5 Questions.

adagio

There seems to be alot of discussion about common sense views relating to existing political structures. But what if we want genuine non aspirational change?
I would suggest that we have to look at the basics and work from there.
Therefore, I would like to propose the following.
Please see the 5 SUGGESTED question below that I am willing to put to all my local Political representatives (and believe me I won't be fobbed-off).
I will place the answers on this forum (with the politicians consent) and we can then decide where we stand and possibly direct the ensuing debate to wards the higher political echelons.
I would ask the all who reply be brutal and concise - I am looking for very specific questions that my local politicans cannot spin out of. And when they do answer it may reveals a truth that their political masters are uncomfortable addressing for various reasons. This may give us some wriggle room to upset the apple cart and force change. If we sit on our hands now after the ineptitude of the economic and political decision making over the last 10 years our sons and daughters can have no respect for us. We will be no better than those who held their tongues in apartheid America/Africa and continued with the status quo because of our need to conserve our current conservative life styles.

I have no political allegiance and want only to live in a society that lives closer to the truth of where we are at and where we are going as a nation and society.

1. What kind of society do you want to live in?
2. How does 'the society you want' relate to the actual structures of the capitalist system? (foreign investment/European Handouts/Banking/Public institutions..etc) This question could be more specific on receipt of the first answer.
3. How can we separate governance from the inevitable conservatism that permeates our capitalist society? (what I have I hold)
4. How do you propose that Ireland Inc trade in this digital global world? (we Can not rely on foreign investment and European Handouts). What has Eire to offer?
5. And finally, where do you see Ireland's future?

Imagine if our the mainstream political parties answered these 5 questions in a 'non-spin' thorough manner; we might actually know where we stand.
Please let me know what you think of the above questions (not answers, just the questions) and strike down or amend them as you see fit. As already stated I will make a promise to put the five most concise questions to all my local politicians and then I'll Blog the answers on Boards. Please be brutal, honest and concise. No time wasters need apply!:eek:

Permabear

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P. Breathnach

donegalfella wrote: »

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State coercion might be done in the interest of the general good, and usually is.

Coercion by anybody else is likely to be primarily or solely for the benefit of the person doing the coercing.

adagio

Guys please edit the questions.
I'm only interested in my local politicians answering the questions.
Cheers.:D

Permabear

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Permabear

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Morzadec

Adagio - good idea. I'll be interested to hear the response. But you will have to pin down the questions to specific issues (you seem to have the confidence in yourself to do this anyway!)

Donegalfella - its neo-liberal economic policies like yours that have got Ireland (and the world) into this economic crises. Further privitisation of the education sector is incredibly aristocratic and unfair. All should be given the right to a well-run, state-run education system. How? Better management and more funding (increase taxes if needs be).

Did anyone read Fintan O'Toole's article in the Weekend section of the Irish Times? Interesting read. Keynesian economics is what we need in these times in my opinion.

P. Breathnach

Morzadec wrote: »

Donegalfella - its neo-liberal economic policies like yours that have got Ireland (and the world) into this economic crises...

Neo-liberal? I think we are encountering fully-fledged libertarianism.

Permabear

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evercloserunion

donegalfella wrote: »

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What is that, if not law enforcement?

Permabear

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adagio

Come on guys!
190 views and only one serious response.
Where's the appetite for accountability and change?
Or do we have 189 I'll keep the status quo thank you very much?
Please only respond to this thread by the front door - the first thread question!
Cheers.;)

jmayo

adagio wrote: »

There seems to be alot of discussion about common sense views relating to existing political structures. But what if we want genuine non aspirational change?

1. What kind of society do you want to live in?
2. How does 'the society you want' relate to the actual structures of the capitalist system? (foreign investment/European Handouts/Banking/Public institutions..etc) This question could be more specific on receipt of the first answer.
3. How can we separate governance from the inevitable conservatism that permeates our capitalist society? (what I have I hold)
4. How do you propose that Ireland Inc trade in this digital global world? (we Can not rely on foreign investment and European Handouts). What has Eire to offer?
5. And finally, where do you see Ireland's future?

Please let me know what you think of the above questions (not answers, just the questions) and strike down or amend them as you see fit. As already stated I will make a promise to put the five most concise questions to all my local politicians and then I'll Blog the answers on Boards. Please be brutal, honest and concise. No time wasters need apply!:eek:

Ok one gripe I have with the way your questions are stated is that they protray in my mind that you feel "capitalism" = "bad".
Capitalism is not necessarily bad, it just needs to be properly managed and regulated I would argue.
Saying that I would not agree that we should go all out privatisation and removal of state involvement in key areas such as healthcare, educaiton, management of national resources and national infrastructure.

These questions may be more specific, but I would definetly like answers on are ...
1. Do politicans feel that the laws that are on the statue books are not enforced enough and what changes would they implement to guarantee more enforcement ?
These include both criminal, civil and business laws.

2. What new corporate legislation and regulation would the politicans implement (no new qangoes) to guarantee that the same fiscal rectitude is not allowed occur again ?

3. Do politicans agree that the culture of non responsibility has to end and the attitude has to be that negligence and ineptitude warns dismissal and/or demotion.
This change must be implemented top down, starting with politicans and senior executives within public bodies.

4. Will politicans agree and sign into law:
(a) that any public representative found guilty of a crime be it criminal, fraud, tax evasion or facilitating tax evasion is not allowed hold public office or ever again run for election as a public representative ?
(b) that public employee found guilty of committing a crime during the course of their public service, will lose their automatic entitlement to a state pension, and will have to repay any monies received whilst they were suspended pending any investigations.

Just interested what their answers on these would be .....

adagio

Thanks jaymo and donegalfella for responding thus far.
While the initial thread may be a bit woolly in places, the idea has been fermenting in my mind and I will see it through.
I'll have to decide whether to target Councilors or local TD's and work out what avenue is best to approach in order to receive an answer.
I continue to hope that more people will respond by issuing their questions they would like to see answered and then decide on the most concise and revealing.
Anyway thanks guys and in two/three weeks time I'll post the final questions I'm gonna ask and create a log of how my initial approach went (including the Politician's Name/Party - with their consent).
Viva-la-status-quo!;)