Time for a Revolution

Biggins

Yes, its a long post so if you can't be arsed reading it, don't.

As Dáil returns from 12-week break things are going to get ugly

With just one week left until the Dáil returns, confidence in the Government seems to have reached an all-time low and public anger is once again likely to spill over into the streets.

Judging by the comments left on this blog over the last week, Yahoo! Ireland users are mad as hell at Fianna Fáil and the Greens.

Some outspoken users have been sharing their personal stories and opinions on the shortcomings of the current Government, best summed up by one user as ‘probably the worst in the world'.

Scores of messages from our users all had the same clear message: ‘The Government really is not up for the job'.

One user, Fiachram Claughlin, commented that Ireland is ‘yet again the laughing stock of Europe' following Brian Cowen's interview gaffe. "How can any government survive the propping up of a doomed bank which may and most probably will bankrupt the country?" he asked. "We need an election ASAP and we must get rid of Cowen and the rest of his lemmings."'

His comment is one of many left by users angry that the Government could spend the summer on a break while the economy teeters on the brink of oblivion.
Another user has suggested that the only coalition that could be less popular than Cowen's would be ‘the IMF and the ECB', who may still have to intervene.

The overwhelming mood points towards just one thing; people want change and they want it now.

When the Dáil returns next Wednesday it's no surprise that they'll be greeted by the same scenes they left behind 12 weeks ago; lines of gardaí holding back crowds of angry protestors. Even TDs deserve a holiday but compare the lengthy Dáil break to the British Government, who took holidays from 29 July until 6 September, or the Greeks who took just three weeks.

It is simply unacceptable to take such a long holiday during one of the biggest financial crises ever faced by this country. With the return to Leinster House protestors will once again have a focus for their anger and repeats of the violent scuffles seen during the bailout of Anglo are surely inevitable.

The main difference is that these protests are no longer just rent-a-mob professional activists seizing on populist issues. Ordinary workers are becoming disaffected and taking to the streets.

Trade Unions have already called for a protest march from Anglo to the Dáil and they will be joined by the Socialist Party, republican group Eirigí and the Community Against Cuts Campaign.

Of course, the Government will continue to ignore such protests, but interestingly next Wednesday's has been given the backing of Dublin City Council. A motion passed earlier this month declared that "the Council supports the public rally on 29 September".

With pressure mounting from all sides, how long can Cowen last? Well, according to his optimistic announcement at the party's think-in he intends to cling to power until 2012.

By then he will surely have accumulated more notoriety and dominated more headlines than poor old Bertie ever managed to. Neither of their legacies will be soon forgotten by voters across the country.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/blogs/ireland/as-dil-returns-from-12-week-break-things-are-going-to-get-ugly-p44.html

curlzy

Warper wrote: »

What the fcuk are we doing?

The Govt., the banks, developers etc. have screwed the people of Ireland over big-time. We have pumped €35 billion so far into our various banks and have nothing to show for it. People don't realise the amount of money this whole bailout is costing - so far its 35,000 million euros. The figure is off the chart and its rising. We will be paying this back for decades. 13% of our working population are unemployed and this figure is also rising. Thousands of people are in negative equity.

Aside from the banks, we are running the country at a deficit of another couple of billion per year. The Govt. are talking about "savage" cutbacks of €7b over the next 2 budgets. To be honest so what, €7b is a drop in the ocean compared to what we owe. Lets face it, we are bust and no spin or bullsh1t can save us from this. We are just putting off the inevitable. The IMF and Europe will step in eventually because we are incapable of handling our own finances. The Govt. are lost, the opposition look even more lost, yet what do we do - fcuk all.

We are in a worse position than Iceland and Greece and see the way people reacted there. They took to the streets and stood up, saying "enough is enough". If this happened anywhere else in the developed world there would be riots. For a start, there should be a one day national work stoppage by everyone. I'm not talking about some Trade Union propaganda sh1t as they are also to blame these past few years. Every man, woman, child should get up and march to their local TD and give em hell.

I'm intrigued by your ideas and would like to subscribe to your newsletter. In all honestly this society is so ball-less at this stage people will just keep swallowing the crap that they're fed by the media and government. What we need is one decent politician that we can all rally around, not holding my breathe though.

Nijmegen

War war, jaw jaw... We seem to have one of these threads a week, yet for all the folks on boards I haven't seen rolling protests running up and down the streets from all but the most specialist of interest groups.

qwertplaywert

phill106 wrote: »

Except for the 12-13% of the population already unemployed.
They got a 100% pay cut. No one cares about ps getting paycuts except ps. You have secure jobs, deal with it. Just don't change your car this year.

Losing 20percent of your wage can have a drastic effect on your life, may lead to failure to pay bills, living costs,etc. You would cut more?!

curlzy

Sea Sharp wrote: »

If dole scroungers and public sector employees get drastic pay cuts then we'll see riots. That's what triggered it in Iceland and Greece.

FFS do you really think the 127,000 people on the live register want to be there? They're not scroungers you knobjockey. I hope you end up on the live register, ah not really but I hope you cop on and stop being so judegmental.

Mr Benevolent

curlzy wrote: »

FFS do you really think the 127,000 people on the live register want to be there? They're not scroungers you knobjockey. I hope you end up on the live register, ah not really but I hope you cop on and stop being so judegmental.

127,000?? I'd love shares in your time machine company. There are 455,000 people on the live register.

curlzy

curlzy wrote: »

FFS do you really think the 127,000 people on the live register want to be there? They're not scroungers you knobjockey. I hope you end up on the live register, ah not really but I hope you cop on and stop being so judegmental.

Confab wrote: »

127,000?? I'd love shares in your time machine company. There are 455,000 people on the live register.

Sorry my mistake, this better?:

FFS do you really think the 455,000 people on the live register want to be there? They're not scroungers you knobjockey. I hope you end up on the live register, ah not really but I hope you cop on and stop being so judegmental.

Mister men

10 year bond is now 6.79% more than likely pass the 7% mark at some stage today. The game is up folks and it's to late for a revolution. IMF will be in by early 2011 and cull social welfare,PS pay and numbers,schools and hospitals.

Mr Benevolent

Revolutions never, ever work. Especially not Irish ones.

curlzy

Confab wrote: »

Revolutions never, ever work. Especially not Irish ones.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

*The more you know*:

The Irish War of Independence, Anglo-Irish War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the irish Republication Army(IRA) against the British Government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of Independence. Both sides agreed to a truce in July 1921.

That seemed to work, NO? Or do you not consider the Republic of Ireland a free state?

Mr.David

What a load of sh1te.

What good would strikes/overthrowing the government do? Would it reduce our national debt? I think not.

We are in this mess and we might as well move on and deal with it. Of course we are all angry and rightfully so, but its the reality of the situation and throwing a b1tchfit isnt going to fix it.

Mr Benevolent

curlzy wrote: »

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

*The more you know*:

The Irish War of Independence, Anglo-Irish War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the irish Republication Army(IRA) against the British Government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of Independence. Both sides agreed to a truce in July 1921.

That seemed to work, NO? Or do you not consider the Republic of Ireland a free state?

One war led to another. That's not a revolution.

curlzy

Confab wrote: »

One war led to another. That's not a revolution.

According to the dictionary:

1.
an overthrow or repudiation and the thorough replacement of an established government or political system by the people governed.
2. Sociology . a radical and pervasive change in society and the social structure, esp. one made suddenly and often accompanied by violence.

So our independence wasn't gained through revolution no? Wow, so many historians and history books are wrong, lucky you came to correct everything.

queensinead

phill106 wrote: »

Except for the 12-13% of the population already unemployed.
They got a 100% pay cut. No one cares about ps getting paycuts except ps. You have secure jobs, deal with it. Just don't change your car this year.

Those whose pay has been cut are indeed "dealing with it". The post was not a complaint about cuts in PS pay per se, just a correction of the impression given by a poster who claimed that there will only be a revolution when PS pay is cut. I was as just pointing out that it already has been cut.

The 13% of the population unemployed did not get "a 100% pay cut". They are not working so they are not being paid. It is much more tragic to be unemployed than to have your pay cut, but they are two totally separate situations.
A confusion has arisen in this country around paid work----with people being asked to work for nothing, and the plight of the unemployed being used as a threat to put manners on those who are working

Star Bingo

the royvolution starts where?

KeithAFC

You always get this sort of talk, no one on here is going to do anything about it. To organise a huge march would cost more money and people going to it would cost money. Im pretty sure most people would rather go to Lidls and buy more baked beans to store up.

Sir Gallagher

Thread reminds me of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmgHsOgvfDI

lalee17

Rabble rabble rabble

old_aussie

Reduce the dole and rent subsidies at the rate of 1% per payment.

Doulble the tax on luxuries such as beer and spirits.

Give a 30% rebate to people who use public transport to travel to work, countersigned by their employer to prove they work.

Educate people to "get a grip on the reality" of the situation Ireland is in.

Any bank or financial institution that needs bailing-out using public money becomes part owned by the public so that profits go back to the public.

Sack all managers who mismanaged the banks, or put them on a wage determined by performance.

Have new elections as soon as possible. And DON'T vote the same people back in!

For gods sake, and the sake of the Irish people, stop whinging and do something!

Sir Gallagher

old_aussie wrote: »

Reduce the dole and rent subsidies at the rate of 1% per payment.

Doulble the tax on luxuries such as beer and spirits.

Give a 30% rebate to people who use public transport to travel to work, countersigned by their employer to prove they work.

Educate people to "get a grip on the reality" of the situation Ireland is in.

Any bank or financial institution that needs bailing-out using public money becomes part owned by the public so that profits go back to the public.

Sack all managers who mismanaged the banks, or put them on a wage determined by performance.

Have new elections as soon as possible. And DON'T vote the same people back in!

For gods sake, and the sake of the Irish people, stop whinging and do something!

Woah woah woah, lets not get carried away here!

delaad

Just seen this, and this has probably been said already, but there'll be no revolution in this country as long as welfare is so generous - 12.5% of GNP - and the price of drink is so low.

IvySlayer

Who would we put into Government though?

Fine Gael may have different policies, but they support NAMA. And NAMA in prinicple is a good idea. The system is corrupt, as is with the way with currency. I have no financial acumen whatsoever. Just can't get my head around it.

We need a party who can stand up to the unions.

Sir Gallagher

delaad wrote: »

Just seen this, and this has probably been said already, but there'll be no revolution in this country as long as welfare is so generous - 12.5% of GNP - and the price of drink is so low.

Seriously..?

delaad

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Seriously..?

Six metric pints of 4.3% Carlsberg for E7.99 in any Next Door Express!

Sir Gallagher

delaad wrote: »

Six metric pints of 4.3% Carlsberg for E7.99 in any Next Door Express!

Off license beer is cheap anywhere you go, we're still more expensive than up north. What about pub prices?

delaad

Sir Gallagher wrote: »

Off license beer is cheap anywhere you go, we're still more expensive than up north. What about pub prices?

Fair enough, but Northern beer is crap, bar the Export Guiness, of course.

tommyboy2222

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rZbvi6Tj6E

Ironbar

Give us germans money so we can start another war. That's the only way out - i swear - and remember......third time lucky.....:D

Terry

Tax the rich and bring PAYE back the same rates as the early 90's, including the upper rate.
Bring in laws to prevent bankers from messing the system up again. If they do mess it up, then jail them.

It's a start.

andrew

There are better ways to achieve change than needlessly violent 'revolutions.' Christ, you'd swear we're living in the Soviet Union the way some posters go on.