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Random political comment
Watching a news report about plans to raise the pension age for women. I've been hearing a lot about this lately, mostly from the unions, about how unfair this is.
The thing is, it's NOT unfair. It's completely fair that men and women should be treated as equals.
The problem I have with it is it's inconsistent. The differences between men and women on pensions are predicated on the assumption that women will be dependent on men. On the principle that women will work less in their lifetimes because they prefer "barefoot, pregnant and chained to the kitchen sink" and it doesn't matter if they retire early because their pension savings will be miniscule anyway. They will survive old age on their husband's income.
On this one point, the Tories and LibDems want men and women to be equal and I'm all for it. I'm not particularly keen on getting old, but if I'm not lucky enough to die in my fifties I'll keep working until I can't. I have no intention of ever being dependent on a partner.
But every one of the rest of their "family" policies is designed to force women to be dependent on others. Tax breaks for married couples means tax breaks to encourage women to know their place. Plans to pursue "deadbeat dads" because heaven forbid a woman might want nothing to to with some abusive son of a bitch who happened to get her pregnant.
So, girls, know your place until the kids are grown up and gone, but then you've got to work until you drop to earn your right to a pittance in old age.
The thing is, it's NOT unfair. It's completely fair that men and women should be treated as equals.
The problem I have with it is it's inconsistent. The differences between men and women on pensions are predicated on the assumption that women will be dependent on men. On the principle that women will work less in their lifetimes because they prefer "barefoot, pregnant and chained to the kitchen sink" and it doesn't matter if they retire early because their pension savings will be miniscule anyway. They will survive old age on their husband's income.
On this one point, the Tories and LibDems want men and women to be equal and I'm all for it. I'm not particularly keen on getting old, but if I'm not lucky enough to die in my fifties I'll keep working until I can't. I have no intention of ever being dependent on a partner.
But every one of the rest of their "family" policies is designed to force women to be dependent on others. Tax breaks for married couples means tax breaks to encourage women to know their place. Plans to pursue "deadbeat dads" because heaven forbid a woman might want nothing to to with some abusive son of a bitch who happened to get her pregnant.
So, girls, know your place until the kids are grown up and gone, but then you've got to work until you drop to earn your right to a pittance in old age.