Wednesday, December 05, 2007

點解曾特首要特登仆親

噚日,孫柏文睇電視見到一班非常勤力嘅記者,企喺中環政府合署,等特首曾蔭權返工。曾特首到達嗰刻,記者即時問特首點睇陳方安生喺立法會補選嘅勝利。

唔使問亞貴都知陳太贏係因為選民對民主嘅訴求非常堅定,唔通係因競選工程掂咩?當然,曾特首作為一個IQ好高嘅人,唔知選民對民主嘅訴求咩?不過因為佢始終係行政長官,所以冇直接答啲記者,最後用例子答。

預視政制劇變

大家可能會問:「噚日特首連聲都冇發過,有答咩?」有。如果大家同我一樣,有睇電視,應該知特首走過啲記者之後,上樓梯時仆親。

大家都知,對上一次香港人喺電視見到有領導人行樓梯時仆親,就係82年戴卓爾夫人去北京,被小平同志通知香港將被解放嗰次。

即係領導人行樓梯時仆親,就等於該位領導人知道,香港政治制度將會出現無可抵擋嘅劇變。

戴卓爾夫人仆親,香港被解放。曾蔭權仆親,香港有普選?

不過,孫柏文今日想公開鼓勵一位喺禮拜日落選嘅候選人。佢就係凌尉雲。凌尉雲喺佢政綱當中,話明為咗弱勢社群保持有入職機會,堅決反對最低工資。

孫柏文有機會問凌尉雲:「自由黨都反對最低工資,點解唔直接支持自由黨算?」凌尉雲話自由黨反對最低工資,開口埋口都係為咗商家。根本冇用心機去解釋畀市民知,最低工資會害咗啲弱勢社群。我就係憑佢呢句覺得凌尉雲好。

落選希望仍在

仲有,喺質問葉太對23條立法嘅立場,問心邊個問葉太比凌尉雲好?淨係:「究竟乜嘢先至算係『共識』?」已經大快人心。

最後,我曾經直接問凌尉雲:「乜你好支持強積金?如果你對自由市場精神堅挺,一定希望取消強積金。點解家只係要求「改良」強積金?」佢話:「一席,十個月,好難推翻強積金。只能希望『改良』。不過,希望到08年立法會選舉,將會有60個支持取消強積金嘅候選人爭60席。」孫柏文都係咁希望,仲希望60個候選人當中,會有凌尉雲。不要氣餒,再接再厲!

19 comments:

  1. You always say you disagree with 'minimun wage',I really want to know what are your reasons behind.
    Because you believe in economic theory that market itself will determine equilibrium without any government policy?Simply due to demand=supply=equilibrium price and quantity??and then low-skill level workers will become unemployed?
    I want to know did u consider some other special factors in HK like low-skill level mainlanders keep moveing to HK(legally and illegally),the moral standard of people-business owners?
    I really want to hear ur reasons to against 'minimum wages'.

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1. low skilled workers are encouraged to increase their skill levels then their wages will increase accordingly

    2. low skilled mainlanders should not be encouraged to move to HK because they can make a living despite their low skill levels

    3. moral standards should mean treating workers fairly, i.e. do not pay them below market rate and market rate is the market equilibrium rate

    ReplyDelete
  3. I do not believe in any economic theory when I am against Min Wage.


    I am against it on an humanitarian level.

    A kid, with no skills, not much education. Begs a boss to give him a chance...

    The kid tells the boss "I am willing to work for you for free, just let me get into the industry... I know you have someone better qualified... But just give me a chance"

    Isn't this kid, the kind of person we celebrate in Hong Kong?

    With min wage, WHAT HE IS REQUESTING WILL BE ILLEGAL!!!!!

    jimjim, support policy that builds a better future for Hong Kong.

    Shuen
    PS shingo, well said.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Shingo:
    1.Govrn't normally fail to give help for people to attend adequate re-training in short term.And then those people will be unemployed for long time(like more than 5 years,they feel hard to switch their talents),that is structural umemployment.And one more thing,without mainlanders,situation could be better,but now,too many of them are coming,it became worse,u can see most waitresses in 'tea house' speak cantonese with accent,they speed up the unemployment rate for local hk low skill workers.
    2.China controls everything,HK cannot filter the immigrants,so more and more low-skill workers will come into HK,then it distorts normal HK market operation.
    3.moral standard=pay the workers with market equilibrium rate?u sure?what if there is more and more mainlanders to come and then the equilibrium is only a piece of bread for being a cleaning worker?the society wont accept it.

    I just think at some points,govrn't have to do something,like even though financial market,you can't let the market flows by itself all the time(it should be most of the time though),at some points,the central bank has to inject money into the market.

    My opinions only.

    ReplyDelete
  5. To pakman,
    I dont know why 'min. wage' is not good for HK's future.
    If you agree with 'free-market',then any subsidy for low-income group and aged people should be deleted?But then people still accept it and think it is good.It means based on theory only,everything is demand=supply,but in reality,we cant really let them to go to 'perfect'.We,and the whole world will simply not attain the ultimate efficiency.
    For some animals,if they were born as disabled,they would be killed by parents,cos that is inefficient;but for human,we will raise children who are disabled even though it is inefficient;it will be illegal to dump their disabled kid.So I just think a min. wage rule should be set to stop those inhumane owners....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Minimun wage dumps the disabled seriously. they dun even have a chance to get a job.

    The disabled tells the boss "I am willing to work for you for free, just let me get into the industry... I know you have someone better qualified... But just give me a chance"

    With min wage, WHAT HE IS REQUESTING WILL BE ILLEGAL!!!!!


    Thats why minimum wage is an animal system.
    if they were born as disabled,they would be killed by minimum wage.

    ReplyDelete
  7. to anonymous,
    'Thats why minimum wage is an animal system.if they were born as disabled,they would be killed by minimum wage.'----with these sentences,I think you still dont understand wat I m talkin about but just stick with ur 'free market' perfect theory.
    Just think about whether you/most people/whole world will accept disabled people work for free.
    Like what pakman said,he against it on an humanitarian level...
    but actually in this world,humanitarian level has to be combined with reality.
    I think you still dont understand.

    ReplyDelete
  8. to jimjim

    'but just stick with ur 'free market' perfect theory.'----with these sentences,I think you still dont understand what I am talkin about.
    Just think about whether you/most people/whole world will not accept a system banning disabled people an opportunity to work.
    Like what you said, humanitarian level has to be combined with reality.
    I think you still dont understand.

    ReplyDelete
  9. to anonymous,
    No one is banning disabled people to work.
    Anyway,it seems you hav problem of combing theory with reality..
    I think what u said so called min. wage will ban the disabled from working will be fully understood by anyone who studied some economics theory...but thing is not like this.
    I think you should just look at different countries and systems in this world,government intervention is everywhere and cant be avoided.I agree with 'free market' most of the time,but not all the time,otherwise this world wont be working.

    ReplyDelete
  10. to jimjim,
    Minimum wage is banning disabled people a chance to work.
    Anyway,it seems you have problem of combing common sense with reality.. :( sad to know...

    The so called benefit of min. wage is for idealist only. For those who have some common sense will fully understand why min. wage does not work...

    I think you should just look at different countries and systems in this world,government intervention is harmful and the negative effect cant be avoided.I agree with 'govt intervention' some of the time,but not all this time,otherwise this world wont be working. low skilled workers cant even get a job. Cant live decently.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Never neglect the "first step" effect.

    With min wage.

    A lot of people (students, new migrants and women who took time off for child birth) will fail to enter or reenter the labour force.

    Have some faith in the people in raising their living standard.

    Once these good people enter the labour force, with the accumulation of experience. And the sharpening of skills, these people's wages would rise.

    BUT THEY NEED A CHANCE TO ENTER THE LABOUR FORCE FIRST!

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is no point to discuss with anonymous anymore,he just knows how to 'copy and paste' my words without reasonings and keep his brain blocked.

    To pakman,
    I agree with having faith on people ability to raise their standard,but it needs government assistance(like providing free-training,and it is already intervention).
    And secondly,without other distortion,'free market' works,but with inflowing mainlanders(including illegally),low-skill level jobs' salary drops abnormally and financial sector keep pushing up price level,the free market wont be working at least in short term,the government will be smashed.
    Like less than $10 per hour to clean buses is not even enough to buy a burger,everyone is maximizer,so companies will push down to lowest possible level to maximise gains,but economics neglects the drawback from the maximised level(economics only sees the efficiency of the society but it doesnt see feeling of people and the condition of society and government).
    Anyway,this kind of topic causes universal dispute,and got no conclusion at all.
    Like government ban the big organisations from increasing fee,like bus company or electricity...it is wrong too based on free-market to control oligopoly,but this is the way to work cos there is so called entry barrier for new comers to enter those industries....

    ReplyDelete
  13. i see the followings as the root of the problem (i.e. low skilled workers get paid too little to meet the minimum living standards):

    1. influx of low skilled mainlanders
    2. inadequate training for people first coming into the workforce
    3. inadequate re-training resulted from a structural change in the economy

    however the following is a cause but not the root of the problem:
    4. corps which pay workers unfairly low


    if you agree with the above classification, then you will agree that the govt should rectify 1-3 first. and it is difficult to see how minimum wage will help in these.

    OTHERWISE if you believe measures to rectify 1-3 have been implemented to the BEST extent but still haven't solved the problem, I agree we should go to 4 (minimum wage).

    ReplyDelete
  14. I am not knowledgeable in the area of economy, so my thoughts may have may faults, please excuse me when you find some. This is just some of my thoughts after I read this long interesting discussion:
    I guess that politically driven high supply of low skilled workers (or factor 1-3 raised by shingo) X minimal wage = +ve feedback loop make HK's business environment even worse & we will lose our competiveness relative to other major cities in China.
    To the low skilled workers = lessen the incentive to improve skills (if they are lucky to get the job) or if they don't get employed because a rational employer will not pay for the mismatch of the static skill level and extra wage.
    To the medium skilled workers, as marginal increase of wage for working harder is lowered (as they will witness some lucky people just sitting there as a guard can get quite a decent amount, so why need working harder)
    In a long run, probably because of the reason that no matter how unskilled the job nature is; in many circumstances, one still need to hire a person to fill the post = (a)inflation (b) eradicates certain industry as the operating cost is too high.
    For Hong Kong, it will attract more low skilled workers to come (by whatever means) as they have two options (1) minimal wage (2) if they can't find job, get the money from social welfare system.......... , add to the inflation, pollution etc. The cities that supply us the low skilled workers will be left with more skilled workers, whereas for us, the skill per unit wage given is getting lower in terms of the whole population.
    Cheers,
    Bravo

    ReplyDelete
  15. I am not knowledgeable in the area of economy, so my thoughts may have may faults, please excuse me when you find some. This is just some of my thoughts after I read this long interesting discussion:
    I guess that politically driven high supply of low skilled workers (or factor 1-3 raised by shingo) X minimal wage = +ve feedback loop make HK's business environment even worse & we will lose our competiveness relative to other major cities in China.
    To the low skilled workers = lessen the incentive to improve skills (if they are lucky to get the job) or if they don't get employed because a rational employer will not pay for the mismatch of the static skill level and extra wage.
    To the medium skilled workers, as marginal increase of wage for working harder is lowered (as they will witness some lucky people just sitting there as a guard can get quite a decent amount, so why need working harder)
    In a long run, probably because of the reason that no matter how unskill the job nature is, in many circumstance, one still need to hire a person to fill the post = (a)inflation (b) irridicate the certain industry as the operating cost is too high.
    For Hong Kong, it will attract more low skilled workers to come (by whatever means) as they have two options (1) minimal wage (2) if they can't find job, get the money from social welfare system.......... , add to the inflation, pollution etc. The cities that supply us the low skilled workers will left with more skilled workers, whereas, the skill per unit wage given is getting lower in terms of the whole population.
    Cheers,
    Bravo

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi to all in this discussion,
    It was a healthy discussion,but yes,it is no conclusion at all,of course.
    Anyway,by definition,economics is NOT always true,so as the 'free market' theory,if it is always true,it will become 'tautology',every econ student would know this:)
    My conclusion is:there are few problems.
    1.Economics sees efficiency only.
    2.It sometimes neglects reality,thats why you will see econ theories use assumption like people are rational,selfish...etc.
    So like,Structural Unemployment,it is normal and is accepted by economists,but those people wont think about for like 5 years serious structural unemployment,the government leader will hav to step down.
    3.Economics didnt tell u that the world will never reach ultimate efficiency.We all know with Economics theory,communism obviously is the best system cos it leads to a 'perfect' world.But then in reality,we all know that Communism is shit,it screw people up.

    And HK cannot compete with China in term of labout cost anyway,living standards are too different.
    Thats why I think people who say HK can cooperate with china like logistics are stupid.And as you can see that HK's logistics is going down,and it is the last 10 yrs for HK's finance,before RMB go to world market.

    HK should set min wage,improve people living standard,train high-skill level labour,and adopt real democracy to survive.

    ReplyDelete
  17. It is no point to discuss with jimjim anymore,he just doesnt know how to make his stuff logically and keep his brain blocked.

    See, here's demostration of a big logical gap:

    And HK cannot compete with China in term of labout cost anyway,living standards are too different.
    Thats why I think people who say HK can cooperate with china like logistics are stupid.And as you can see that HK's logistics is going down,and it is the last 10 yrs for HK's finance,before RMB go to world market.

    LOGICAL GAP LOGICAL GAP LOGICAL GAP

    HK should set min wage,improve people living standard,train high-skill level labour,and adopt real democracy to survive.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous,Just raise your points,see what 'logical gap??' I made,haha.
    No one sees any contradiction in those two paragraphs,except you.Explain it to others,as we all(except you) are doing discussion here(but not makin non-sense).

    ReplyDelete