Single Equality Scheme. Scheme And Action Plan 2009 10: Fill & Download for Free

Support for Leaving the EU without a DealHere is a map of the % who voted to Leave in 2016 and a map by % of constituency for the Leave the EU without a Deal in March Petition on the petition.parliament.uk website. As you can see they are remarkably similar.For Northern Ireland, as you can see the regions of Northern Ireland closest to the mainland still support Brexit quite highly whereas the regions beside the Republic of Ireland border were before the referendum leaning closer to Remaining in the EU and still are (perhaps slightly more highly) due to the unknown consequences of the border.The UK want trade to remain much the same and the ROI want trade to remain much the same, yet there are complications from the EU26 side…Shared RegulationsThe UK and ROI also have some shared regulations at current. Many of these shared standards differ from continental Europe. Two examples you’ll notice every day are proper plugs and NI and ROI have a shared electricity grid:And driving on the correct (not right) side of the road:Image from Using the road (159 to 203). So in general things designed for the UK market are also designed for the ROI of market. If the EU for example decides to put a high tariff on UK cars and electronics and the British government respond tit for tat it will only make things more expensive in the Republic of Ireland as the two scenariosThe British make more of their own stuff or import from outside the EU, means the Irish have to pay high import tariffs.The British buy less from the EU, the number of goods customised for the UK/ROI go down and become more expensive.Official DocumentationThe UK government has written a Immigration Whitepaper describing how the UK border will be managed and the EU have replied European Union: Rapid Press Release for No Deal. On the Republic of Ireland side, it looks like they had been banking on the fact that the withdrawal agreement would be accepted by the UK parliament which increasingly looks like it doesn’t. They have outlined some contingency plans Government Contingency Action Plan.UK: New Electronic Travel AuthorisationCurrently, non-visa nationals (excluding EEA nationals) only require a passport to enter the UK as visitors, and they have little or no contact with the Home Office prior to their arrival. As a result, they only find out at the UK border whether they are eligible to enter the UK.The proposed ETA scheme is similar to the approach taken by many of the UK’s international partners, such as the USA and Canada. The USA introduced their Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA) in January 2009 and the ETA became mandatory in Canada in November 2016. The concept of obtaining pre-travel authorisation therefore is a familiar concept to many carriers and passengers.The new border ETA makes it more like Canada, Australia and the United States. However the approach regarding border security is far more likely to be similar to Canada and Australia.UK: Changes to Low Risk OverstayersNationals from the USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea will be allowed to use e-gates to enter the UK from next summer onwards. In 2017, 10.2 million people arrived from these countries and crossed the UK border, constituting over half of all arrivals from outside the EEA.For touristic purposes, the UK is actually opening it’s borders up more to countries the British feel the deepest connections to and/or countries where there is a low chance of the visitor overstaying.UK: Visitors from the EU to UKWe do not intend to require visitors who are citizens of current EU Member States to obtain a visit visa in advance of travel and we intend to allow them to continue to use e-gates to make entry quick and easy. We propose to make binding commitments to this effect in a future mobility partnership, if the EU reciprocates.Tourists will continue to enjoy a generous entitlement to spend up to six months in the UK. Visitors coming to the UK for short-term business reasons will be able, as now, to carry out a wide range of activities, including permitted paid engagements. We will discuss with stakeholders whether these arrangements can be improved to reflect business need.This means for tourism, the border is likely to remain open... It also dispels the mis-information about EU migrants using Northern Ireland as a gate way to get into the UK.EU: Visitors from the UK to EUIt is recalled that the Commission has already adopted a proposal for a Regulation which exempts UK nationals from visa requirements, provided that all EU citizens are equally exempt from UK visa requirements.i.e. both sides have agreed reciprocates these rights as part of “No Deal”.UK: Settled StatusPosition of EU citizens already in the UK During the Implementation Period, we will implement the EU Settlement Scheme. This gives EU citizens already here, and also those who arrive in the UK during the Implementation Period, the opportunity to secure their future residence in the UK. The UK has agreed with the EU on rights for EU citizens already living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU, to enable them to carry on with their lives broadly as now. The Government is finalising arrangements with negotiating with European Free Trade Association (EFTA) States – Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland – to bring about similar arrangements for their citizens. The UK has already begun to implement the EU Settlement Scheme through a phased approach, starting with EU employees working in the NHS, social care and higher education sectors. It will be opened to all eligible EU and EFTA citizens by the date of the UK’s departure from the EU. Subject to ratification of the Withdrawal Agreement, the EU Settlement Scheme will be open until six months after the end of the Implementation Period. 10 The EU Settlement Scheme establishes the principle that EU citizens must obtain a specific, individual permission to stay on in the UK after the end of the Implementation Period, in contrast to the position under EU free movement whereby rights are bestowed by EU treaties. The EU Settlement Scheme will be easy for EU citizens, and their third country family members, to access. It has been designed to be fully digital from the point of application. Dedicated links between the Home Office, HM Revenue and Customs, and the Department for Work and Pensions have been created to enable quick searches of employment records, thereby providing a customer friendly system that, generally, avoids the applicant having to provide documentary evidence of their residence footprint. EU citizens’ immigration status will be recorded digitally in a database avoiding the use of cards, as is now the case with the driving licence counterpart, ensuring the individual can have immediate access to information about their current status and enabling them to share it easily with employers and other service providers.Summary of our agreement on EU citizens’ rights (and their family members) for those living lawfully in the UK before the end of the Implementation Period:EU citizens who have been living in the UK continuously for five years will be eligible for settled status in UK law.EU citizens who arrived before the end of the Implementation Period, but who have not been here for five years, will be eligible for pre-settled status, enabling them to stay until they have accumulated five years, after which they may apply for settled status.The Withdrawal Agreement will also allow close family members who live in a different country to join an EU citizen at any time in the future under current rules, if the relationship existed before the end of the Implementation Period.EU citizens protected by the agreement will continue to be able to work, study and establish a business in the UK as now.EU citizens with settled status or pre-settled status to stay may access healthcare, pensions and other benefits and services in the UK, as they do currently.Frontier workers (EU citizens who reside in one state, and work in the UK) will continue to be able to enter the UK to work under current rules, if they started this work before the end of the Implementation Period.Essentially in the terms of no deal, EU citizens resident in the UK for >5 years will be allowed to apply for settled status. Those resident in the UK for <5 years will be allowed to stay for up to 5 years and then apply for settled status.EU: EU ReplyThe Commission has consistently put citizens first throughout these negotiations and throughout its "no-deal" preparedness and contingency work. Today's Communication invites Member States to take a generous approach to the rights of UK citizens in the EU, provided that this approach is reciprocated by the UK.In particular, Member States should take measures to ensure that UK citizens legally residing in the EU on the date of withdrawal will continue to be considered legal residents. Member States should adopt a pragmatic approach to granting temporary residence status. It is recalled that the Commission has already adopted a proposal for a Regulation which exempts UK nationals from visa requirements, provided that all EU citizens are equally exempt from UK visa requirements.As regards social security coordination, the Commission considers it necessary that Member States take all possible steps to ensure legal certainty and to protect the rights acquired by EU27 citizens and UK nationals who exercised their right to free movement before 30 March 2019.The EU have in essence reciprocated.UK: Skilled Workers and Shortage Occupation List (Including Devolved Regions)The new skilled route will include workers with intermediate level skills, at RQF 3-5 level (A level or equivalent) as well as graduate and post-graduate, as the MAC recommended. The MAC recommended retaining the minimum salary threshold at £30,000 and we will engage businesses and employers as to what salary threshold should be set. We have asked the MAC to review the Shortage Occupation List (SOL), including for occupations at RQF levels 3-5. They will report in spring 2019. Scotland already has a separate SOL and we will also invite the MAC to compile a such a list for Northern Ireland and consider whether the composition of the SOL needs to be different for Wales.At present, we have a dual system of admitting only highly skilled workers from outside the EU, and workers of all skill levels from the EU. We will replace this with a single route which gives access to highly skilled and skilled workers from all countries. Those coming to the UK on this route will need an employer to sponsor them. We propose to allow individuals who meet the requirements to bring dependants, extend their stay and switch to other routes, and in some cases, settle permanently.The current system for non-EU work migration imposes controls through minimum skills and salary levels, a cap on numbers and the need to test the availability of local workers before recruiting abroad. The proposed new route will include a number of significant reforms aimed at ensuring that our immigration system supports a flexible labour market, and that overall the burden on businesses is no greater under a single system which includes EU migrants.As recommended by the MAC, we will not impose a cap on the numbers of skilled workers, to ensure the brightest and best who wish to come to the UK may do so, and employers have access to the skills that add most value to the UK economy.Employers should not be using migrant labour to put downward pressure on wages where there is a ready supply of labour. However, the MAC found that the resident labour market test does not offer such a protection, instead serving in practice as a delay in the process, while protection is provided by payment of the Immigration Skills Charge (ISC) by employers. In line with their recommendation we will therefore no longer require employers of skilled migrants to carry out a resident labour market test as a condition of sponsoring a worker.The UK will treat EU and non-EU workers as equal and have began stream-lining these visa procedures. UK employers will also have to apply a few for employing a non-UK citizen over a UK citizen (ROI excluded).UK: Low Skilled WorkersThe MAC also recommended there should be no dedicated migration route for skills below the NQF3 level (low skilled and unskilled), other than through the Youth Mobility scheme and possibly through a seasonal agricultural workers scheme. The Government accepts the thrust of the MAC’s analysis and recommendations, though there will, on a transitional basis, be a short-term workers route.A Youth Mobility Scheme for migrants aged between 18 and 30, from countries with which a YMS is agreed, allowing people concerned to enter and then look to enjoy the social and cultural aspects of living in the UK for up to 24 months, but they may also choose to work.Existing temporary routes open to non-EEA nationals, which may also be extended to EEA nationals – Government Authorised Exchange, Charity Workers, Religious Workers, Creative and Sporting Workers, International Agreement.The UK will in essence treat add all EU countries to the youth mobility scheme where youth can apply 1 for 1 year for work experience/unskilled labour.UK: StudentsEEA students coming to study, other than for very short periods, will have to demonstrate the same eligibility requirements as current non-EEA students do, and be subject to the same rights whilst studying and to poststudy work; • Both non-EEA and EEA students studying at postgraduate level, or studying at undergraduate level at an institution with degree awarding powers, will be given a post-study leave period of up to six months in which to gain work experience or look a skilled job in the UK, while those who obtain a PhD will have a 12-month period;Short-term EEA and non-visa national students can come to the UK for up to six months within the visitor or short-term study system126 or on shortterm study visas for English language courses lasting more than six and less than 12 months; andContinued participation in the ERASMUS programme and its successors, if agreed as part of the mobility framework with the EU.The UK have stated they want close participation with EU universities including participation with the Erasmus program. Those who want to study will need a visa and so far no Universities have stated they are going to treat EU students as different to British ones in regards to tuition fees. This may change in the future though. There will also be a period of time for those with UK degrees to seek work. It is possible that since they have added Canada, Australia, New Zealand, USA, Japan, Singapore and South Korea that they will look for similar opportunities with these countries.The UK as a Land BridgeThere is a high level of trade between the UK and the ROI, so for most things regulations will be the same. Publicly no preparations have been made by either the British government or the Republic or Ireland government regarding trade.The shipping lines for the UK and ROI are also highly interlinked:Map from:https://come2ireland.com/index.p...ROI: The UK LandbridgeThe landbridge is the term used to describe the route to market that connects Irish importers and exporters to international markets via the UK road and ports network. It is a strategically important route to market for many Irish importers and exporters, especially for short shelf life products, and is primarily used for roll-on roll-off traffic.The aim of this work is to ensure the continued effective and efficient use of the landbridge. As a crucial first step the EU has agreed that the UK may join the Common Transit Convention upon its departure from the EU, and a number of formal steps were taken to allow this to happen on 4 December 2018. The UK’s accession to the Common Transit Convention will play an important role in ensuring access for Ireland’s goods in transit to other EU Member States via the UK landbridge coupled with a regulatory regime underpinning the movement of vehicles through a third country.International road haulage plays a critical role in facilitating Irish economic activity. Current rights to carry out international road haulage into and via the UK are grounded in EU legislation, notably the Community Licence. Ireland, along with other Member States, had previously identified this as an areas of significant concern, as in a no deal scenario road haulage between the EU and UK would be severely restricted and limited to an international system of limited quotas (ECMT). The European Commission, in its latest communication of 19 December, is now proposing to adopt a measure to ensure basic road haulage connectivity. In summary, the EU would ensure basic connectivity by allowing UK hauliers’ access to the EU, on the understanding that measures would be put in place to allow EU haulier’s access to the UK.ROI: Response on TransportMany of the actions aimed at mitigating the effects of a no deal outcome will be taken at the EU level as they involve areas of EU competence and sectors regulated by EU law. The EU has already published 81 sectoral notices with detailed guidance on planning for a no deal Brexit. These contain important information and guidance across a range of sectors and are a source of advice for operators, businesses and regulators.In the case of a no deal scenario, goods entering the EU from the UK will be treated as imports from a third country and goods leaving the EU to the UK will be treated as exports. All relevant EU legislation on imported goods and exported goods will apply, including the levy of certain duties and taxes (such as customs duties, value added tax and excise on importation), in accordance with EU commitments under the rules of the World Trade Organisation. The need for customs declarations to be presented to customs authorities, and the possibility to control shipments will also apply sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) requirements for third countries will also come into effect.The Government is committed to working with the European Commission and our EU partners to ensure that any potential disruption to connectivity as a result of necessary additional checks and controls is kept to a minimum. At the same time, Ireland is committed to protecting the integrity of the Single Market and Customs Union, membership of which is a core element of our economic strategy and has been good for Irish business.Along with all other EU27 Member States, the Government has participated in discussions dealing with a range of issues including financial services, transport, citizens’ rights and social security, professional qualifications, customs and border controls, taxation, fisheries, climate and the environment, industrial goods, police and judicial co-operation, data protection and digital and telecommunications. Government officials have also held bilateral discussions with the EU institutions on issues that are particular priorities for Ireland – for example, the landbridge, road haulage, controls at ports and airports, energy, medicines and data.If the Withdrawal Agreement is not ratified, air traffic between the EU and the United Kingdom will be interrupted as of the withdrawal date. The Commission has today adopted two temporary measures to avoid full interruption of air traffic between the Union and the United Kingdom and to ensure basic connectivity:  A proposal for a Regulationv to ensure temporarily, for 12 months, the provision of certain air services between the United Kingdom and the EU27 Member States, allowing air carriers from the United Kingdom to fly across the territory of the Union without landing, make stops in the territory of the Union for non-traffic purposes, and perform scheduled and non-scheduled international passenger and cargo air transport services. This is subject to the United Kingdom conferring equivalent rights to air carriers from the Union, as well as to the United Kingdom ensuring conditions of fair competition.  A proposal for a Regulationvi regarding aviation safety to extend temporarily, for 9 months, the validity of certain existing licences, to address the specific situation in the aviation safety sector where the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) can only issue certain certificates on the basis of a licence issued in a third country, while the 75 United Kingdom can only issue licences as of the withdrawal date, when it has re- gained the status of "State of design". Only EU level contingency action is necessary and possible to ensure the required legal framework to avoid the abrupt interruption of activities in the area of air transport18. Additional national measures are not necessary.Essentially as part of the EU27 they are subjugated to the EU27 rules.EU: EU Response on TransportThe Commission has today adopted two measures that will avoid full interruption of air traffic between the EU and the UK in the event of no deal. These measures will only ensure basic connectivity and in no means replicate the significant advantages of membership of the Single European Sky. This is subject to the UK conferring equivalent rights to EU air carriers, as well as the UK ensuring conditions of fair competition.A proposal for a Regulation to ensure temporarily (for 12 months) the provision of certain air services between the UK and the EU.A proposal for a Regulation to extend temporarily (for 9 months) the validity of certain aviation safety licences.The Commission has also adopted a proposal for a Regulation to allow UK operators to temporarily (nine months) carry goods into the EU, provided the UK confers equivalent rights to EU road haulage operators and subject to fair competition conditions.In essence as close to business as usual as possible.EU: EU Response on TradeIn a no deal scenario, all relevant EU legislation on the importation and exportation of goods will apply to goods moving between the EU and the UK. The Commission has today adopted the following technical measures:A Delegated Regulation to include the seas surrounding the UK in the provisions on time-limits within which entry summary declarations and pre-departure declarations have to be lodged prior to leaving or entering the Union's customs territory.A proposal for a Regulation to add the UK to the list of countries for which a general authorisation to export dual use items is valid throughout the EU.It is essential, however, that Member States take all the necessary steps to be in a position to apply the Union Customs Code and the relevant rules regarding indirect taxation in relation to the United Kingdom.In essence as close to business as usual as possible.How will Such a System Work?Likely there will be some system in place, linked to NI numbers, UK bank accounts and a government policy when it comes to buying/renting property. My guess is the EU will respond in a similar manner especially as there are less UK citizens in the EU than EU citizens in the UK for all EU countries except Spain.The biggest concern will of course be if this creates an incentive for people “visiting the UK” and living and working illegally. I haven’t seen any policy outlined for this.

I have never been a Modi supporter but here is an attempt to review 5 years of Narendra Modi rule as neutrally as possible for me.Before starting to review the government’s performance, the obvious question is how to effectively review the performance of a central government. There can be following approaches1) Compare it against its manifesto and promises.2) Compare it against previous governments.3) Combination of both #1 and #2.What fields should governments performance should be looked at?1) Economic policy.2) Education policy.3) Foreign policy.4) Infrastructure (Highways, airports, sea ports etc)5) Corruption: Financial and other.6) Social justice and empowerment7) Urban development8) Rural Development9) Power/Energy10)Law and Justice11) Miscellaneous reformsEconomic PolicyGoods:1) Modi came with a clear agenda and intent to fast track economic growth in 2014. He was the first one to make economic growth the main election issue.2) Major reforms:a. GST: Partial credit should go to previous governments since it was initiated several years back. The implementation drew a lot of criticism for the pain it caused but is definitely a good reform for long term.b. Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code: Is touted to be a reform which will help recover bad loans and punish economic offenders.c. Direct Benefit Transfers: It is a work in progress. This may help reduce leakage of money in social welfare schemes which has been a major issue right from 1947.3) Targeted Subsidies : The govt. narrowed the subsidies (specially in Cooking gas scheme) to the people who really need it rather the whole country. Reduced fiscal burden.Bads:1) The intent did not really translate into results. The GDP growth rate data clearly shows the previous UPA governments were far superior to Modi government. This is despite the fact that there was a major global recession in 2008-2009 and during Modi regime world economy did fairly well. The Modi govt came out with a new method to calculate GDP which only resulted in loss of credibility of govt numbers.2) DEMONETIZATION: If there is one thing that will define the economic performance of this government (or should I say Modi, because he implemented it single handedly), it would be demonetization (DeMo).a. Modi announced the scheme saying it will curb black money, fake currency and terror funding. Data shows it failed on all these fronts.b. The goal post was then changed. Modi and ministers said that it will help make India a cashless and later a less-cash economy. It will boost electronic money.c. Cost of printing new currency was 20,000 crores. Needless to say, the expenditure was a complete waste.d. Absence of cash in economy caused a massive loss of jobs, specially in rural areas and unorganized sector. The estimated loss was ~1% dip in GDP growth rate. In rupee terms the loss was on the higher side of 1 lakh crores.e. Total loss to country was more than 1.2Lakh crores.f. Government never gave a data on what was achieved from the whole exercise, how much black money was seized or how many people have been identified due to it.g. The govt gave flawed arguments that DeMo has pushed digital payments higher. The flaw is that you don’t need DeMo to push digital payments. For such a small good the whole economy can’t be damaged.h. Another flawed argument given is that “a lot of people were scared and lost their money after DeMo”. True, but what did the country gain by scaring a few thousand people. The loss of 1.2L crores is not worth the fear of a few thousand people.i. ALL major economists including Raghuram Rajan, Gita Gopinath and many non-Indian economists have openly criticized DeMo and have rejected all the arguments given by govt in its support.3) 2018-19 has been worst phase of unemployment in last 45 years. The NSSO data of unemployment was suppressed by the govt for obvious reasons. The unemployment is partially due to the shock given to economy by DeMo.4) The government lost direction after DeMo. They had started with a clear policy of fiscal prudence and cutting down on extravagant subsidies and social schemes. The resentment of rural India and poor people due to DeMo forced the government to revert to safe policy of squandering money on social schemes.EDUCATIONGoods:1) Some reforms in Madrassas.2) Scheme of Atal tinkering labs.3) Skill India program was introduced.4) Several new IIT/IIM/AIIMS/IIIT campuses were announced.Bads1) It is amply evident that education was not on the priority list of this government. Smriti Irani, with a dubious educational record, was made the HRD minister.2) Funding of all central educational institutes (IITs, IIMs, AIIMS etc) have gone down over the last 5 years consistently.3) The new campuses of IITs/IIMs/AIIMS etc which were announced during UPA also are not fully functional let alone the few announced during Modi regime.4) The infrastructure in pre-existing institutes remains in the need of upgradation.5) The eminent institutes became playgrounds and laboratory of RSS. News like research on Yoga and Ayurveda in IITs was common.6) Autonomy of educational institutes was under scanner. Institutes like FTII and JNU had several political interferences apart from IITs. The campus politics also became cut-throat due to govt backing to ABVP.7) The skill India program lost its sheen (if there was any to begin with) towards the end of 5 years.Foreign PolicyGoods:1) Modi personally took up the job of inviting FDIs from all over the world.2) Better relations with middle eastern countries. Steps like hindu temple in Saudi-Arab.3) Better connect with NRI community.Bads:1) Modi’s policy of developing personal equation with Nawaz Sharif and Xi Jing Ping did not really bear fruits. Just ended up being media gimmicks.2) China was successful in luring India’s long-term allies: Nepal, Sri Lanka and Maldives.3) No progress was made towards talks with Pakistan.Infrastructure:Goods:1) This surely is governments best area of performance. The department was mainly headed by Nitin Gadkari who is known to be an expert in the domain.2) Highway construction rates were equal to or better (+10 to 20%) than UPA governments.3) Sea port upgradation. (Sagarmala scheme)4) Inland waterways. Transportation of heavy cargo over Ganga demonstrated. Should become fully operational in near future.Bads:1) Where are the smart cities?2) Urban infra like metro trains or city roads are still developing at slow pace in major urban centers. Major hurdle remains to be land acquisition.3) No solution/policy was implemented for poor and unauthorized colonies in all major cities.4) No major upgradation to railway infrastructure. Some major rail accidents happened during this govt. Suresh Prabhu had to ultimately resign as railway minister.CorruptionGoods:1) UPA-2 saw a flood of corruption cases/accusations in all the departments of the government which occurred during UPA-1 and 2 both. Modi government has, at least in perception of people, been able to ensure that every other department is not doing petty corruption.Bads:1) Rafale Scam accusations: The accusations have found credibility since PMO was directly involved in a matter of ministry of defense. A business man who is declaring his other major businesses bankrupt has been given plum contract after bypassing several procedures. The price being paid for Rafale jets has been confirmed to be substantially higher by independent agencies though the government has tried to evade revealing the official data on prices. The argument the supreme court has cleared the government of corruption is flawed since SC has based its decision on a non-existent CAG report.2) NPA scams: Several big businessmen absconded the country after committing financial irregularities. There are allegations on government of connivance with these people. Major cases:a. Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi: Known personally to PM. Vijay Mallya was another big name.c. DHFL scam: The details are still emerging. Cobrapost investigation shows money has been siphoned off using shell companies. Finance ministry overlooked RBIs request to look into irregularities. Evidence of BJP having received donations from some of the shell companies.d. IL&FS: Allegations similar to DHFL case in IL&FS case too. Government decided to bail out ILFS after defaulting debt payments.3) PM crop insurance scheme scam: Investigative media reports have revealed a big scam in crop insurance scheme where premiums being paid to insurance companies are disproportionately higher than the reimbursement amounts being received by farmers.4) Corruption by Jay Shah (Amit Shah’s son) and Ajit Doval’s son. This is Robert Vadra equivalent of BJP.5) Non-Financial Corruption: All independent government agencies, at least in perception, have been compromised by the ruling party.a. Amit Shah and several BJP men were absolved in serious cases soon after BJP govt was formed.b. Justice Loya’s death/murder has been an unresolved case. Justice Loya was about to give a judgement on Amit Shah’s fake encounter case just when he died.c. No CVC, CIC or Lokpal have been appointed. RTI has been brazenly weakened.d. Institutions like CAG have been weakened by not allowing them autonomy.e. Attempts have been made to alter judge selection procedure.f. Recent rulings of SC, specially on Rafale case, raise a suspicion of SC having been compromised too.g. BJP has brazenly misused money and muscle power to topple various state govts by horse trading. Even BJP appointed governors in various states have brazenly flouted moral conduct.h. Misuse of bodies like CBI, ED, IB etc. The previous govts too were accused of the same but Modi govt has taken this practice to a new high. Specifically glaring is the example of Delhi where an elected govt was choked by central govt by brazenly misusing constitutional loop holes. CBI was reduced to a gang of henchmen of BJP in order to threaten state governments to submit to Modi’s whims.i. SC ruled in favor of Delhi govt in the fight over jurisdiction on several delhi govt areas showing how Modi was trying to choke it. The unnecessary tussle led to wastage of several years of governance.j. Fudging and suppression of govt data. Credibility of bodies like NSSO has been irreparably tarnished after suppression of unemployment data. Other govt data like GDP numbers have also been found spurious by global experts.k. Autonomy of RBI was openly violated during DeMo and later when RBI was forced to give its dividends to govt. Urjit Patel had to resign as a mark of protest. This will have long term consequences on India’s financial credibility in global economy.l. The manner in which CBI chief Alok Verma was removed shows Central govt’s major disregard for constitutional procedures and that govt did not want CBI chief to look into Rafale case.m. Media independence has taken a massive hit. Journalists have been threatened and forced to quit when they spoke against the government.Social Justice and EmpowermentGood:1) Triple talaq bill.2) Some socialist schemes like Ayushman Bharat. The performance needs to be seen over a long term.3) Better implementation of some socialist schemes from previous govt: Swacch bharat, PMAY, Cooking gas etc.Bad:1) Open use of Islamophobia in politics.2) Politics of Hindutva saw revival when development card failed.3) Beef politics, love-jihad, ghar wapasi marred govt’s record on social justice.4) Govt gave active and passive support to non-democratic and non-constitutional groups like various hindu senas and karni senas. Mob lynching and vandalism saw a rise under this government. The ruling party cunningly used these groups for its own political benefits by not acting against their crimes but not even associating with them directly.5) The country is back to politics of Ram Mandir at the end of 5 years of Modi rule.6) Modi’s cabinet has/had people charged with heinous crimes like rape and murder. No minister/MLA/MP accused/charged of serious crimes was asked to resign even on moral grounds. Few examples: Kathua and Unnao rape/murder cases. MJ Akbar was not asked to resign.Urban Development1) No major initiatives taken by this govt on urban infrastructure like Metros or unauthorized construction or urban modernization.2) No progress on Smart Cities initiative.Rural DevelopmentGoods:1) Govt claims better implementation of PMAY than UPA.2) Better execution of Swacch Bharat.3) 100% rural electrification claimed by govt. But much of progress was already made under UPA. Modi govt did the final stretch.Bads:1) No progress on agricultural infra like food storage etc.Power and EnergyGoods:1) Modi govt has done very well in this field and even more so when compared with UPA govts.2) Major progress in renewable energy generation.3) Self-reliance in energy generation achieved by this govt.4) Good work done by Piyush Goyal.Law and JusticeGood:1) Triple Talaq Bill.2) RERA bill for real estate dealings.3) Approx. 1400 archaic laws removed.Bad:1) No legislation from govt on decriminalization homosexuality.2) No law on protecting freedom of expression.3) No progressive laws.4) No police or judicial reforms.5) No electoral reforms.6) No strong laws to check corruption in govt departments. Buying and selling of property still requires dealing with corrupt bureaucracy.7) Multiple occasions of misuse of draconian sedition law by government.8) Decriminalization of defamation law did not happen. It is yet another archaic/obscure law often misused by powerful people against their critics.MiscellaneousModi did not hold a single press conference in 5 years. Gave very few interviews which had practically 0 cross questioning. Modi got away by giving factually incorrect answers too.Very little progress on Clean Ganga Mission. Nitin Gadkari took up the job pretty late and has made very little progress by the end of 5 years.CONCLUSION:1) The no. 1 plank on which govt came to power was faster economic progress. Modi has failed miserably on his top agenda. The famous Gujarat Model or ‘development’ is obsolete agenda in politics. The country’s economic growth has slowed down rather that speed up.2) The economic policy was largely confused. It started with fiscal prudence but after disaster of DeMo populism made a comeback.3) Modi’s 5 year rule bears the signature of his lust for power. A large part of his tenure was spent in election rallies to ensure he conquers majority of the states. Every action of this government is election optics rather than governance. Use of surgical strike for political benefit, Flashy (but disastrous) schemes like DeMo, fudging of govt data, suppression of media’s independence, misuse of govt agencies to suppress opponents: all for ensuring that Modi rules the country till his last day on earth.4) The only high points of this govt are slightly faster rate of infrastructure creation (mainly highways) and energy independence by investing in renewable energy.5) At the end of 5 years, the government has failed to tell people what true development is or if there is even some sort of plan or path towards development.6) The social climate of the country is at its worst phase ever after brazen politicization of communal problems of the country. Minorities have been denied the basic right to live with dignity.

Despite the boom in the US economy and financial assets over the past 50 years, (which boosted the wealth and incomes of the wealthiest Americans like never before) average Americans are actually worse off than they were decades ago. That's not Capitalism... that's Corporatism.Even though there has been an enormous amount of wealth created by our economy, life for the average American has not improved one bit. The average worker has gotten poorer. They've been going to work, year after year, but instead of earning more over time, they've actually been earning less, in terms of what their wages can buy.That's not because of a bad economy. Our economy has boomed through enormous increases of productivity... technologies like personal computers, cell phones, the internet, RFID tags (for inventory control), gene sequencing, GPS, and fantastic increases to fuel efficiency. You can see these gains in your everyday life.However, everything you need to live and prosper (from food to housing, healthcare to cars and education) have gotten far, far more expensive. That is the exact opposite of what should be happening in a Capitalist system.When money is sound and reliable, it does not lose its value over time. In fact, quite the opposite... it buys more and more, because of increases in productivity and efficiency. When "money" can simply be printed out of thin air, it doesn't transmit gains in productivity as real, sound money should.*********************************************The pure paper era did not begin until 1971, the US abandoned the gold standard completely and turned wholly to a fractional reserve system. From that point on, we can easily see the debt created under a fiat currency... injecting more and more and more in a futile effort to perpetuate itself.The debt shall never decrease. The debt is unsustainable. It was never otherwise! Under a private central bank issuing all currency as loans at immediate interest, the debt is always going to exceed the available currency supply. The debt can never be paid off, and every action that the central bank does to increase the currency supply increases debt at a faster pace. The final collapse and crash is inevitable and is inherent in the very nature of private central banking. It is impossible to design a banking system that enriches the central banks that does not have a collapse as the resulting inevitable outcome.But the central banks pretend that the system is sustainable to swindle the gullible and unwitting public into using that system designed to shift the real wealth into the hands of the private central banks for only the cost of the ink and paper in the notes.When money is loaned into existence, debt shall always be greater than the currency supply. The only way to pay that debt is to create more currency, which only creates more debt. That's why it fluctuates and crashing is inevitable.Since 1973, net productivity rose 74%, while the hourly wages stagnated, increasing only 12% in 45 years. We have seen a glut of productivity and technological advancements which should translate to prosperity. Instead, we see more and more debt and poverty. Even though Americans are working more productively than ever, they are living from paycheck to paycheck with no savings.Growth without prosperity is not progress. Families must have two or more incomes to simply be solvent. The problem is not an insufficient supply of money. We have plenty of money, but it's all made worthless by the very people who create it. Today, there is more debt, more homelessness, more poverty with a whole ton of money coming out their ears. Thats not progress. That's not Capitalism.*********************************************There are more US Dollars in circulation worldwide than any other currency.... more than all other currencies combined. Two-thirds of the rest of the world's foreign reserves are denominated in US Dollars.Furthermore, two-thirds of all US Dollars circulate outside of the US. They have long been the choice of exchange on the world's black markets. The reason is because they are so recognizable and accepted everywhere else. That's why many nations peg their currency to the US Dollar. It is still the world reserve currency.The unredeemable US Dollar remains the popular world reserve currency purely as a matter of convenience but nothing requires or guarantees that it shall remain that way. The world is becoming so saturated with US Dollars that it holds less and less value and therefore less demand for it... and there are major countries now looking for alternatives. As such, it is only a matter of time before the US Dollar fails completely.Countries have not sought a standard-based system simply because the US Dollar is not on a standard... except Libya. It was no secret that Libya was talking about using the gold dinar, proposed in 2009, to replace American dollars for use in oil transactions. A surprise, murderous invasion quickly followed.Governments are eager to destroy standard-backed currencies because they are committed to the fallacies that credit expansion is a means of lowering the rate of interest and of "improving" the balance of trade. Fear of a standard-base is created by the superstition that omnipotent Governments can create wealth out of mere paper and ink.Intrusive Governments consider a standard-based system to be the most serious obstacle to their endeavors to manipulate prices and wage rates. But the most fanatical attacks against a standard-base are made by those intent upon credit expansion. To them, credit expansion is the cure-all for all economic woes.The banks and Government benefit the most by having the ability to create currency and control interest rates. With first access to new currency.... those nearest to the source of creation are affected the least by inflation, while those on the other end lose the most purchasing power because by the time they get it, market prices have already been adjusted to account for the new currency in circulation. Wages are always the last thing to be adjusted. The only reason people need gobs and gobs and gobs of money is because today's fiat currencies hold no store of value and is constantly losing its purchasing power. That's not Capitalism.Capitalism does not create money out of thin air, which diminishes the value of it: but rather Capitalism increases the value of money through greater and more efficient production. Under Capitalism, money is not wealth... production is wealth and it benefits everyone.*********************************************Society does not borrow from the Federal Reserve... Government does. Government borrows without the citizens' consent, then makes the citizens pay for it. Citizens have scant say in the matter. It allows Governments to do whatever they want without going through citizens willingness to pay for it.100% of all personal income taxes extorted by the IRS goes to the Federal Reserve Banking System and does not fund a single function of Government. The Government does collect other revenues such as corporate taxes, social security taxes, constitutional revenues such as excise taxes on cigarettes, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, tires, etc., tariffs on trade, military hardware sales, and some minor categories to pay for its functions.Suppose that those revenues will total $900 billion dollars. The politicians want $1.7 trillion to spend on their favorite welfare programs, wars and foreign welfare, but have a short fall of $800 billion dollars. They simply call up the Feds and borrow your children's and grandchildren's futures, even the not-yet-born (Talk about taxation without representation!!).The Federal Reserve doesn't loan anything of value to Congress. When that $800 billion dollars worth of ink is transferred to the Treasury, it gets piled on top of the existing "national debt." Congress overspends, then borrows from the Fed, and then turns around and tells you to pay for all these overdrafts of fiat credit.Fiat "money" is not based on any store of actual value, it is based on the mere promise of future human labor. Politicians have no qualms of borrowing "money" with the promise to repay it with YOUR human labor. Yes, in these united States under a fiat system, you ARE a slave. To a politician, your time and labor is public property for their use. That is not Capitalism.*********************************************Corporatism is the machine; Consumerism is the fuel.The Story of StuffIt's not just a matter of a small number of people who have done well; it's a matter of HOW they have done it.Corporations deliberately design products to have shorter lifespans, which forces you to buy anew more often. Our education system no longer teaches basic life skills of repair and maintenance. The result? We simply throw things away and become dependent upon corporations. That's not Capitalism... that's Consumerism.Consumerism is based on spending velocity. It pushes the consumer to buy things they don't need because the fiat currency loses its value if not spent fast enough or broad enough, causing theft of such value through inflation. It focuses on endless artificial consumption resulting in debt-slavery. When the spending value of currency changes on a monthly basis, it serves no benefit to save. Its spending value shall be worth less than when you first put it away for savings, so it behooves you to spend it right now. Fiat money should have an expiration date printed on it... "Best spent before Tuesday".Consumerism creates poverty forcing debt-slaves to live from paycheck to paycheck with no assets, savings or property. Production is reserved for corporations through Government regulations. Under such regulations (taxes, permits, tariffs, etc.), the debt-slave is not allowed to produce for themselves, but only to consume. Stewardship and thrift are not virtues in a Consumerist system; in fact, they are severe impediments to it.Under Consumerism, you are just a slave and the Corporations/Governments run the show. Corporations are a product of the State. They are created by the Government and given privileges that individuals do not have. A Corporation is a legal privilege granted by the State to limit liabilities of the individuals owning/managing/working for the company... basically a group or organization that accepts blame and responsibility for the actions of individual people.When people do something on behalf of the Government or a Corporation, they are almost never held accountable for their actions. This is one of the primary purposes of Governments and Corporations to begin with. These proxies pretend to legitimize the unethical actions of individual people and protect them from any legal consequences.Without State involvement, corporations as we know them now would be very difficult for anyone to form. Without Government collusion, Corporations would no longer exist to limit the legal liability of those participating. Sure, companies and firms would exist to provide goods and services, but the individuals behind those companies would be open to every liability that you would face as an individual. They would have no special legal protection as they do under the Corporatist system that exists today.*********************************************Capitalism focuses on capital, investment, creation, innovation, and making people (all people) wealthy and satisfying their needs. A Capitalist is all for alternative energy. After all, innovation is a key point in this. If fossil fuels create pollution, cause health problems, then it's definitely cheaper for society to find better methods for energy and society is more than willing to provide alternative methods. Corporations seduce Governments with perks and donations to punish, tax, and regulate any competition out of the picture.Oil Change International estimates that the US spends $37.5 billion on subsidies for fossil fuels every year. Through direct subsidies, tax breaks, and other incentives and loopholes, US taxpayers help fund the industry’s research and development, mining, drilling, and electricity generation.While subsidies may have increased domestic production, they have also diverted capital from more productive activities (such as energy efficiency) and artificially constrained the growth of renewable energy (solar and wind enjoy fewer subsidies and, generally, receive much less preferential political treatment). Competing alternatives are automatically handicapped by a Corporatist system which manipulates and sways the very entities that create "money".Every time Capitalism starts to rise, there's always an envious Government around to hijack and destroy it, because they know that Capitalism creates wealth; and if people become wealthy, they don't need Government anymore, making politicians all too happy to oblige Corporate interests.Quote:"Alan Greenspan""The financial policy of the welfare state requires that there be no way for the owners of wealth to protect themselves." - Gold and Economic FreedomCharitable groups are shut down when attempting to care for the homeless. Government's reasoning? Because home cooked meals may not always be healthy or nutritious. Government's solution? Let them eat from dumpsters.California City Demands Church to Stop Feeding HomelessCorporate WasteFort Lauderdale Homeless Feeding Ban ProposedA child's simple lemonade stand is deemed illegal,5 Year Old Girl Fined $200 for Selling LemonadeThe Inexplicable War on Lemonade StandsHealth care used to be a vocation... a life's calling. Now, thanks to President Nixon (the same guy who traded our Capitalist system for Corporatism/Consumerism), health care is now a business like any other. Plumber, auto mechanic, doctor, cable guy... it's all the same.Skyrocketing Health CareBefore 1973, It Was Illegal In The US To Profit Off of Health CareThe Birth of The HMOThe field of medicine and pharmaceuticals seem only interested in the ongoing treatment of mere symptoms rather than actual cures and remedies. Why cure an illness when you can drag it out for more profit?Capitalism has nothing to do with this. Capitalism builds for a stronger, more prosperous, more efficient society. A sick society is not any of these. Purposely keeping people in illness for profiting is not Capitalism.The only way Capitalism can exist is when Government keeps their hands off of it. The two cannot coexist together. A free market can provide everything that a Government can with higher quality and more cost efficiency. Capitalism creates new things and explores the limits of human innovation. Under Capitalism, anyone can engage, produce and contribute to society.Consumerism/Corporatism is the Colonialism of the human life and endeavor... the few simply exploiting human resources for self-gain at the expense of societal strength and health.****************************************************************************************************************************Addendum:In the few comments that might appear "incensed" by my post, they all seem to confuse growth with prosperity. They seem to think that since a majority of Americans are driving around in better cars and living in more efficient homes, it must stand to reason that we are all more prosperous. This very thing was specifically addressed in the very first section of my essay.**************************************************************Growth is a consequence of surplus. Our bodies only grow if it has a surplus of food. With an exact match between calories consumed and calories burned, a body neither gains nor loses weight. A pond will only grow deeper if more water is flowing in than flowing out.Prosperity is also dependent on surplus but operates in a different manner.Let's say that you have a family of four and your yearly income is $40,000, and at the end of the year there is no money left... at the end of the year, you have zero extra dollars. No surplus, no growth, no prosperity.The next year, you get a 10% raise at your job which equals $4000, so now your family can ~EITHER~ afford to have one more child (growth), thus reducing your year-end surplus back to zero extra dollars ~OR~ you can enjoy the surplus by spending a little bit more on each person (prosperity) but you cannot do both. There's only enough surplus money to do one thing or the other... so you have to choose: will it be growth or will it be prosperity? And what is true for a family of four is equally true for a town, a state, a country, and... thats right, even the entire world.Debt is not surplus. If your income ends up with $4000 being owed at the end of the year, then that is neither growth nor prosperity. Even if you have another child, your family may grow, but your family economy does not. Even if you buy a yacht, your luxury may grow, but your family economy does not. If you borrow money, that's not prosperity because it's not yours... it's owed back to the lender, plus interest if applicable.To stay in the game of economics, production is a must. If you don't know the purchasing power of currency in the future with a fiat currency which can fluctuate from year to year, month to month, even day to day all built upon a mere idea of “confidence”, then it's nothing more than pretending. "Money" becomes disconnected from production (and therefore, wealth).Money is simply a medium of exchange. Creating money does not create wealth. Shuffling debt around does not create wealth. Purchasing power is wealth. If money is no longer connected to productivity, then its spending value does not increase, and printing all the money in the world won't mean squat. It's purchasing power shall eventually run out... then what? Print yet more of it, thus diminishing its purchasing power even more? If value becomes irrelevant to the currency, then what's the point of even having it?The US Government has already caused a bubble in the dollar markets. The bailout schemes of recent years created trillions of new dollars and they continue to create more. This is the path we have been on for a while and it may act as an immediate band-aid, but this "solution" can by no means be a cure.The US has already defaulted on its internal obligations in 1933 and to its external in 1971. The US continues in default every day by issuing more dollars than can ever be paid back.There was a time when a person could live their entire lives without setting foot into a bank. All undertakings in the field of industry are now dependent upon the consent of the banker. All undertakings in the field of politics are dependent upon the mechanisms of industry. It doesn't matter who is in office. They are all bought by the same people. The world is still under a feudal system, nothing has changed.***************************************************************Americans are now working for someone else beyond their immediate household. A large chunk of their money is now going to the banking sector. This can be in absurd payments to credit card companies, loss of purchasing power because of the Fed, or other hidden methods of taxing the public. If we dissect the data further, we realize that even though things cost more, much of it has been financed through debt:Ironically the family in the early 1970s had more discretionary income than the family in the early 2000s even with a dual income. Yet, if you look around, it's not immediately apparent because of the massive debt bubble financed by the banking sector. Sure, people bought bigger homes and newer cars, but all this was under a phony veneer of success and was financed with debt. All of it was built around a mountain of debt.Growth does not equal prosperity.Household debt ran $13.15 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2017.Just because they're driving in a better car than ten years ago doesn't mean they own it. Just because they're living in a more energy efficient house doesn't mean they own it (mortgage debt $8.88 trillion at the end of 2017). Just because they're going to college doesn't mean that it's paid for. Credit card debt $834 billion at the end of 2017.[HOUSEHOLD DEBT AND CREDIT - May 2017][Mortgage Debt Increases Substantially]Debt is not prosperity; it is the exact opposite.***************************************************************[Planned Obsolescence]In the US, there are no current laws against planned obsolescence. There have been lawsuits of safety issues which have merely alluded to planned obsolescence, but nothing universally or specifically barring it.In Europe, the European Economic and Social Committee wants manufacturers to offer replacement parts for products (which still guarantees dependency) and to offer more information about a product’s estimated lifetime so that consumers can make more informed decisions. The committee also wants products to be guaranteed to last a certain minimum amount of time, which is currently not a legal requirement. These remedies leave many loopholes.