Tough decisions – politicians are spoofers

when you hear a politician talk about ‘tough decisions’ don’t forget to laugh.

There is a key difference between making a tough decision (like the dilemma a coyote has to take between chewing his own paw off to get out of a snare for instance) in the real world, and of doing so as a politician, because it represents a false pretence.

No politician has ever had to close their business (of politics – and by that I mean underwrite all contingent claims upon their decisions) or give up all future income as a result of their decisions.

So in future, if you talk to a politician who says ‘we have to make a tough decision’ then ask them this ‘Are you willing to give up 10% of your future pension if your decision doesn’t work out?’. I’d love to see if the likes of Brian Lenihan would be willing to forgo all retirement benefits if NAMA doesn’t work.

Naturally – like every person who evades true responsibility – he would say ‘no, sure I have bills to pay/family to …

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Why are there not more libertarians?

On topics like Foreign Policy, Gay Marriage, Immigration, and Abortion. There is large diversity of thought amongst the panel who all fall under the ‘Libertarian’ banner, but often, the sense behind their opinions are considerably sound (if you agree with them I suppose!). The headline of this blog is perhaps a trap, the reason I suspect there are not more libertarians is because very few of them agree emphatically with one another on what ‘life, freedom, and the pursuit of happiness’ really means.

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A phonecall with Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute

Sometimes when I’m having a rough day I decide to reach out to some of the people that I see on TV or read about in the press and talk to them, it’s part of a greater ideal in which I believe people should have as many mentors as possible, spending time around the people whom they hope to emulate, if you can’t meet them in person then call them on the phone. It works (in my opinion!).

Anyway, today I was reading something Dan Mitchell from the Cato Institute wrote and decided that it would be best to give him a call, his receptionist obviously mistook me for somebody important (pigeon American/Irish accent works wonders!) and put me through and all I can say is that in person Dan Mitchell is a joy to talk to, while somehow managing to make a lot of sense in an easy to digest manner. That particular talent is a rarity.

I wanted to talk about taxation, the …

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