Israelis protesting

[MH]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Wow! 300.000 people protesting on Saturday!
A day after 300,000 march for social justice, Netanyahu government pledges change http://www.haaretz.com/news/national...hange-1.377388

In relation:
The biggest demonstration in West Germany in 1982 had 500000 participants @ 60 million inhabitants. The biggest in East Germany, in November 1989 had the same size @16 million inhabitants - though the East Germans went onto the street for a radical change - and Honecker was even more stubborn than Bibi
So this is huge.

Yes its big....
The ME tsunami arrived to Israel it seems.
Lots of demands are unrealistic and can never be met in current situation.
Anyone that feels unhappy about something joins the crowd with ridiculous demands.
Israel is not part of ME peaceful community yet so the country must remain warmonger armed to the teeth for time to comeand its coasts money.

Still some consideration for social needs is needed as well.
Again the main issue is housing which is expensive.
You would have to pay 2.5m NIS for some decent flat in Tel Aviv region-nothing fancy and big.
There are northern Israel and south peripheries which are much cheaper but employment is an issue there.
Students need some better benefits.
Lots of students after doing 3 year in combat units and at least 4 weeks reserve service a year(sometimes interrupting exams) have to work like mad to pay for university and rent.....
That is if not having reach folks.
Making life easier here would be welcomed.

Originally Posted by Penguin

I must admit that I do not get the point of the demands of banning private contractors doing , as long as the work and wage standards are met, I see it as something which helps to prevent corruption.

Privet contracting its a way for government institution and some big companies to avoid providing benefits otherwise given to direct employees.
Some of contractors like to stretch the boundaries as well.
I would say its the opposite side of the coin.
On one hand you have government union workers who earn outrageous sums of money because they keep whole country as a hostage.
Example is port workers who when going on strike freeze whole export import market.
On another hand you have contractor employees who sometimes get the minimum benefits.
This whole issue need balancing legislation.
The issue is about the employees who are on lower side of food chain can make decent living or not.

Originally Posted by Penguin

The privatization of the health sector is something, Germany has done in the past 2 decades. It was really a "success": Health spendings rose, for the citizens as for the state and the work conditions (and wages) for the ones who work in this sector became worse... I hope the Israelis are smart enough to stand against the fairy tales of improving the health sector through privatization...

No one is seriously considering privatisation style USA of health care i think.
Its just again about the medical staff salaries and benefits which need to be upgraded.
At least close in half to port workers lol

Originally Posted by Penguin

Hey! We're about the same age! I prefer to say I am in my late youth!

[Penguin]

Tzhanks for the long answer, I am a little smarter now.

Yes, spending a large amount for defense seems necessary - as long as you don't get any friendly neighbors moving in.

Wow, the price for an apartment seems crazy, for that money you can buy a real luxury apartment in my town. A normal apartment for a family would be about half the price.

I get the point with the contractors - this happens here too, the contractor gets a subcontroctor, who gets a sub, etc. At the end you have some illegals who work for some euros a day and often do not even receive the money... That's one of the problems if you don't have minimum wage, as we don't have here.
Therefore I meant: when the standards are met, then I see the contractors as an alternative to bureaucratic inefficency, but I have no solution, I am far away from being a politician, lol.

Even after the privatization of the medical institutions here, we haven't abolished public healthcare. The problem is that private institutions get fed by public money. Surely they do not have any interest to work cost-efficent, as long as the euros get pumped into their arses... However explaining the German health system, would be the same as our tax system. Nobody understands it, it would take years to try to desribe and I would get insane about it...

[MH]

Originally Posted by Penguin

Tzhanks for the long answer, I am a little smarter now.

Velcome herr penguin

The spirit of "viva la revolution" is not as great as "haaretz" would like us us to believe.
With current economical and political uncertainty not much of it will be turned into reality anyway-yep im negative.
Note that most of the happening is in Tel Aviv.
I'm not sure that people there would like to return to 70s economy and more equal but very modest lifestyle.
Giving every body good start is one thing but subsidising everything is another.
Interesting if those students will be ready to pay 50% or more direct tax rates in the future.
Probably not since they demonstrate against taxes too.