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Utente:RaquelaBoner237

2012-11-14T20:41:46Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: FAIRNESS played a central role in Barack Obama's state-of-the-union address, and I suspect it will play a central role in the president's re-election campaign. But what does Mr Obama h...

FAIRNESS played a central role in Barack Obama's state-of-the-union address, and I suspect it will play a central role in the president's re-election campaign. But what does Mr Obama have in mind when he deploys the f-word? It may not be the case that fairness is, as Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert, puts it, "a concept invented so dumb people could participate in arguments". But it cannot be denied that fairness is an idea both mutable and contested. Indeed, last week's state-of-the-union address seems to contain several distinct conceptions of fairness worth drawing out and reflecting upon.

Toward the beginning of his speech, as Mr Obama was trying to draw a parallel between post-second world war America and today's post-Iraq war America, he offered this rather stark choice:

We can either settle for a country where a shrinking number of people do really well while a growing number of Americans barely get by, or we can restore an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same set of rules.

Here we have three distinct conceptions of fairness in a single sentence.

To get a "fair shot" is to be offered the opportunity to participate fully and succeed within the country's institutions. This is, I think, the least controversial conception of fairness in America's political discourse. Conservatives who strenuously object to the idea that the American system should aim at "equality of outcomes" will sometimes affirm "equality of opportunity" as an alternative. But this is a mistake. To really equalise opportunity requires precisely the sort of intolerably constant, comprehensive, invasive redistribution conservatives rightly believe to be required for the equalisation of outcomes. If one is prepared to accept substantial inequalities in outcome, it follows that one is also prepared to accept substantial inequalities in opportunity.

Getting a fair shot doesn't require equalising opportunity so much as ensuring that everyone has a good enough chance in life. The content of "good enough" is of course open to debate, but most Americans seem to agree that access to a good education is the greater part of a "good enough" and thus fair shot. Naturally, there is strong partisan disagreement over the kinds of education reform that will do right by young Americans.

Utente:LarisaMcgann680

2012-11-14T16:01:26Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: Two of the eurozone's biggest economies have fallen into recession, according to the latest economic figures. Italy and the Netherlands both saw their economies shrink by 0.7% in the ...

Two of the eurozone's biggest economies have fallen into recession, according to the latest economic figures.

Italy and the Netherlands both saw their economies shrink by 0.7% in the fourth quarter, the second consecutive quarter of economic contraction.

Germany had its first negative quarter since 2009 with a decline of 0.2%, compared with the previous quarter.

But in France there was surprise growth of 0.2% at the end of last year, attributed to healthy export growth.

Overall the 17 nations that make up the eurozone saw economic activity shrink 0.3% in the fourth quarter. By comparison the United States reported growth of 0.7%.
Continue reading the main story
�Start Quote

Greece may be burning. Growth may be slowing. But the recognised German barometer of hope over fear shows far more Germans looking on the bright side than those down in the dumps�

End Quote
image of Stephen Evans Stephen Evans BBC News, Berlin

* Germany: Reasons to be cheerful

The eurozone has not slipped into recession as it reported growth of 0.1% in the third quarter.
'Better than feared'

For 2011 as a whole, the French economy grew by 1.7% and Germany 3%.

Europe's debt crisis has already pushed Greece, Portugal and Belgium into recession, defined by two consecutive quarters of contraction.

Economists forecast that Germany is likely to avoid that scenario and say the latest growth figures could have been worse.

"This is better than feared after retail sales and industrial production turned out badly in December. The decline is due to the euro crisis. It caused a drastic loss in confidence among companies and consumers." said Christian Schulz, an economist at Berenberg Bank.

"Action from the ECB and the government has restored confidence. There is hope that we will emerge quickly from the economic dip. We expect growth again in the second quarter at the latest, provided that the euro crisis remains under control." he said.

Utente:AlenaBarnard532

2012-11-14T02:57:07Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and what is now known as the World Bank, were set up to manage the post-World War II global economy. They were conceived in 1944 at a conference ...

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and what is now known as the World Bank, were set up to manage the post-World War II global economy.

They were conceived in 1944 at a conference in Bretton Woods, in the US state of New Hampshire.

By fostering economic cooperation and helping countries with balance of payments problems the founders hoped to avoid a repeat of the 1930s Great Depression.

The IMF aims to preserve economic stability and to tackle - or ideally prevent - financial crises. Over time, its focus has switched to the developing world.

The World Bank's predecessor - the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development - was set up to drive post-war recovery.

Now, it is the world's leading development organisation, working for growth and poverty reduction.

Owned by the governments of its 187 member states, the Bank channels loans and grants and advises low and middle-income countries.

The IMF is funded by a charge - known as a "quota" - paid by member nations. The quota is based on a country's wealth and it determines voting power within the organisation; those making higher contributions have greater voting rights.

The IMF acts as a lender of last resort, disbursing its foreign exchange reserves for short periods to any member in difficulties.

Since they were conceived, the IMF has been run by a European and the World Bank by a US national.

The IMF and the Bank have served as a rallying point for disparate causes - from environmentalists to anarchists - and meetings have occasionally been accompanied by violent street protests.

Protesters and critics cite the exploitation of the poor and the environment and argue that freer trade threatens the livelihoods of millions of people.

The IMF has admitted that forcing developing countries to open their markets to foreign investors can increase the risk of financial crises.

Its former managing director Horst Koehler said in 2002 that the benefits of globalisation had not been equally shared. But he added that "the objective should not be less globalisation but more and better globalisation."

Utente:AliciaRoscoe916

2012-11-07T04:08:52Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: Fuel poverty in England is likely to worsen, despite measures to try to eradicate it, a government-commissioned report has warned. Some 7.8 million people could not afford their energ...

Fuel poverty in England is likely to worsen, despite measures to try to eradicate it, a government-commissioned report has warned.

Some 7.8 million people could not afford their energy bills in 2009, its author, Prof John Hills said. This is due to rise to 8.5 million by 2016.

Campaigners have called for more money to be invested in cutting bills.

The government has said it is committed to tackling the problem which has been linked to 2,700 deaths a year.

"Fuel poverty is a serious national problem and this government remains committed to doing all it can to tackle it and make sure that the help available reaches those who need it most," said the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Davey.

The previous government had said it was committed to eradicating the problem, "as far as reasonably practical", by 2016.
Continue reading the main story
�Start Quote

"The number of fuel poor households helped by government-backed schemes is likely to more than halve over the next three years, despite fuel poverty levels having almost tripled in five years�

Derek Lickorish Fuel Poverty Advisory Group (FPAG)

Energy bills explained
How to read your gas bill
Saving money through energy efficiency

Prof Hills' interim report last year said almost 3,000 people died each year from problems linked to fuel poverty such as respiratory or cardiovascular disease. It said the problem was getting worse as energy costs rose.

Utente:TyndallMarshall669

2012-11-03T19:02:32Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: George Osborne is considering cutting the 50p top rate of income tax in next week's Budget, the BBC understands. Prime Minister David Cameron will discuss the Budget with the chancell...

George Osborne is considering cutting the 50p top rate of income tax in next week's Budget, the BBC understands.

Prime Minister David Cameron will discuss the Budget with the chancellor and other senior ministers on Friday.

There is speculation the tax on earnings over �150,000 could be reduced to a 45p rate or scrapped entirely in return for tax cuts for low earners.

Labour leader Ed Miliband said it was the "wrong priority" and money should be spent on jobs for young people.

The coalition's "quad" of top ministers, Conservatives Mr Cameron and Mr Osborne and Lib Dems Nick Clegg and Danny Alexander are discussing the Budget by telephone on Friday.
Temporary tax

All budget decisions will have been made by the end of Friday so that the details can be sent to the Office for Budget Responsibility.

The government-appointed body will use these tax and spending decisions to make its economic forecasts.
Continue reading the main story
�Start Quote

For a chancellor sometimes likened to a submarine - George Osborne has never been timid about deploying a torpedo�

image of Ben Wright Ben Wright Political correspondent, BBC News

Is Osborne planning a 50p tax surprise?

The 50% income tax rate was introduced by the previous Labour government in 2010, to help pay for declining government revenues during the recession.

Mr Osborne has always said it was a temporary measure and has asked officials to assess how much extra it is raising.

Utente:ShelbyEmrich345

2012-11-03T09:34:05Z

46.105.61.253: Nuova pagina: Pressure is rising on Greece's national unity government to agree tough reforms demanded by the country's lenders. The EU, IMF and European Central Bank have made further spending cut...

Pressure is rising on Greece's national unity government to agree tough reforms demanded by the country's lenders.

The EU, IMF and European Central Bank have made further spending cuts, labour market reforms and bank rescues a condition of extending a new bailout.

European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes told a Dutch newspaper that there would be "absolutely no man overboard" if Greece left the euro.

Greek party leaders are meeting on Tuesday amid a general strike.

A previous meeting on Sunday night proved inconclusive, leading to further last-minute talks between Prime Minister Lukas Papademos and the troika of official lenders on Monday.

The leader of the left-wing Syriza party coalition, Alexis Tsipras, repeated a call on Tuesday either for Greece's debts to be written off, or else for the country to pause its debt repayments for three years.

Meanwhile, public transport and the country's ports ground to a halt as two of the largest Greek public-sector unions began a strike on Tuesday in protest at continuing austerity.

Utente:LorneKittle697

2012-11-02T23:27:36Z