Where does money come from?

I love reading the stupid comments posted by CM readers.

Today I had the pleasure of reading through some classic comments that made me wonder - where do people think money comes from? Do people really think that the government's money is unrelated to their own?The article Queenslanders face electricity price hikes - Queensland households could soon face electricity prices that rise and fall with the temperature outlined the Queensland Competition Authority's (QCA) proposal to have different electricity tariffs in summer and winter, to reflect the higher costs of electricity over the summer period.

In its recently released Final Report - Review of Electricity Pricing and Tariff Structures, the QCA 'recognised that adding a seasonal component to some tariffs could be warranted'.

Irrespective of the outcomes of the report, what astounds me is that people think the outcome is related to public sector greed.

Notwithstanding considerable inefficiencies in the public sector, it’s not like the public servants are lining their pockets with tax payers money. Any over recovery of taxes simply gets spent in future years (like this year).

Fair enough, some of the comments show an interested person that needs to have the situation explained to them a little better (or who should read the QCA report rather than just the Courier Mail article), but generally speaking the comments show a complete lack of understanding of both the situation and of basic public finance.

'Just another way for Bligh to tax Queenslanders once more'

'hmmm.. so this means I'd pay more in summer because I use my airconditioner etc and therefore put a greater strain on the system by using more electricity? Umm.. sorry.. maybe I'm missing something here.. don't I already pay more in summer by the fact that I USE more electricity anyway? Obviously this is just another Bligh method of screwing us all over. Sooner this government is gone the better.'

'For Chrissake Electricity is a basic right. We pay enough for it now. Is it to become the right of the rich?'

'To hell with real costs; bring back the system we have had for the last 100years where we were not paying an arm and a leg for electricity.'

'You know how much more can these blood sucking leeches get out of the QLD people. They come up with all types of excuses and reasons but it all comes down to they just want to rip us off as much as humanly possible. Dont forget it was labor that got us into this mess with electricity with Peter Beattie promises of
cheaper power and now look whats happening. Can you image what it will be like when Bligh sells off all of QLD.'

And of course, my favourite comment always comes from the conspiracy theorist:

'I will never have one of those government meters in my home, they will be used to spy on me and my family and eventually will be used to switch off any of my appliances the government does not like. Seig Heil Herr GoAnna!'