The debate on the Frontline tonight offered very little to the electorate who won't be using their vote in anger, but in terms of who is offering some real change. Isn't Ireland in an awful way when all that is on offer stood before us and delivered to us the painful truth that there is no easy way out of our national predicament.
With the exception of Gerry Adams none really spoke for the people, preferring to concentrate on the economy. Our economy is in deep trouble outside the export sector and will remain so because no austeric budgetary measures have ever turned around any economy in an upward direction in the history of Capitalism. The scheme has nearly peaked now, surely the world is nearly out of zero's to pull from the sky at this stage.
Gerry and Micháel shot each other down when the subject of fraud came about. Adams on the side of white collar crime, Michael refusing to let go of the past, yet a whole nation could so we could have peace. None of the main parties will talk much on the issues of accountability in the white collar arena and that is also a disturbing thing about modern day Ireland and her hopes for the future. Because if we are preaching failure without accountability is the way to go, we are going to tangle ourselves into knots there may be no getting out of.
Where's the thinking 'outside the box?' We've been robbed of everything. Sovereignty, children to emigration, unmanageable debt, natural resources etc etc etc .... I could go on all night. When you've lost that much the only change that will ever reverse everything is a radical one. More of the same just ain't going to cut it this time. Yet, it's all we are offered.
Who won the debate? In my view Enda Kenny did, because his spin have nailed the strategy to date. If only the man had a bit of believability about him when everything is laid on the table. What we get now is political waffle designed for one thing and one thing only. Power. Yet, what power with foreign bodies now controlling how we 'do business.'
Micháel Martin looks like he will hold his party at about 15%. Eamon Gilmore looks like he's tired and running out of steam. He's saying some good stuff but for some reason it's not being bought. The tit-for-tat with Fine Gael is also not helping their cause.
John Gormley and the Greens could offer something, but they won't because they stayed in bed with Fianna Fail through thick and thin and won't rule out going to bed with someone else should political fate fall in their favour again. I've lost respect for them.
Sinn Fein do offer an alternative. Adams is a seasoned politician but not within this state. But behind the party lies a new future, younger more able people, people who can build on the foundation that Adams can lay down here in 2011.
The climate is not going to change. The conditions are there to exploit the need for a more equal society and continue to outline the real alternative this country needs. A socially driven strategy, as opposed to the bankers approach of slavery by debt until death. It's failed us all. Anyone not seeing that may need a trip to Specsavers.
Socially doesn't have to mean being poor. Most people would swap cash for a quality of life. You want to reduce debt. Take cash out of some the equation. They might even change the world while they're at it.
I'm looking for a new approach to how Ireland evolves. There is only a few candidates I can vote for offering that. Some unfortunately are married to the Big 2, or the separated one, depending how you look at it.
I have to take the present state of play into account when it comes to the parties, what they've supported and how they have conducted themselves. That just leaves Labour and Sinn Féin candidates. If I was Gerry Adams and Eamon Gilmore, I'd pull a stroke this week, get together and put a significant alternative to the country and leave it to the people. It may be a bit late in the day, but it would set the foundation for a real change when the time comes again to decide what it is we want and how we go about getting it. It should be a very exciting time in Ireland, why does it feel like it's not?
I went to Holland in 1991 to work for a company. They couldn't find any of their own to do the work. Hey, I'm Irish, I'll do anything and at 18, well adventure was definitely on the cards. After some of the days i have spent on Irish construction sites the conditions were not that bad.
Within 5 months I had made my way off the factory floor to a room which contained a control panel and a coffee machine and it was there I sat for another 7 months until the call from home became to loud. In hindsight it was a big mistake. I even thought that during The Tiger.
I was still paying my taxes to Ireland as I was sent there from a sister company in my hometown. I was paying emergency tax and it became a bit of a drag. My parents spoke to our local TD who sorted the issue out in a very effective way within days. Worth the mind of a young voter? I'd say so.
Ireland is leaking 1000 citizens a week to foreign countries. You'd think the government would have a department to capitalize on this travesty. I mean, it is what they do best. Taxes could still come into this country and who knows, maybe even a little commission fee depending on the deployment. Surely it's a growth business.
Canada : Do you know what the Irish are at ?
Argentina : No.
Canada : Paying to educate people so we can profit from them.
Argentina : Go way.
Canada : True as God.
Argentina : Those Irish. Never can figure them out. Great bars though.
Canada : And artists.
Argentina : True. True.
Taken from the absurd play collection of Larry Mulligan. (deceased)
******
Bailout ~ An absurd play.
starring Bono and Enda Kenny & other Irish favourites.
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