I was just watching A-studio, and all the MPs participating in the discussion were of the opinion that pensions need to be raised—the smallest ones by at least 100 euros. Nobody talks about how it’s going to be funded. Everyone has ideas on how to squander tax money, but no one is worried about the tightening taxation on labor at the same time. Taxation is already at a level where it’s no longer worth doing low-wage work as a side job on top of another job, as half goes to taxes or tax-like contributions. The incentive problems aren’t just limited to those living on benefits, but also to people who could work more than they currently do, but it’s in no way meaningful if, for example, half of a 12€ hourly wage goes to taxes.
Significant reforms to labor taxation certainly aren’t coming if we aren’t ready to cut current society-funded services or benefit levels. No party seems ready for this. Even the National Coalition Party (Kokoomus) advertises itself as a right-wing party, but in reality, it is completely leftist with only small right-wing nuances. A good example is that Juhana Vartiainen can jump from the Social Democrats (SDP) to the National Coalition Party without his political views changing.
Finland is completely under the thumb of pensioners and the older generation. Because they represent the largest voting blocs (with high voter turnout, their weight is significantly greater than their actual share of the population), all politics is made with the needs of the older population in mind. Others are only offered just enough to keep the whole thing from falling apart.
We could very well take life expectancy into account in voting and give more weight to the voices of the young, as they will have to struggle in this society in the future as well. Since the life expectancy coefficient also reduces the future benefits of the young, this would be very logical. Now the situation is becoming such that those on the receiving end of society hold the largest voting masses, so you can directly conclude from that what kind of politics is being practiced.
The entire Finnish political system should be blown up and rebuilt from scratch. This is starting to be such a shack that there are no longer any real possibilities to fix the foundations without it becoming really expensive.
Even Sipilä had all sorts of visions when he entered politics. But it just so happened that the political machinery turned a fairly sensible-looking guy into a power-seeker fishing for the voter masses. Why isn’t there enough desire for reform in Finland to bring about change? I would assume that many people here also vote for those career politicians steeped in the system, and then wonder why change isn’t happening.
Finland really needs a Trump-like politician to shake up the whole system a bit and have someone show the direction. Whether it’s good or bad, change is definitely needed. In Finland, there is practically one “correct” line for every issue, and you’re only allowed to deviate slightly from that line to avoid being labeled a wrong-thinker. Even Jussi Halla-aho is seen as the worst enemy of politics just because he has a dissenting opinion, even though his arguments are much more logical than those of many other politicians.
If some politician came to their senses and demanded sensible cuts, it would practically be political suicide. In Finland, there is this bizarre notion that benefits already achieved and paid for with taxpayer money cannot be touched. They should be able to be cut just as easily as they are raised. Earnings-related pensions already in payment could be ruthlessly cut to the level that matches the amount actually accumulated. Why should those currently retired have the right to enjoy excessive earnings-related pensions compared to what they have contributed?
Now we basically just need a few dictator-like central bankers to crash the economy with excessive rate hikes so that reforms would be forced elsewhere than just in Finland. The global economy could be rebuilt after that.
There was actually just a news story saying that the vitality of forests is only preserved if they burn often enough. The exact same logic applies to the economy, which has now been patched up in so many ways that the whole cannot be healed without a collapse.
It sure is interesting how nothing gets done anywhere in politics. Besides vote-fishing, of course.
