LA-la land

daithicarr

P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm; } It seems to me that the vast majority of voters live in la-la land , they all want various levels of excellent services, coupled with low taxes.


There doesn't seem to be any honest choices, either if you want less taxes the services will reduce so vote for A. Or if you want better services we need more (and maybe more equatable ) taxes so vote for B.


What we have now is FG, who want to implement cuts , but aren't being honest about the impact on services.


Labour who promise better services, without increasing taxes substantially.


FF who promise massive tax cuts and massive increases in services.


And then Sinn Fein a left wing party, who want to tax wealth but are opposed to a property tax, one of the best ways to tax wealth as its hard to move your property off shore and a lot of irelands wealth is tied up in it. If they were true to their ethos they would implement it and reduce indirect taxation such as VAT which don't take in the ability of the person to pay.


Do you think there are enough people who would be mature enough about the options to support a party ( or parties) which is more honest about the options , what ever the spectrum.?

spank_inferno

Short answer:

No.

daithicarr

so I'm the only one, your happy yourself voting for something which cant possibly work?

Justin1982

Why do you think that excellent levels of services cannot be coupled with low levels of taxes?

I'd suggest that excellent service could be coupled with low cost levels even.

All it comes down to is setting up a system of services where workers providing services are getting paid a fair wage, required to work in an efficient manner, honestly, under good direction from effective management.
If that was done then the cost base would probably be a lot less than it is today and the services provided would be a lot better. Irish people are not stupid. They are mainly aware of the level of inefficiencies and corruption going on in many areas of the public sector. So they are fully entitled to expect better services for a lower cost in a lot of areas.

Irish also have enough intelligence to actually pay taxes where they are due. Even though there is a lot of opposition voiced to property tax, people are largely being compliant where they feel they can afford it and paying the tax. They are also opposing in a largely democratic manner. I am not really aware of any major clashs between protesters and police or any major violent incidents.

So I dont really see the problem.

ardmacha

If that was done then the cost base would probably be a lot less than it is today and the services provided would be a lot better. Irish people are not stupid. They are mainly aware of the level of inefficiencies and corruption going on in many areas of the public sector. So they are fully entitled to expect better services for a lower cost in a lot of areas.

Irish people are fully entitled to expect better services for a lower cost in a lot of areas. However, they fail to make any measurement or assessment of what publicly funded services are moderately efficient and those that are ramshackle, everything is painted with the same brush. They fail to elect politicians who make productivity rather than stunts their priority.

Justin1982

I have that same kinda problem with women. They have a tendency to sleep with men who are better at talking **** than I am rather than choosing me (with my dashing good looks and superior performance in the bedroom).

But I suppose that it stands to reason. People are drawn to the louder individual or the one with the better personality or ability to fill them with verbal ****.

When you meet two people its hard to distinguish their different skills from looking at them. But you are drawn more to the person who makes an attempt to engage with you on your level and tell you what you want to hear. Before you know it, they have lured you in and you have chosen them over the quieter person even though they might be more suited to your needs. Then you discover that the person you chose is actually a complete idiot and you should have chosen the other quieter guy. And you will probably keep making that mistake.

I think thats how it works.