Opinion
Don’t blame the government
Yoel Meltzer
Published: 16.08.11, 11:27
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25 Talkbacks for this article
1. if the problem is price gouging in Israel
marc   (08.16.11)
then the only possible solution is a government one--> remove import duties on imported products and allow foreign-owned retailers to compete inside Israel against Israeli-owned retailers. If ALL of Israel's businesses go out of business and foreigners take over at least it will teach them a lesson. Israel should also not be in the business of propping up local businesses which are not competitive. If they are inefficient let them die off. Do the things that Israel does well and import the things which other countries do better. Israel should not be manufacturing clothes and low tech products. All this stuff should be imported from China and retailed by Chinese retailers if thats the only way to get honest competition in the market
2. you are saying very true things, but all this *IS* a failure
eporue ,   europe   (08.16.11)
of an governments policy... THEY are the real source of the problem.. who else ? do you think, you can tell the kibbutz to be kind enough to lower their prices, and therefore their profit by 50 % ? if they can rent out for that high price, fully booked, then they will do... rightfully so ! a market has to be regulated... this doesnt mean "limited", "restricted" or "government-controlled", but the thing has to be maintained... your government must have been aware of all that, as it is MAIN their business to deal with wages, taxes, employment, housing... no, its not the defense budget... they just didnt do anything... why not ? nobody says, its easy, but it has to be done, and they neglected it. same as with the fire... they are having their priorities very wrong, and do a lot, to keep it that way... ask them why this is, and then you will find the solution, probably... your prices are higher than in europe and your wages lower... israel is even for tourists a very costly place...
3. You're way off base.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (08.16.11)
You want examples of real greed & selfishness? Just look at our politicians. Just look at the tycoons that dominate our economy. Just look at the bureaucratic parasites that feed off the productive sector. And, just for laughs, just look at the leaders of our big labour unions with their outrageous salaries & benefits. I'll give you a quote that's been sticking in my head the last few days. ''A government big enough to take care of all your needs is big enough to take everything you have.'' That's the end result of the socialist welfare state. I don't exactly know who you're talking about but you should express it in numbers. Are you talking about someone with a salary of NIS 7,000/month? A family of three or four with a combined salary of NIS 19-18,000? You think they should be satisfied with that when they're over-charged for literally every move they make? You must be joking.
4. Talkback Terry
Michael ,   Haifa   (08.16.11)
This time I have to agree with most of what you wrote in your talkback
5. Mostly correct
Mike Carmel ,   Rishon le Zion   (08.16.11)
Most of what you say is correct except the rubbish about gush katif. Living a life of misery eh? Give me a break man. Those settlers went to gush katif for economic benefit and had luxurious villas built (we saw them, remember?) knowing full well that they wouldn't be able to stay there for ever. And then they started whining, moaning and groaning after the "eviction" that their compensation wasn't enough and of course it wasn't befitting for them to live in apartments like the rest of us. Instead they all wanted cottages in the central area etc. Most of us have to work and take out mortgages to buy little apartments so what is special about this lot eh? Did anyone ever offer you hundreds of thousands of shekels in "compensation" from the public purse? Did anyone ever send soldiers and miluimnikim to put their lives on the line and defend you because you chose to live in the middle of enemy territory? Did anyone ever pour endless funds into Sderot and other settlements on THIS side of the border like they did for gush katif? There are many aspects to this issue so please stop this garbage that those people are poor innocent victims. They are not.
6. This is the typical religious response.
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (08.16.11)
No offense, but for some reason, many with a religious view-point (not just Jews, by the way), always come up with the same arguments. It's our fault for being greedy. We should be content with our lot in life. Suffer in silence, keep your mouth shut. Respect authority (no matter how corrupt it is). The only thing you missed is that maybe things will be better in the afterlife. If I gave you a check that you could only cash in the world to come, would you take it? Believe me when I say I'm not just knocking the religious, the bizarre cult of Leftism or Socialism is no better, these lefty hypocrites talk a good game but they like the good life for themselves, they're not exactly monks living a life of poverty. We SHOULD blame the government & I'm not talking about Netanyahu here but the whole corrupt structure that colludes in sucking us dry, including all the phoney-baloney leftists & their cronies.
7. #6, Terry.That's what Kabbalah rabbi Laitman
tanya ,   tel aviv israel   (08.16.11)
is preaching.
8. It cost a small fortune to go see protests tents
Joseph.E ,   Givatayim-Israel   (08.16.11)
Bus is expensive , parking is expensive , cab is expensive , coffee ,bottled water , drinks , ice cream , pizza , burger ... everything is expensive . Just to travel to Rotschild BLVD to see what's going on at the tents protests, my collective responsibility cost me a small fortune each time i set foot outside my door , Exorbitant prices make me feel like i'm a prisoner in my house .
9. #4 Michael, Haifa - Israel
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (08.16.11)
Michael, you want to imagine that I'm some heartless right-wing monster who delights in throwing widows into the street or something. Nothing could be further from the truth. Where we differ is on how to achieve goals. You seem to think that government of a left-wing variety is the answer. I don't. I think big government is the problem. I don't really have much ideology - I only care about what works. I especially don't like BS. You only have to look around the world to see what a mess leftist ideas have made. You have only to examine Israel's early history to see what a failure it was, somehow we survived it, not because of government but despite government.
10. A perfect example
sminchom ,   Israel   (08.16.11)
I don't think the blame lies on the government's or the individual's shoulders alone. However, here is a perfectly demonstrative example of where the government IS failing its citizens through the archaic infrastructure that operates at its foundation - I recently ordered some childrens books online from Canada which I had found on sale. The price came to a total of 500 ILS including shipping. The Israel Tax Authority then proceeded to charge me VAT based on a list price of 1,091 ILS and sent me a bill for 302 ILS (175 ILS VAT + 127 ILS fees, which were also tax) required for payment to clear the books. How can a government that claims to be encouraging a free market and competition not be be required to recognize the ACTUAL price paid for an item on import? I will happily pay 16% tax on import, but 60% is thievery. I am no longer surprised when I see things such as a $60 (inc tax) lotion being listed as $90 in Ben Gurion duty free and 600 ILS in Superpharm - this is exactly where the people of Israel have a right to protest, as price gouging at these levels should not be tolerated
11. The Blame Game
Joe ,   Israel   (08.16.11)
Nice sermon, but we are beyond playing the "blame game" Given the wide-spread dissatisfaction of the people the problems are painful. Tighten your belt and stop whining are not acceptable responses.
12. JFK's Ask not...
Passo Giau ,   US   (08.16.11)
JFK's much admired "Ask not..." quote is a folly. The government's raison d'etre is the welfare of the populace. For a head of government to make a statement like this is to abdicate his duty a priori. "Histapkut" and "be content with your lot in life" is another convenient philosophy used by the haves and propagated by various religion on behalf of the have over millenia, so it not a principle to which to aspire. But the article has a gem of truth - greed and selfishness is very prominent in the israeli psyche
13. yoel meltzer-"don"t blame the government".
(a) wonder ,   a more free world.   (08.16.11)
don"t only blame the government/the leadership/the administration, in a democratic, constitutional state, i thought. also the electorate, who elected certain persons, movements, parties, organizations etc. bears (some) responsiblity, of course some or many or the majority of the media too. in a dictatorship only the dictatorial, criminal, minority elite, which oppresses/surpresses the overwhelming majority of it"s own people is to blame for the policy, mentality etc. of that country/countries.
14. Correction to #12. It was asked by Stalin long before Kenn
Ruth ,   Moscaw   (08.16.11)
15. Terry
A forgotten shadow ,   Nowhere   (08.16.11)
Always a pleasure to read your comments.
16. To Sminchom @10
Alf Red ,   Londonistan   (08.16.11)
May I add to your very just enragement a bit of story on how I once tried to come "back home to Israel". At Customs in Haifa they calculated into what I had to pay for my old belongings not only the price of what in their "opinion" these items were worth, but also the cost of their delivery to Israel! It vividly reminded me old Russian-Jewish joke about the market swindler calculating how much you have to pay him: "Forty plus forty is one hundred forty plus forty - two hundred and eighty." It was a nauseating experience, they counted me apriori as a swindler and thief who surely wanted to rob the State of it's legitimate share. And long time after being through that demeaning and shameful experience I'd felt myself RAPED. Hallo, Motherland. Brukhim ha-Bayim!..
17. #9 Terry
Michael ,   Haifa   (08.16.11)
I look around the world and see decent economic systems in Scandinavia and Australia and several other countries. They are not socialist economies....they just have different priorities for expenditures, based on values that differ from Milton Friedman economics
18. We must demand patriotic, free market solutions.
Chaim ,   Israel   (08.16.11)
Israel has real problems which must be addressed. Primarily the affordability of housing. However, we must not let ourselves be manipulated into allowing the disaster of socialism. Socialism has proven, in every single case, to not only attack the economic welfare of humanity. It ultimately attacks human freedom, human rights; often including the right to life itself. We must demand patriotic, free market solutions to Israel's problems. For instance, the obvious solution to Israel's housing problem is massive building in Judea and Samaria. We could house tens of thousands of Israelis in Judea and Samaria, within a few months. Moreover, competitive market pressures from massive Judea/Samaria building would force down housing prices throughout Israel.
19. Sorry, but don't blame Bibi
Sue Goldstein ,   Israel   (08.16.11)
Greed enjoys a long history in the Israeli government. It did not start, nor will it end, with Bibi. In fact, Bibi is actually quite tame compared to his predecessors. It is true though - we really SHOULD be happy with what we have - every time I think I want more, I am reminded of Gilad Shalit, who lives in a dark and dank hell hole surrounded by terrorists. There but for the grace of God go you and I....
20. #17 Michael, Haifa - Israel
Terry ,   Eilat - Israel   (08.16.11)
Your examples have much much less gov't. interference in their economies. Scandanavia has a very high level of participation in the labour market, & as it happens, all have been moving towards more right-wing economic policies. Why don't you look at other examples such as S. Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, even Switzerland. I'm a little less free market than Milton Friedman but not much. Did you ever read Hayek, ''The Road to Serfdom.'' ??? And, in case you haven't noticed, we don't live in Scandanavia, our neighborhood is a bit different & Israelis aren't Scandanavians either. It might be nice to be an island like Australia. Utopian schemes just don't work, they just don't take into account human nature. The key concept is ''incentives'' & wrong policies create the wrong incentives.
21. #17 - Scandinavia is not a socialist economy?
William ,   Israel   (08.16.11)
There is no better example of direct socialism than Scandinavia. They provide population welfare from cradle to grave, and have taxes reaching 70%. Starting a business there is almost impossible...that is, if you want to do more than join the mediocre collective. The only economy that is more "socialist" is Communism, and they don't tax people - they just take it all and hand back to you a portion after you wait in line for two hours.
22. The poor doesn't need vacation ? Oh sorry.
David ,   Paris   (08.17.11)
Funny article : the poor doesn't need to take his son and his daughter to vacation ? The poor works hard and doesn't need to relax ? Relaxing is not a need ? Does Mr Meltzer know that those small things that make poverty and a hard life, are the reason why poor people live a shorter life than rich people, why they are subject to more illnesses, more stress, etc. I am French but it is the same in every country : In short poverty make them more fragile and this fragility is translated in reality. Mr Meltzer doesn't know what solidarity means.
23. To Terry and other critics,
Yoel Meltzer ,   Israel   (08.17.11)
Too bad the full unedited version of my article wasn't printed. To think that I don't care about the problems of the people is ridiculous. Also to suggest that I'm a "defender" of the government or another "religious person" saying (as you wrote Terry) "It's our fault for being greedy. We should be content with our lot in life" is missing the point. As I wrote "Although it's true that new government policies may alleviate the problems, the fact is that government policy alone is not a panacea for the deeper social problems that not only plague Israel but also many Western countries." I'm quite aware of the problems but it's much deeper than a government fix. Anyone who thinks the problems in Israel are ONLY because of the very problematic government/establishment is avoiding reality.
24. Governement
Zvi ,   Istanbul   (08.17.11)
Of coursr praying three times a day and talk to the rabbi will help Othervise blame the Pope at the Vatican
25. Let's take into consideration the fact
Robert Haymond ,   Israel/Canada   (08.17.11)
that Israel ranks fifth out of thirty-four OECD states in terms of differential of wealth between its wealthiest and poorest citizens. I've been told that nineteen Israeli families hold the keys to all business within our nation. Karl Marx would have noted these figures immediately; he would have analyzed and explained why it's so hard to get ahead in our homeland. I am neither a Communist nor Socialist but the perspective itself can sometimes be very revealing. How do you compound these cogent facts into your own analysis, Yoel?
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