Opinions on Budget 2022

[Paul O Mahoney]

Yep, we've an excellent system for electing County Councillors but unfortunately we use it to elect them to our Parliament.

It was designed to give smaller parties a better chance of getting representation, while fine for that , but we have elected an awful lot of donkeys, some 3 legged.

 

[Purple]

It was designed to give smaller parties a better chance of getting representation, while fine for that , but we have elected an awful lot of donkeys, some 3 legged.

We end up with a strong Parliament and a weak Government, too weak to make real changes.

 

[gianni]

I think PR is the least worst system of electing TDs. The obvious downside is the clientelism that infects part of it.

David McSavage has a good sketch about it..the jist of it is that a son is told by the father to vote for someone because "he fihxed de road"...

I cringe when I hear ppl suggest contacting your TD if your passport is delayed, etc...

 

[Purple]

The Irish Times is at it again with their leftie bias.
They have a headline "Budget 2022 will increase poverty and leave vulnerable behind" but fail to note that it's actually an opinion piece from Social Justice Ireland, a far left advocacy group.

 

[odyssey06]

I think PR is the least worst system of electing TDs. The obvious downside is the clientelism that infects part of it.

David McSavage has a good sketch about it..the jist of it is that a son is told by the father to vote for someone because "he fihxed de road"...

I cringe when I hear ppl suggest contacting your TD if your passport is delayed, etc...

It's not PR as such that's a problem. It's multi-seat constituencies, it encourages 'clientism' because you have multiple people from the same party chasing the same seats, it's not just about policies.

Edit - it's also a reflection of our poor public service where the public are seen as a hindrance and had no other escalation mechanism, and calling the TD \ councillor was the only way to cut the bureaucratic limbo you were stuck in

 

[Baby boomer]

We end up with a strong Parliament and a weak Government, too weak to make real changes.

Actually, it's the other way around. We have a very centralised Executive Government with the Oireachtas acting as a rubber stamp for whatever the Cabinet decides.

 

[Baby boomer]

The Irish Times is at it again with their leftie bias.
They have a headline "Budget 2022 will increase poverty and leave vulnerable behind" but fail to note that it's actually an opinion piece from Social Justice Ireland, a far left advocacy group.

The really shocking thing about that piece is the in-built assumption that the only, or principle, "solution" to poverty is more social welfare. It's like it doesn't even occur to them that there's a more obvious solution - get people off welfare and into jobs. The impression SJI give is that their ideal vision of society is one where social welfare is freely available to all, at a level high enough to afford a comfortable standard of living.

Now, which political party does that remind me of......?

 

[Purple]

Actually, it's the other way around. We have a very centralised Executive Government with the Oireachtas acting as a rubber stamp for whatever the Cabinet decides.

No, it's very hard for any government to have a clear majority so every decision is a fudge. In reality, for better or worse, there very little policy difference between any government as they have to pander to vested interests, Unions, the Civil Service and whatever flotsam and jetsam they needed to make up their Parliamentary majority.

 

[Purple]

The really shocking thing about that piece is the in-built assumption that the only, or principle, "solution" to poverty is more social welfare. It's like it doesn't even occur to them that there's a more obvious solution - get people off welfare and into jobs. The impression SJI give is that their ideal vision of society is one where social welfare is freely available to all, at a level high enough to afford a comfortable standard of living.

Now, which political party does that remind me of......?

Yes, the populist left, the poverty industry and the far left all treat poverty as if it's the root cause of the problem rather than the biggest symptom of the problem.

 

[Firefly]

It's like it doesn't even occur to them that there's a more obvious solution - get people off welfare and into jobs.

"I believe the best social program is a job" Ronald Regan

 

[odyssey06]

The really shocking thing about that piece is the in-built assumption that the only, or principle, "solution" to poverty is more social welfare. It's like it doesn't even occur to them that there's a more obvious solution - get people off welfare and into jobs. The impression SJI give is that their ideal vision of society is one where social welfare is freely available to all, at a level high enough to afford a comfortable standard of living.

Now, which political party does that remind me of......?

But if the people have jobs, they won't be dependent on SJI, and SJI will have no power / audience.

 

[Sophrosyne]

I think one of the most significant aspect of the budget is the increase in carbon tax and the VAT thereon.

This will push up prices everywhere.

 

[Purple]

"I believe the best social program is a job" Ronald Regan

As long as it pays enough to cover basic living costs. there's no point in forcing a single parent of a young child into a low paid job and leaving the child to effectively fend for themselves.