Irish People being threathened by their Government

ParkLane said:
I have to agree with Bronco. Threats of punishment or fines seems to be the order of the day. Everything about this government is about take, take, take. I wish there was an election tomorrow so we could send the lot of them packing.
Click to expand...

Don't forget who destroyed the economy and forced the current government into a position of having to introduce the range of new taxes.
 
Seagull said:
Don't forget who destroyed the economy and forced the current government into a position of having to introduce the range of new taxes.
Click to expand...

Who? Lots of blame to go around or are we still blaming Bertie? I do remember the current government calling for cuts in spending and tax rises during the boom. Or was that a dream..............

Political parties blaming each other makes me laugh. Left, right, centre, all they want to do is win elections. They would have all done the same thing. In many ways they would have done more damage. How high would social welfare and public sector pay have been if labour had been in power. And FG can hardly claim that they would have been the party to stand up to the banks and other vested interests. It's all one big game as FF's recent recovery shows.
 
The problem with democracy is that politicians need to be elected. So what would happen if FF,FG, Labour came out with an election manifesto that promised tax increases, property taxes, cuts to public sector wages, cuts to services etc???? Would they get elected?
So political parties promise us goodies, we vote them in and then we are continually surprised when they don't deliver in an economy that is broke. So who is the bigger fool, us the voters or the politicians?
Whatever was "promised" in the last election, we were fools if we believed that taxes would not go up and/or services would not be cut. One does not need to be an economist ( or even a celebrity economist) to know that we cannot continue to run the country by continuing to borrow to pay day to day expenditure - public service salaries & pensions for example.
So if some "innocent" people think that tax increases, broadening the tax base etc is "threatening" I can only suggest that return to live in the cloud cuckoo land that they are more comfortable inhabiting.
 
I don't think that the OP is talking about taxes being threathening. It is the add on bit that accompanies every new or increased tax. Such as "if you don't do what you are told you are going to be punished".
These threats are directed at everyone. Decent people who didn't take part in the Tiger Party or who have always paid their way are being treated like criminals.
 
SlurrySlump said:
Decent people who didn't take part in the Tiger Party or who have always paid their way are being treated like criminals.
Click to expand...

What does that mean?
Many people who did well in the boom sectors were decent and paid their taxes. The notion that you have to be poor or middle income in order to be decent is pervasive in this country and is nonsense.
Of course politicians have to be elected but they aren't the problem, the people doing the voting are the problem. We have a very low standard of voter and so we end up with a low standard of politician or at least politicians who have to act like local councillors rather than national politicians in order to get elected the next time.
The government isn't threatening the people by pointing out the law or what will happen to services if taxes are not collected. It's the same people who complain about higher taxes who also complain about cuts in pay and services and listen to clowns like Pierce Dogherty and Richard Boyd Barrett who think that populist sound bites are a substitute for reality.
 
The only ones I see threatening the Irish people are the public sector unions, anxious to keep their cossetted Terms and Conditions and to heck with everyone else.


Ni neart go cur le cheile
 
celebtastic said:
The only ones I see threatening the Irish people are the public sector unions, anxious to keep their cossetted Terms and Conditions and to heck with everyone else.


Ni neart go cur le cheile
Click to expand...

Throw hand grenade , retreat & wait for fallout !
 
Putting the report on childens allowances out there yesterday was a good case in point.

If they were not accepting the findings - why did they not say it when they published the report?
 
I have to say I don't feel threatened by the Government. I pay what I owe.

I didn't vote "Yes" for CrokePatrick1, but I accepted the findings and results and that's that done and dusted. (I didn't vote "Yes" for Benchmarking either, as a point of interest.)

I don't know how I will vote for CrokePatrick2. (I suspect "No".)

But I worry, sometimes, when I see the barrage of abuse against Public Service/Sector employees in the media and, yes, here on AAM.

Marion
 
Ummm,I pay my taxes too. I dislike the way the government communicates with us, the public. I think it stems from not having the guts to take hard decisions. So we are treated to bluster,a la the likes of Phil Hogan, or the unspoken threat that the Troika...or whoever,are 'making us do this'.
 
Who is responsible for the story about the state being able to take money from your bank account?

Arrogance is falling off this government.
 
let them threaten and weild their big stick, but when it comes to election time the people have their revenge!
 
blueband said:
let them threaten and weild their big stick, but when it comes to election time the people have their revenge!
Click to expand...

And what ? Re-elect Fianna Fail ? Or put Gerry Adams, Martin Ferris & Aonghus O'Snodaigh at Cabinet ?

Be careful what you wish for.
 
celebtastic said:
The lead story on the RTE news today is that even the humble Guards are getting in on the act of threatening the nation:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2013/0222/368994-garda-pay-protest/
Click to expand...

Why do take such issue with public servants? If my pay/conditions were being threatened and I had the protection of a union, I'd be striking too. The fact of the matter is that although we obviously cannot afford to pay public sector wages/pensions and social welfare at the current levels (without our children/grandchildren paying for it), those receiving these payments are perfectly entitled to defend their incomes and more power to them. You would be far better focusing your ire on the government party/parties negotiating with the unions as these are the people agreeing on your behalf.
 
Firefly said:
... You would be far better focusing your ire on the government party/parties negotiating with the unions as these are the people agreeing on your behalf.
Click to expand...

How I would love that to be true

The fact is that Labour are bankrolled by the public sector unions, and will act in their paymasters interests, rather than the national interest.

Just look at Howlin only be able to identify €30m of savings from the €1bn "allowances" paid to public servants. This government lacks the spine to stand up to the unions, and will continue to punish the private sector worker and small businessman for creating wealth.

As you correctly point out, our children and their children, will be left to pick up the tab for sky high payments in welfare and public sector pay and pensions.

As the unions keep telling us: "Ni neart go cur le cheile"
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register