Our program for government is predicated on ... I am enraged!

aidanodr

Hello All,

I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS:

Mary Hanafan on RTE news tonight - I realise it was about the teachers, but a point she said is this -

"Our program for government is ( maybe said was ) predicated on the basis of a strong economy"

AND left it at that as a carted out line to wash over her current situation with the teachers.

WHAT? Has anybody else seen through this statement? You mean NO PLAN B ... at all!

What sort of lame excuse for a floundering economy is THIS?

Here we have a SENIOR ELECTED MINISTER actually saying on prime time television that the CURRENT GOVERNMENT had no plan B. They based there program for goverment on a strong economy and never even considered the what ifs that the economy MAY NOT always be strong, but could weaken.

I am enraged and speechless - I hope the rest of you IRISH ELECTORATE wake up to this statement ...

Aidan

dresden8

Well, if you believed plan A and voted for this shower of ****ers serves you right.

Akrasia

Its a load of bullsh1r. The government should be thrown out for breach of contract.

They lied about the economy before the election, they lied in their manifesto, and now they're claiming that one lie cancels out the other.

Its sickening

And there's no point in saying 'well you voted for them...'
All parties were making the same bullsh1t predictions and promises. No matter who you voted for, you would have gotten shafted.

duggie-89

now come on people FF has a grand plan and it will follow thought. remember they promised the people that the economy weould be safe in their hands. lets just put our trust in FF and close our eye's untill the next election when we open it to hear how great FF are.

lol

El Stuntman

Akrasia wrote: »

And there's no point in saying 'well you voted for them...'
All parties were making the same bullsh1t predictions and promises. No matter who you voted for, you would have gotten shafted.

moral of the story; electorate = idiots

dictatorship is the way forward

egan007

aidanodr wrote: »

"Our program for government is ( maybe said was ) predicated on the basis of a strong economy"

AND left it at that as a carted out line to wash over her current situation with the teachers.

That would be an ecumenical matter.

redspider

> I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS:
> What sort of lame excuse for a floundering economy is THIS?

Welcome to politics! Did you not realise this is what many political parties do? ie: promise X before an election and then deliver X-Y (where Y tends to be large or very large).

There is no 'contract'.

> I am enraged and speechless - I hope the rest of you IRISH ELECTORATE wake up to this statement ...

The Irish electorate werent very awake at the last election, now were they?

This is not the first wake-up call nor it wont be the last. You may be enraged at this, others have given up being enraged on other aspects. That is apathy and that is the policticians dream, as long as they get the majority of those that vote that are ars.ed to do so. They dont really care. The political system is broken in many countries. There is no accountability. There is no responsibility. In Ireland's case, there are no morals either.

Have you ever seen a procession of lemmings running over a cliff? Thats what the Irish electorate, and indeed many electorates around the world, are like. Its not a pretty sight. Some people join politics to change it. They morph after a while, losing energy and become part of the system. There are few revolutionaries. I wish the world were different.

Look around, the evidence of poor government performance and voter apathy is everywhere .....

Stay enraged, mobilise fellow 'enragees' if you have the energy, good luck. Yes, I'm in the apathetic camp. Meanwhile, the politicians are in the pathetic camp.

Redspider

jmayo

Quel surpise,
they were economical with the truth about what they knew about the economy and lots of people chose to believe them by keeping their heads in the sand and voting them back in.

A lot of people pre election were saying (including large amount of people on this forum) that the economy was going to hit the rocks, because it was one dimensional and based on building, but we were doomsayers, whingers, envious, etc.

The only plan they ever had is to get re-elected.
That is number one goal for bertie and the boys.
How they do it doesn't matter, what they claim or promise to guarantee this objective doesn't matter.
In true bertie style they will worry about consequences later and sure they will find some excuse to wriggle out of it when the time comes.

Anyway the plebs will vote them back in becuase as they will spin it that the opposition offer no hope at all in comparison to their great achievements.

Oh and while they are in office they will give us the two fingers by making sure they up their own salaries, create extra positions with extra salaries to reward the backbenchers, organise tax break incentives (hotels, section 23s, hospitals, etc) for their property developer buddies (oops I mean supporters) and give plum semi-state jobs to their drinking friends.

Have I left anything out ?

Don't get enraged, get even.
Do not vote FF or PD at the next election.
No matter how good the FF/PD individual standing in your constituency is, do not vote for them, because you are voting for the FF/PD shower as a whole.
Treat them with the same contempt they treat you.

Rock Climber

I'd be more shocked if any government anywhere in the world implimented all of their manifesto within a year of they being re elected.
I'd also be more shocked at anyone expecting that.

Also didn't all the main parties mention many times prior to the election that their promises were dependent on revenue /growth in the economy being good enough?

So should they rise taxes to compensate or borrow which may lead to a need to raise taxes later to pay for the borrowing if internationally things don't improve?

I know one way to get this current government re elected fairly smartly and thats for the opposition to say it wants to raise taxes.
Thats never a vote winner.

guinnessdrinker

Yeah but when a minister comes out with excuses saying that the gov can't fully implement their program for government because of changing economic factors, well it's a bit hard to take. Who do they think they are talking to? I mean, do they think the electorate are a bunch of two year olds? Did the government really think that the economy was not going to change in any way.

In the words of Clint Eastwood from Hartbreak Ridge, the gov should "improvise, adapt and overcome". Unfortunatly for us they either don't know how to, couldn't be bothered or are so full of themselfs they feel we as a nation have some cheek to expect them to do some work.

John_C

Brian Cowen was on the news in the run up to the election and was asked this very question. He said that if the economy didn't perform, the infrastructure plan would be protected and the cuts would come elsewhere. They're doing exactly what they said they would.

EamonnKeane

In the Miriam O'Callaghan-chaired debate, she asked both Kenny and Ahern what their plans were in the case of economic decline. I recall them both basically saying "that won't happen".

spank_inferno

All parties set out their manifesto's based on optimistic economic forecasts.
That these forecasts didnt come to pass isnt necessarily the fault of FF.

tax revenues havent been what they were expected to be,.
However they are still higher than last year.
The problem is that govenrment spending is increasing at a higher rate than revenue increases.

This is a huge and largely ignored problem. It puts pressure across all government services as Brian Cowan wants to avoid borrowing as much as possible (though there will be some borrowing this year).

The bulk of government revenues go on day to day expenses, chiefly pay etc.
The rest is capital expenditure & its never enough to meet everyones needs.
There is a budget for school building & rennovation but it never turns out to be enough because its hard to budget on construction wage inflation and commodity prices (iron/steel etc).

I would like to see current expenditure be brought under control to allow more money spent on more classrooms, but its a matter of priority.

would the TUI favour more school building in exchange for a pay freeze?
Not being a teacher I'd be fine with that

Rock Climber

Rock Climber wrote: »

I'd be more shocked if any government anywhere in the world implimented all of their manifesto within a year of they being re elected.
I'd also be more shocked at anyone expecting that.

Also didn't all the main parties mention many times prior to the election that their promises were dependent on revenue /growth in the economy being good enough?

So should they rise taxes to compensate or borrow which may lead to a need to raise taxes later to pay for the borrowing if internationally things don't improve?

I know one way to get this current government re elected fairly smartly and thats for the opposition to say it wants to raise taxes.
Thats never a vote winner.

well well, I like your style, drop it in there nicely, as if this downturn is because of the international scene.
Its because of our domestic downturn in the construction industry
we could never have increased the amount of properties we built each year exponentially like we did. Prices were never going to keep increasing indefinitely

I call shennanigans on your post

guinnessdrinker

guinnessdrinker wrote: »

Yeah but when a minister comes out with excuses saying that the gov can't fully implement their program for government because of changing economic factors, well it's a bit hard to take. Who do they think they are talking to? I mean, do they think the electorate are a bunch of two year olds? Did the government really think that the economy was not going to change in any way.

I dont see your point? They DID manage to fool the electorate.
They were elected in free and fair elections in a democratic nation very recently the people get what they deserve and furthermore - they gave themselves pay rises at the budget but said tighten their belts ...
they got away with that

you know what they deserve it if they can get away with it and the public are gettin what they deserve too

EamonnKeane wrote: »

In the Miriam O'Callaghan-chaired debate, she asked both Kenny and Ahern what their plans were in the case of economic decline. I recall them both basically saying "that won't happen".

No opposition worth talkin about. FF and the PDs in my view knew exactly what was coming economically. I reckon the opposition should have known too, if they didnt they are not fit to lead the country. If they did then they should have made an election issue over it and now they could say I told you so.
Idiots the whole lot of them. I wanna tar them all with the same brush only I know there are individuals who are probably allright in all parties

aidanodr

Hi Guys,

Nice to see people responding to this - as of yet I am amazed ( well, maybe not too much ) - that our illustrious media has not picked up on Mary Hanafans words of wisdom re the program for government.

While driving between customer sites I heard around lunchtime on Newstalk that Mr. Dan McLaughlin [ he of BOI ] has come out with an all is well and no need to worry type predictions:

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0326/economy.html

• Bank of Ireland has predicted that the economy will grow by as much as 3% this year
• 40,000 jobs will be created
• strong employment growth in the services sector would more than compensate for job losses in the construction sector
• the economy will grow twice as fast at predicted two weeks ago by the ESRI and says that there is no question of jobs growth grinding to a halt
• the European Central Bank will cut interest rates twice during the second half of this year

Well now - what are we all worried about. MMM, something is nagging me ... Oh Yes Mr Dan McLaughlin works for the Bank Of Ireland. He is severly contradicting recent predictions by the ESRI. I wonder has Dan got a vested interest? Maybe that what is nagging me

Re Miss Hanafins statement again -

All parties set out their manifesto's based on optimistic economic forecasts. That these forecasts didnt come to pass isnt necessarily the fault of FF.

Spank_inferno said this - well yes I understand political sales pitches at election time are usually all nice and rosy BUT to have JUST ONE plan and no contingency plan in the background just in case smacks of shear incompetence, carelessness, arogance, ignorance. It would be laughable if it were not as serious as it is.

I would say quiet a number of you guys may be working in medium to large enterprises and/or SME's - If management came out with the above I would say ye would not be too happy.

Imagine - The Widget Ice Cream Company:

Management: "Met Eireann says its going to be sunny and roasting for the rest of the year, right up to november - Yippee - come on lads up the production of Ice cream all around, roll the stuff out"

Staff member maureen says "ah - sorry, the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts says some sun but mainly alot of rain too"

Management: " SSSh, thats rubbish, its sunshine all the way, go on now make icecream, dont worry, we now have based our financial program on this so all is fine"

Cheers
Aidan

Limerickjohnny

Well to be honest folks, its not really rocket science why they got voted back in.

I hate the shower of ************(unflattering description of FF) but I had no choice but to vote for them

FG and Labour wouldn't have won college elections, thats how bad they are. Not an intelligent idea between them and not too likely to happen anytime soon.

If they couldn't make hay at the last election with all the ammunition they had on Bertie, McDowell and the fiscal mismanagement by FF and the PDs, they certainly would not be capable of running a country!

homah_7ft

It's about time the government started playing the poor mouth card. All that happened when they said they had money was public sector pay hikes. Oh and in case anyone was wondering, no we didn't get any extra work for our money.

oscarBravo

Limerickjohnny wrote: »

(am i allowed say that?)

No. Don't do it again.

lostexpectation

if you can't reduce class sizies after 10 years of the strongest economy then when can you, one slow year and its all gone??

El Stuntman

lostexpectation wrote: »

if you can't reduce class sizies after 10 years of the strongest economy then when can you, one slow year and its all gone??

the money was blown on buying the 2002 and 2007 elections via the scandal that is benchmarking

we now have the best paid public sector workers in the world, progress! mind you have no money to rebuild rat-infested schools:mad: