ERSI Opinion Poll Possible Fine Gael/Labour Goverment

jjbrien

I was just reading the Indo today and seen FG/Labour on 40% with FF/PDs only on 38%. If this keeps up it looks like there might be a FG/Labour goverment after the next election. I would look very much forward to this as I feel the current goverment can not go on forever they are getting complacent.

Some of the FG proposals like getting rid of stamp duty do really apeal to me. There also talking about bringing back the first time buyers grant which would help me get a house for myself. What does everyone think? I also seen this video from FG its funny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr2zGYT2Egs&search=fine%20gael

At least there rying to get my vote their offering me something more than what FF are offering. I think we should give them a chance and if there crap get rid of them.

mox54

Agreed, the current bunch are in so long they're complacent, the stuff they've gotten away with is beyond the pale, tunnels too short, websites for non-existent services, payroll sortware/hardware that doesn't work, roads are chaos, society in meltdown(ok maybe not!!.)

Labour will bring back some compassion to our politics (I hope):rolleyes:

Dr Galen

well i dunno, as much as i have lost faith in this Government, how do we really kow that FG/Labour will be much better?
I suppose thats the electoral system really though ain't it.

I defo think that Bertie and the crew will go, and I also forsee a PD collapse. After all, and this is purely anecdotal, most people blame Mary Harney for the crapass Health system and McDowell for well.......anything remotely related to crime etc. Not saying that this is totally justified but it seems to be a prevailing attitude.

bk

jjbrien wrote:

Some of the FG proposals like getting rid of stamp duty do really apeal to me. There also talking about bringing back the first time buyers grant which would help me get a house for myself. What does everyone think? I also seen this video from FG its funny http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr2zGYT2Egs&search=fine%20gael

FG propose to get rid of indirect taxes and cap other taxes for the next 5 years. Yet they also propose to "fix" the health care system, give parents €1000 for every child born, free GP for children up to 5, etc.

I ask, if they get rid of indirect taxes, etc., which means less money then the current government has, then where will they get the money to do all these other wonderful things?

- Will they increase corporate tax, those risking jobs?
- Will they decrease spending on others areas like health, education and infrastructure?
- Will they borrow and increase the national debt?

Also if they did abolish stamp duty and reintroduce FTB grant, the savings would simply be eaten up by increases in house prices and would like have very little effect on peoples ability to actually buy a home.

The_Minister

jjbrien wrote:

Some of the FG proposals like getting rid of stamp duty do really apeal to me. There also talking about bringing back the first time buyers grant which would help me get a house for myself.

Sigh. The stamp duty does not really change the price of houses as house prices are determined by how much people are willing to pay. The amount of money going to the seller would just increase. It is a soundbite, nothing more

ISAW

bk wrote:

FG propose to get rid of indirect taxes and cap other taxes for the next 5 years.

Well they cant do that! We are bound into VAT in EU treaties e.g. Masstricht.
And The PD element in particular will probably LOWER other taxes e.g. income tax.

Yet they also propose to "fix" the health care system,

as did Harney a year ago.

give parents €1000 for every child born,

Cowen gave parents that for every year up to six in the last budget.

I ask, if they get rid of indirect taxes, etc., which means less money then the current government has, then where will they get the money to do all these other wonderful things?

- Will they increase corporate tax, those risking jobs?
- Will they decrease spending on others areas like health, education and infrastructure?
- Will they borrow and increase the national debt?

Their plan (well Lab's plan) is to borrow. Cutbacks will cause the unions to revolt. corporation tax will cause FDI to drop. Only by borrowing will voters be happy since they arent getting hit in the short term. then the next government will have to do the same and so on. Then fiscal reality will one day dawn and we will have to "tighten our belts". It happened before.

Also if they did abolish stamp duty and reintroduce FTB grant, the savings would simply be eaten up by increases in house prices and would like have very little effect on peoples ability to actually buy a home.

That happened before as well.
Economically one would have to restrict the money supply to stop inflation. In the Euro we cant raise interest rates. But with house prices do high loads of Irish money is going abroad on property. Personal debt is high so if the government could convince the banks to squeeze that might help. Banks are only loving lending all this lolly but if they thought the whole thing might go belly up they might instill some fear on our over spending.

I have a problem with the assumption those who say that the government is not responsible for economic growth because of factors outside of their sphere and then also say that in government they will create a better economy. Particularly one better than one of the fasting growing ones in the world!