic prudence, capacity of the national system to create wealth, etc. For the UK, it will be suicidal to simply print bank notes or float bonds beyond the capacity of the system to back the promises - which in turn means stringent control on expenditure - particularly public expenditure (over 50% of GDP) which a minority less than 50% of hard working taxpayers have to generate.

In that context creating non-jobs and expanding consumption would be suicidal - quite apart from that world resources are depleting fast, populations exploding - not sure if any nation has the right to consume more than it creates - UK is no exception.

I would have thought population control, and curbing consumption to be the top priority for World Governments rather than printing bank notes and encouraging their growing populations to spend more.”

“Mr Sucksmith does have a point, totally naive but a point nonetheless.
Such a 'strategy' would devalue the real jobs and those with marketable abilities would emigrate elsewhere. We would then end up with a society where everyone effectively earns the same be they surgeons or bean counters.
In other words, the leftie nirvana. Perfect.”

“(which is way too imprecise)"

'Imprecise' or 'impenetrable'. Which is best? There's only one way to find out...

http://tinyurl.com/7pfagb2”