This is a guest post from blogger/web-commentator we know as Spqr64, he is an active poster on a site called The Property Pin. We are delighted to have his opinion piece here, his views are his own.
No matter what category you fall into in society, retiree and mortgage free or first time buyer and 40 years to go; it is safe to say each and every one of us has been and will be affected by the shenanigans of the last decade or so.
We will all, as a result of this, pay the price whether it’s increased income tax or stealth taxes for everyone. Or perhaps that plus property tax (especially) for some poor couple who have also paid stamp duty in the last few years).
The people who will suffer most will be the poor, the elderly and the infirm and those who don’t have a voice in today’s society as they will not be able to scream loud enough to prevent the cuts when they come and come they will.
But these are not the only group of people who may feel vulnerable depending on what happens over the next few months as our position is precarious and getting worse by the day. The fear for some is that the IMF will come in and slash and burn in order that we can make ends meet to avoid borrowings of €18 Billion a year to fund our spending.
Should the IMF have to come in its fairly certain that they will go for the easy target of public sector; as well as pension and dole cuts which are the low hanging fruit, before gouging out the rest from everyone else and by doing so relieve the current government of any blame for having to make the hard choice although some say they wouldn’t have the grit to do it anyway.
It’s not fair is it? And to be honest cribbing about it won’t help us either. All we can do is try to put the procedures in place so this cannot happen again where the banks hold the country to ransom due to the laid back attitude of people who wouldn’t know what regulation or compliance was if it bit them! Yes, I’m talking about our politicians.
So before we go after the banks and the builders, the brokers and estate agents or anyone else involved in the property market lets have a look at where the buck stops and where’s that? You guessed it; your local TD, because he or she is the person who votes on your behalf and makes laws supposedly with your interests at heart, someone who is only too glad to shake your hand during an election and whizz past you in the government merc for the rest of the year.
They are called ‘public servants’ for a reason but perhaps they have forgotten, and to be honest the arrogance of some of those in power would alude to that. So with that in mind maybe its time to change the system as Fianna Fail proved to this point that it doesn’t work, they taken us to the brink (and possibly beyond this time) three times during our countries short history.
So what can we do? Well for my part I am a believer in the list system of government where some of the people who are given office get it because they have expertise within that particular industry or field and bring something to the job that will benefit the country as a whole. What I don’t believe in is giving someone a ministerial post because they are old buddies especially when that someone could embarrass the country on the world stage as has been pointed out so often.
Before you think it, I am not talking about the Taoiseach but a number of his senior ministers and speaking of ministers there is also the not so small matter of how funds always seem to be spent in the minister’s electoral area as pointed out by Primetime and strongly denied recently, Hmmmmm.
Its true to say we have so much wrong in this country of ours and we are all sick of hearing about it but turning a blind eye or ignoring what goes on will not change it neither will simply voting for the nemesis of the current government.
So we have a choice to make, come the next election, be that sooner or later, comes choice and responsibility as this is the one chance to get a politician to listen to you. I would ask each and everyone of you to think before you make your decision and to question the candidates when they come canvassing even if its just to prod their conscience ask them “Why don’t we have a list system and when will we have one?”
I have heard this question asked so often in the past only for the politician on the receiving end to fudge some kind of an answer and avoid the question like the plague.
A list system puts people in jobs because they merit it and the people in these roles have a macro view of the country and not a gombeen view as has been the norm in the past. So ask the question and expect an answer because you’re paying for it and if you don’t get the answer don’t vote for the idiot.
As someone once said “It is the responsibility of leadership to provide opportunity and the responsibility of individuals to contribute” We haven’t had the leadership nor have we been afforded the opportunity to contribute to date. But if when given the chance we don’t ask the questions looking for change, then we don’t contribute and we won’t receive or achieve change and hence be doomed to repeat our mistakes ad infinitum for the benefit of none but the politicians, the bankers, the developers and their associates.
As far as their concerned I think we’ll be paying long enough for them.
Spqr64