Labour will dominate economic policy in next government

BeeDI

Remember the PD's. When they had a only a small handfull of TD's they completely dominated the economic agenda, when in coalition with FF.

Can we expect the labour tail, to wag the FG dog, in these matters:mad:

Are we about to see Gilmore taxes:(

Monty Burnz

BeeDI wrote: »

Remember the PD's. When they had a only a small handfull of TD's they completely dominated the economic agenda, when in coalition with FF.

Is this some sort of iron rule of politics you have invented, based on a sample of size 1?

Sleepy

If Labour are given free reign on economic issues expect us to default very quickly as anyone capable of earning an honest crust in hard economic conditions is forced to emigrate.

RichardAnd

I don't think labour and FG will be a strong government. Eventually, the white elephant of PS pay and numbers is going to have to be tackled and conisidering that Labour were supported by the unions, we can clearly see which side of the fence they are on. I think what would be best would be a FG/FF joint government and I await a ire of many a boards poster ready to flay me for even suggesting that but gentlemen, in the country it is the least worst option we should choose.

seaniefitz

I think what would be best would be a FG/FF joint government and I await a ire of many a boards poster ready to flay me for even suggesting that but gentlemen, in the country it is the least worst option we should choose.

i agree, and in the long term it would be the best option for Labour as well. FG/FF coalition would result in a potential Labour overall majority next time round and the demise of right wing politics in this country!

ardmacha

I actually think that the IMF will dominate economic policy in the next government.

Permabear

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Pete_Cavan

Permabear wrote: »

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Labour will try to punch above their weight in the coalition to show they are a strong party and not just FGs lap dogs as Sinn Fein/ULA will accuse them of being in an attempt to secure more of the left vote next time round. The more authority Labour try to assert the more damage they will do to themselves as FG will have the perfect excuse for lack of economic recovery - an awkward and unruly coalition partner who is protecting their own vested interests (unions and public sector workers).

Yourwellcum

Permabear wrote: »

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A clear mandate would of been an overall majority, that is not the case.
Also more people voted for non FG candidates than voted for, please explain to me how that is a clear mandate??

LK_Dave

Did not labour ask the electorate to elect a FG/Labour government, which we duly did? Labour were well aware of FG policies before the election. If they now can’t form a government for the betterment of the country as a whole rather than trying to protect their pet projects/bearded union fatcats, then what right have they got to ever stand in future elections? Or are we to suffer their version of the annual Green are we or out dance.
If they are unwilling to do the public good, then let’s have another election and give some party the majority.

femur61

ardmacha wrote: »

I actually think that the IMF will dominate economic policy in the next government.

I hope so.

jimmycrackcorm

Yourwellcum wrote: »

A clear mandate would of been an overall majority, that is not the case.
Also more people voted for non FG candidates than voted for, please explain to me how that is a clear mandate??

If that's the case then why is it that Enda Kenny is in the driving seat?
Almost half the electorate voted for a clear mandate for FG's plan for economic recovery; As for the rest, the public service voted for labour, the really angry people voted solely based on their rage for Sinn Fein, RBB, Ming and the others.

Yourwellcum

jimmycrackcorm wrote: »

If that's the case then why is it that Enda Kenny is in the driving seat?
Almost half the electorate voted for a clear mandate for FG's plan for economic recovery; As for the rest, the public service voted for labour, the really angry people voted solely based on their rage for Sinn Fein, RBB, Ming and the others.

He is the next Taoiseach but a clear mandate would of been an overall majority. FG did not get that.

36% of people voted for FG as a first preference, thats not almost half. That means that 64% of people dont share FG or Endas vision for the future.

Do they have a mandate?? Yes because they are the largest party. The figures dont lie though and its hardly a ringing endoresment of their plan

later12

Permabear wrote: »

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In stoichiometry, there is a thing called a limiting reagent. This is the compund present in the smallest quantity in respect to the other reagents when bringing about a chemical reaction.
Despite the limiting reagent being the compund of the least abundance, it is certainly not trifling or of less significance. In fact it is the most significant. If and when this compound is expired, the event is over, no matter how much of all the plentiful compunds are left over.

The same can be said of Labour. Just because Labour have a third of the seats in the current administration, they are the limiting reagent.

There seems to be this fallacious belief that the smaller party in power must be the party of lesser influence. If anything on a purely logical basis and disregarding any political variables, their influence may be (read: ought to be) very great. This is particularly so when one takes into consideration that there is no coherent, stable alternative to the balance of power.

And the balance of power is not just about balancing the numbers, it is very much about power.

Amhran Nua

Sleepy wrote: »

If Labour are given free reign on economic issues expect us to default very quickly as anyone capable of earning an honest crust in hard economic conditions is forced to emigrate.

We have two opposite agendas being pursued here. FG needs to cut and optimise, Labour is ideologically bound, to a great extent by its leader and his appointees, to maintain the status quo as far as expenditure goes. This does not bode well for the future of this government. Add to which the landmines left by the publican's party, and I just don't like the odds.

So let's cast our gaze further out, either the government collapses within a few years, or Labour gets ditched in favour of random independents, or one agenda takes control, in a scale from most to least likely. Who then will the public turn to? The communists in the ULA and people like SF hope it will be them, but it won't be of course. Will people return to FF? FF certainly hope so.

Stuck between the hard left and an ineffectual centre, where will people turn?

View

Amhran Nua wrote: »

We have two opposite agendas being pursued here. FG needs to cut and optimise, Labour is ideologically bound, to a great extent by its leader and his appointees, to maintain the status quo as far as expenditure goes.

I suspect that you'll find that Labour are as well able to do "budget math" as any of the other mainstream parties. The budget will be the be-all and end-all for our decision making over the next few years.

As such, expect these boards to be filled with people moaning about Labour not being a "true left" party over the next few years...

Amhran Nua

View wrote: »

As such, expect these boards to be filled with people moaning about Labour not being a "true left" party over the next few years...

Who do you think voted them in? They even get an entire new ministry devoted to the public sector. I think the cracks won't be long showing.

View

Amhran Nua wrote: »

Who do you think voted them in? They even get an entire new ministry devoted to the public sector. I think the cracks won't be long showing.

I suspect you'll find that in a Department of Public Sector Reform the emphasis will be on reform. Given the budget math, there isn't a lot of room for there not being reform.

Amhran Nua

View wrote: »

I suspect you'll find that in a Department of Public Sector Reform the emphasis will be on reform. Given the budget math, there isn't a lot of room for there not being reform.

Well, time will tell. I will say that the primary assumption that Labour's understanding of the situation and motivations are particularly related to reality should not be taken for granted. There is no underlying imperative that everything should work out for the best, unfortunately. It takes a lot of work to make that happen.

Who knows, Enda may yet surprise us all, although the ricochet electoral successes of the various parties are more connected to fortune than to merit.

mikemac

Permabear wrote: »

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If it's this famous speech you're thinking of, he made it in 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-bSKsVDr_M

If there was another famous speech in 1987, I stand corrected

rumour

seaniefitz wrote: »

i agree, and in the long term it would be the best option for Labour as well. FG/FF coalition would result in a potential Labour overall majority next time round and the demise of right wing politics in this country!

Ah but who would pay the bills......