Simone Tay: tongue in cheek with George Soros

Simone Tay:

I have to let you know before hand that at times I may have to ask you leading questions. The establishment may also edit our conversation before general broadcast.

George Soros:

I am used to the scenario. If it were not for the fact that I have chosen on being a political philanthropist and a critic, I would very much be persuaded to decline on having a one-on-one with the likes of you.

Simone Tay:

How do you argue with success ...

George Soros:

It depends on what you define by success and how you go about achieving it. Hitler could also claim success with his Third Reich. He subdued most of Europe and North Africa.

Simone Tay:

Aren't you not afraid of rubbing LKY the wrong way ...

George Soros:

You already know the answer. If I am not afraid to rub Bush and Putin the wrong way, what do I worry about in a small fry like LKY. It helps of course that I have achieved a considerable amount of financial success, without which I would have been most vulnerable.

Simone Tay:

What do you think about our workfare incentive?

George Soros:

It is a very nice package. However, the introduction of it before a general election sours it somewhat.

Simone Tay:

What do you mean?

George Soros:

It reminds me of Nazi Germany before the war and Holocaust. Policies that were slowly introduced which were designed to ostracize the Jewish community ...

Simone Tay:

We have to get our unemployed back to work.

George Soros:

That on the face of it yes. But you have other policies that very much work against that intended prospect.

Simone Tay:

Such as?

George Soros:

You have an ageing population that employers are not persuaded as worth considering except for menial task.

Simone Tay:

Isn't that the case everywhere.

George Soros:

Then there is no minimum wage that at least could somewhat protect them from such a formidable vulnerability. And then there is this thing called CPF ...

Simone Tay:

We've already adjusted it so that the aged get less contribution from employers ...

George Soros:

The reality of the matter somewhat belies your eagerness to pull a veil over the truth. Menial tasks usually do not enjoy CPF contributions because they are jobs which Bangladeshis are willing to take on.

Simone Tay:

Don't you think that the CPF is a better concept than the Social Security that you have in America?

George Soros:

Yes, but we do not have such an open door policy on foreign talent. CPF contributions are such a negative impact on the nurturing of local talent.

Simone Tay:

But you yourself was once a foreign import into America ...

George Soros:

I'm a realist. I admit I was fortunate to be an immigrant at a time when the American economy was booming. Things are different now.

Simone Tay:

How so.

George Soros:

Yours is a developed economy now if you measure it by the proportion of the foreign component to your GDP. And you are planning to increase your population by roughly two million. I don't suppose that you intend them to be made up of foreign students?

Simone Tay:

But ...

George Soros:

These people need jobs if they are to be attracted here. Unless you are merely after whores. They are going to deprive the locals of job prospects no matter how you intend to lie about it. Coupled with the effect of globalization, your workfare policy looks like a prelude to a Holocaust ...

Simone Tay:

The alternative ...

George Soros:

Why don't you simply gas them like Hitler did ... the people you feel are dead weight and a drag on the economy ...

Simone Tay:

We cannot be seen to be doing something like that.

George Soros:

So you created something called workfare.

Simone Tay:

Singaporeans are an unthinking and kiasu lot ...

George Soros:

Not all of them are living vegetables. You are not exactly handing out prospecting claims. Don't expect a gold-rush.

Simone Tay:

So what would you suggest for an election slogan?

George Soros:

You're baiting me ...

Simone Tay:

Oh, come on ...

George Soros:

How about 'Grow the economy, and we'll hand out the peanuts come an election?'