If you were in power, how corrupt would you be?

veryangryman

I see alot of people complaining aboutthe "fat cats" in charge and how they live it up with expenses, helicopters, Dail bar priveleges etc.

I wonder though... If we had the chance to do it ourselves, would we be giving even half a monkey about the people that we don't know personally.

Me, id hire all my mates. And smile while i'm doing it. Plus i would increase the salaries 20% year on year. I would of course give back 10% the year of election.

How about you? How much of a cartoon supervillain would you be if you were handed the keys to the exchequer finances and THE POWER?

kneemos

This much.

traprunner

I don't think it's possible to be more corrupt than the governments since the founding of our state.

Guy:Incognito

Do I have absolute power?:)

Cee-Jay-Cee

I'd Make corruption in every state dept mandatory and hand out heavy fines to those not doing it properly

Duggy747

I'd raid the exchequer to fund my island of doom and have a death ray installed.

Guy:Incognito

Cee-Jay-Cee wrote: »

I'd Make corruption in every state dept mandatory and hand out heavy fines to those not doing it properly

Could the buy their way out of the fine with a backhander?

kupus

Everybody is corrupt, it just depends on the circumstances

Qualitymark

traprunner wrote: »

I don't think it's possible to be more corrupt than the governments since the founding of our state.

Hooooollllld on there a minute matey. Many of the early statesmen and stateswomen were absolutely honest and did not at all profit from their positions. It was the norm in my childhood to meet TDs and ministers on the bus; they mostly lived in pretty ordinary houses and lived an ordinary middle-class family life.

traprunner

Qualitymark wrote: »

Hooooollllld on there a minute matey. Many of the early statesmen and stateswomen were absolutely honest and did not at all profit from their positions. It was the norm in my childhood to meet TDs and ministers on the bus; they mostly lived in pretty ordinary houses and lived an ordinary middle-class family life.

I thought we were in after hours and exaggeration was allowed! Would the last 40-50 years be acceptable to you?

valoren

Give me a brown envelope ;) and I'll tell you what I think.

RedPandaDan

I wouldn't have the time in office to be corrupt, some of the ideas I'd try to put in place would have me thrown out of the government buildings in a heartbeat.

Mr_Muffin

Honestly i would be extremely corrupt. Everyone is just out for themselves anyway so it's no surprise.

Wacker The Attacker

i'd be corrupt as f*ck

fergus1001

Very.

biko

I'd have change my name from Stephen Biko to Robert Mugabe, that's how corrupt I'd be..

MojoRisinnnn

I would cut Education, Health and Disability allowance so I can fly to every Champions Legaue game drinking 4 euro a bottle IPA's in my private jet

veryangryman

veryangryman wrote: »

Me, id hire all my mates. And smile while i'm doing it...

I'm not sure that is classic corruption. Even the parties that complain most about corruption give out jobs to their supporters and associates. Once they could do the job and they passed any legal requirements of course I'd be more likely to give them the job, it's the way things work. I also hire plumbers, electricians and so on from my mates.

Corruption for me is more bribery. I wouldn't do that. Not because I am the most moral person, but simply because it is illegal.

Qualitymark

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm not sure that is classic corruption. Even the parties that complain most about corruption give out jobs to their supporters and associates. Once they could do the job and they passed any legal requirements of course I'd be more likely to give them the job, it's the way things work. I also hire plumbers, electricians and so on from my mates.

Corruption for me is more bribery. I wouldn't do that. Not because I am the most moral person, but simply because it is illegal.

But surely it is? The idea of hiring people is that they should serve the country. Hiring people who are your buddies isn't quite that!

osarusan

I'd establish a rural fortress, make Leitrim a penal colony, create a Department of Sexy Ladies (80% of the budget on that one), and make taking points off Limerick FC a crime punishable by death.

got a problem with that? It's off to Leitrim you go.

kjl

The problem with our political system is not that the politicians are corrupt, it's that they don't know how to do the job they have been given. Elections are a popularity contest, people don't research, the just listen to the same old crap they spew out every election.

I think the government should have standardised testing introduced that states if you want a position in government you have to pass an exam to determine whether you are capable of holding that position.

Taxi drivers have to do multiple tests every year just to drive someone around, why not the same for politicians.

ScumLord

I wouldn't be corrupt, I've been sent by god to bring peace to the world. So everything I do would be perfectly good and everyone will eventually love me for doing it to them.

Guy:Incognito

osarusan wrote: »

and make taking points off Limerick FC a crime punishable by death.

Wouldnt the league get boring without any other teams?:D

osarusan

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

Wouldnt the league get boring without any other teams?:D

I'd say we'd find them easy to beat under the new regime.

Qualitymark

osarusan wrote: »

got a problem with that? It's off to Leitrim you go.

Oooh! Leitrim! Yes, please!

SEPT 23 1989

fake military medals and uniform level corrupt

osarusan

Qualitymark wrote: »

Oooh! Leitrim! Yes, please!

Find gold at the end of that or you die.

check_six

kjl wrote: »

The problem with our political system is not that the politicians are corrupt, it's that they don't know how to do the job they have been given. Elections are a popularity contest, people don't research, the just listen to the same old crap they spew out every election.

I think the government should have standardised testing introduced that states if you want a position in government you have to pass an exam to determine whether you are capable of holding that position.

Taxi drivers have to do multiple tests every year just to drive someone around, why not the same for politicians.

Highest qualification possible in this country is that you are the son/daughter/sibling of the previous incumbent. Having attained this qualification you are almost certain to be swept to power on a wave of popular support.

Unfortunately, in Ireland the politicians we get tend to directly reflect the type of politicians we want. So when you are wondering why some corrupt gombeen (and god knows there's plenty to choose from) keeps topping the polls, it's because we want that guy up there doing corrupt gombeeny things for us, and we don't care about anything or anyone else. In particular we think that all that "for the good of the country" stuff should be done by other people, and we'll just keep hoping "our guy" will pull a fast one to benefit us and to hell with the rest of them.

We don't even need to be in power to be corrupt, we just need to keep electing those fellas.

As for me? If I got into power, I'd like to mix it up a bit, be like Gandhi in public and Berlusconi in private, only more so!

walkingshadow

I honestly wouldn't be corrupt as long as I could make sure all of my political opponents and critics were constantly silenced.

efb

I would make Putin look like Aung San Suu Kyi

c_man

Well... do politically motivated killings count as corruption?

ancapailldorcha

Power corrupts. Seems to be an incontrovertible fact based on our history as a species. The degree of corruption depends on how much power is afford to the individual along with, to a lesser degree, the individual's character.

Me? I'd give cats human rights. I like cats.

Pumpkinseeds

I'd make Caligula blush.;)

I do not think I would be corrupt in any traditional or expected sense. I am glad I will never be in any kind of power however as I genuinely do worry what aspects of my morality or ethics I would compromise to reach a goal I genuinely believe is right. If I truely believed in pursuing a particular goal for the good of all - what minor decisions might I make along the road to attaining it that I would not be proud of or even hate myself later for.

It is easy to picture the evil mad man or selfish hedonist abusing their power for personal ends. More terrifying for me is the slow descent into evil - all made for what felt like the true and right reasons at the time - but culminate in a compromise of oneself in ways one would never have expected imagined or wanted.

Nah I do not think power would ever be for me - though some argue that that makes you the perfect candidate I guess. The ruler of the Universe in Douglas Adams' books was not even aware he was in power and all his decisions were made based on his keepers presenting analogous situations to him to brood on - and his answers to them were translated into political decisions. While presented as a joke - who knows - it might be the most genius idea ever

ToddyDoody

I'd take a lot of government funded trips under the guise of trade missions or whatever.

I'm not sure what ratio of funding I'd take from big business (fine Gael), farmers (fianna fail), unions (labour) or shady activity (Sinn Fein) .. the trick is to have the spin doctors there to put it all in a good light. What would I believe in?.. A satisfying life for myself until inevitable death. (I'd change the party line to this)

Magico Gonzalez

I'd make Bertie look like a straight shooter.

Mickey H

efb wrote: »

I would make Putin look like Aung San Suu Kyi

You'd give free sex changes??

blatantrereg

I am incorruptible within my tiny dominions. I get all sorts of criticism for it.

Archeron

ScumLord wrote: »

I wouldn't be corrupt, I've been sent by god to bring peace to the world. So everything I do would be perfectly good and everyone will eventually love me for doing it to them.

He's bringing peace and love, GET HIM!!!

El_Duderino 09

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Power corrupts. Seems to be an incontrovertible fact based on our history as a species. The degree of corruption depends on how much power is afford to the individual along with, to a lesser degree, the individual's character.

Me? I'd give cats human rights. I like cats.

Yes I'd agree with that but when individuals get together they create cultures and some cultures tolerate corruption more than others and that can be seen at a political level. The Greeks couldn't play it straight if they tried and that Danes have the least corruptible politicians in the world. Can't remember the source for that, think it was on the 'More or Less' podcast.

Anyway corruption does play a part in how happy people are because they trust their politicians more in Denmark than anywhere else. They don't resent paying high tax because they know they have good people spending it wisely for the country and they believe they can achieve ambitious projects. And they don't spend their time bitching about how corrupt their politicians are.

Massimo Cassagrande

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Yes I'd agree with that but when individuals get together they create cultures and some cultures tolerate corruption more than others and that can be seen at a political level. The Greeks couldn't play it straight if they tried and that Danes have the least corruptible politicians in the world. Can't remember the source for that, think it was on the 'More or Less' podcast.

Anyway corruption does play a part in how happy people are because they trust their politicians more in Denmark than anywhere else. They don't resent paying high tax because they know they have good people spending it wisely for the country and they believe they can achieve ambitious projects. And they don't spend their time bitching about how corrupt their politicians are.

Yes but they're Danish. Danish people are generally very honest. This is Ireland, and we tend to do things differently..the phrase "better to say sorry than say please,," tends to be the way things are done.

Me, I'd be beyond corruption. I'd have minions to do that sh1t for me.

Ten of Swords

So very corrupt that when I eventually left office a new regulator would need to be set up, with their sole purpose being to benchmark any potential successors against the newly created 'Ten of Swords' corruption index. Anyone scoring more than 20% gets a lifetime ban from the job