Today I'm going with actual thoughts rather than pictures of headlines. But they'll be brief - I've realised that trying to read three newspapers in an evening actually takes some time.
But here are some things that have struck me today...
The problem of underemployment
As far as I recall, everything I've read over the last couple of days has referred to people either being in work or out of work. I know there's a growing awareness of the issue of low pay, limited hours and the often significant difference between an 'average' wage and a 'living' wage, but it doesn't seem to be part of the current debate.
There is no debate
I realise that in choosing to read The Guardian and the Daily Mail I was deliberately choosing to expose myself to polarised views. I'm not sure I'd quite anticipated the level of mud-slinging I've also had inflicted on me, from both sides - I'm yet to locate the moral media high ground.
Shutting the purse after the money has bolted
I'm happy to concede that this last issue might say more about me than generally reflect reality, but I'm wondering where all this hoohah was when benefit reforms were being debated in parliament. Did I just miss it? Why has it taken until yesterday for the Baptist Union, Methodist Church, United Reformed Church and Church of Scotland to publish a paper on the reforms?
Incidentally, the Leicester Mercury appeared to have nothing about the welfare reforms in it today.
If you want to check out the papers' websites you can find links on yesterday's post.
No comments:
Post a Comment