Posted on 01/04/2006 5:32:00 AM PST by Kurt_Hectic
A politician from Norway's most conservative party wants to spread the wealth created by the country's booming oil industry, by sending all Norwegians on vacations outside the country, armed with NOK 18,000 just waiting to be spent.
Gjermund Hagesæter wants to put at least part of Norway's oil wealth directly into the hands of Norwegians.
Gjermund Hagesæter of the Progress Party (Fremskrittspartiet) wants to issue a credit card that's already paid up to the tune of NOK 18,000 (about USD 2,700). The money, however, can only be spent outside Norway, in order to keep domestic inflation under control.
Hagesæter also thinks it's wrong that high oil prices mean Norway is raking in much more money than it expected or, perhaps, deserves. This "petro-kroner" means the country's so-called "Oil Fund" (set up to stash away oil wealth for future generations) is growing at such a fast clip that it likely held NOK 80 billion, or USD 12 billion, more than expected in the state budget.
So Hagesæter wants to divvy up the excess and place it directly into the hands of Norwegians, with the proviso that it be spent in places that also can benefit the economies of Norway's many oil customers. He'd also allow the state-issued credit cards to be used to pay for train or plane tickets needed to transport Norwegians off on holiday.
Realizing that Norway's practical Parliament might not go along with this idea, Hagesæter has another idea: Giving every Norwegian shares worth NOK 18,000 in state-owned businesses or state bonds, that would need to be held for a certain number of years. Persons already retired would be allowed to sell them and collect the cash at any time.
Hagesæter, who's fronting his proposals mostly on his own, without the backing as yet of his party, noted that the US state of Alaska also has made payments to its citizens to spread its wealth.
The majority of Norway's politicians, however, are unlikely to go along with Hagesæter's proposals. An earlier bid by the Progress Party to give NOK 1,000 extra to all welfare recipients at Christmastime was flatly rejected.
Wow this guy really is an idiot..not only does he want to just dole out all that wealth but he wants the Norweigans to go spend it OUTSIDE the country. Where did he study economics..
Does this mean you can afford to finally buy me a beer, Eurotwit?
He didn't - that's why he's a liberal.
Better the money in the hands of citizens than in the hands of state, IMO.
The Norwegian government is likely to spend the oil revenues on the usual socialist claptrap. At least this politician is trying to get the money into people's pockets, and doing it in a headline-grabbing way.
Its infinately better that the people choose how to spend a lands wealth than the corrupt politicians. Here in Alaska, we have more than our share of them; and sad to say; many are repubs.
When a politician wants to "spread the wealth", you can bet it's not HIS wealth he's talking about.
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