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Easy and feasible as far as getting a visa is concerned, not cheap or free from taxation.
Health insurance in many nations would cost a lot more than £400 per year (or £625 per annum I believe it will be going up to soon) and that's without considering just how comprehensive our NHS is. Once that fee is paid it entitles people to full free NHS healthcare as if they were a citizen.
What I'm objecting to is RB being wrong and sucking at reading. Looking back on the past few years of discussions, I have spent more time and effort making RB do the basic reading and thinking required for his own posts than I have on reading anyone else's posts on this forum, because this sloppy, lazy mfer just can't seem to figure out how to read. Now, I know some people have genuine difficulties reading, but this is just sloppiness. It's embarrassing.Quote:
Originally Posted by gogobongopop
I can read, you just dislike me not agreeing with you and disagreeing with you. Oh well, not everyone is a hive mind leftwinger who thinks the state should pay for everything through taxation, while apparently never levelling any taxes. :bulb: You've not cited even a single thing that I've "not read".
From Googling it, it appears our annual healthcare levy is equivalent roughly to the average monthly premium for health insurance in the USA. So not bad value. Someone moving to the UK may need to pay 30 months up front, 2.5 years of healthcare charges . . . . but that's at what the cost of 2.5 months of premium in the USA. And our NHS is fully comprehensive too once they've contributed to it, whereas I believe most insurances in the USA are not. So yeah, could be much worse.
No, RB, you cannot read. Like I said, most of our exchanges over the past few years have involved me having to guide you through your own posts and the links you've posted, in addition to everything I've written, like you're some kind of idiot. It's pathetic. In this case, you have demonstrated deficiencies in your ability to read in several ways. You've claimed that I'm against taxes, which is plainly untrue and cannot in any way be inferred by my opposition to the imposition of heavy non-tax fees on immigrants that you have invited over ostensibly in order to save them from Chinese oppression that they may need to flee. You've claimed that those fees are not burdensome because they can be spread out over many, many years, according to a Twitter thread—also untrue, because the thread says they'd have the choice between making one very large lump payment or two very large lump payments, not spread out over many many years but on two occasions in a 5 year time span. You've tried to argue that hundreds of thousands of people choose to settle in the UK under the same conditions every year, which is untrue—far fewer than 200k come even close to choosing to settle in the UK under the same conditions, and the true number is likely close to or below 100k. You've tried to claim that the conditions don't present an obstacle to working- and middle-class people, and then, shortly afterwards, acknowledged that you don't want working- and middle-class people from other countries to settle in the UK. You've claimed that the NHS is only funded through general taxation, and, upon being informed that a substantial portion of the NHS's funding is from NI—a very large part of an individual's contribution to the NHS—you've tried to pretend you weren't wrong. You are wrong. About almost everything you ever say—in any discussion—you tend to be wrong, because you can't read like a person with a functioning brain. These examples are just from this page, in this thread. The same exercise can be repeated for every single thread, but it's so fucking tiresome to have to hold your hand all the fucking time.Quote:
Originally Posted by RandBlade
I think he's simply pointing out that the offer of a path to citizenship for people from Hong Kong is literally an empty gesture as it only applies to people who could have come anyway. People who are victimized for having opinions but don't have the money can go and fuck themselves.
Seems like I can't delete posts.
RIP Hong Kong democracy
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-54899171
Hong Kong Democratic Party chairman Wu Chi-wai told reporters following the lawmakers' removal: "We can no longer tell the world that we still have 'one country, two systems', this declares its official death."
... and getting worse. :(
Quote:
Dozens of Hong Kong pro-democracy figures arrested in sweeping crackdown
More than 50 people, including pro-democracy politicians and campaigners, have been arrested in early-morning raids across Hong Kong in an unprecedented crackdown by authorities that was condemned as a “despicable” assault on freedom.
In a police operation involving more than 1,000 officers, the 53 individuals were detained under the national security law (NSL), accused of “subverting state power” by holding primaries for pro-democracy candidates for the Hong Kong election. The election was ultimately delayed by Lam for a year, purportedly because of the pandemic.
The raids on Wednesday sent shockwaves around the once semi-autonomous city, as social media posts and news reports confirmed arrest after arrest. By mid-morning, lists of more than 50 individuals emerged, reportedly including every candidate to have run in the unofficial primaries last year, as well as organisers and pollsters, and the first known foreigner – an American lawyer – to be arrested under the law.
Is she having a laugh? :confused:Quote:
Hong Kong arrests: Carrie Lam accuses west of hypocrisy, citing US Capitol riot
City’s leader accuses foreign critics of double standards when they condemn rioters in the US but support pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/imageserv...60&resize=1180
How is this hypocrisy? The West condemned those who rioted against democracy on the US Capitol, just as it condemns the encroachment of laws and policy against democracy in HK.
You fucking halfwit Xi Jinping pawn.
We should not forget that the traitors in DC also were fighting for democracy. Only difference is that in their idea of democracy they are supposed to always win.Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbuk2
What, countries trying to deflect criticism have to use reality now? Honestly, what did you expect? It's an easy headline, and they can ignore criticism a bit more (not that they otherwise wouldn't).Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbuk2
Beijing's creep continues.
Quote:
Hong Kong plans to make politicians swear oath of loyalty to Beijing
All election participants will have to swear allegiance or face five-year ban under bill to be tabled next month
Hong Kong’s government has announced electoral changes requiring office-holders to pledge and maintain an oath of loyalty to Hong Kong and Beijing, or face disqualification and a five-year ban on running for reelection.
A bill to “ensure patriots govern Hong Kong” has been endorsed by the chief executive council and will be tabled in March, the secretary for constitutional and mainland affairs, Erick Tsang, told a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
The announcement came a day after a top Beijing official signalled that major changes would be coming to ensure Hong Kong is run by “patriots” – a clear sign that China intends to no longer tolerate dissenting voices, 23 years after the former British colony was handed over to Chinese rule with a promise it could maintain its own rights and freedoms for 50 years.
I think we should not buy into the fiction anymore that Beijing allows for a separate system in Hong Kong.
Given how Beijing is supported by the business elite in Hong Kong, it might be time to consider comprehensive economic sanctions against that business elite (in addition to the political elite).
It's odd to be on the same side as Donald Trump.Quote:
Originally Posted by Loki
Trump told Xi he supported the crackdown against Hong Kong protesters.
After which he still imposed sanctions for the crackdown. If he really said he supported it in the first place.
You're assuming Trump bothered reading the orders he was signing.
Trump isn't the President, y'all.
Here's to hoping this isn't the Sudetenland annexation that proceeds a war in Asia, where we'll look back on this and say "damn if we pushed back harder we could have avoided all of this".
Doesn't make it less odd to agree with him.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreadnaught
https://www.vice.com/en/article/bvxk...s-us-diplomats
China is laughing their ass off at the Biden admin.
The story doesn't mention whether the tests were done since Biden became president...
Pretty sure most US diplomats would prefer an anal swab to another year of Pompeo by the way.
I'm sure if it happened during the Trump admin the media would have made that clear in their reporting.Quote:
Originally Posted by Loki
Given that the practice started several months ago and is now expected to stop, I think that, if anyone was laughing, they were laughing at you while you were being led by the orange loser.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lewkowski
Seems like China is going to formally abolish democracy in Hong Kong. References to Hong Kong having a different system have been replaced with 'patriots govern in Hong Kong in official documents.
Hong Kong turning into East Germany?
Reports that residents of Hong Kong will be forbidden from emigrating by August. A new iron curtain.
RIP Hong Kong. Anyone who can should get out now.
...bamboo curtain...Quote:
Originally Posted by RandBlade
Yeah - China is literally the Evil Empire of our day.Quote:
Originally Posted by RandBlade