Should McCreevy Resign?

mike65

The revelations in the Sunday Turbine yesterday confirmed what many suspected. First, that the public finances were heading into the abyss before the elctions and, two that the Minister was dealing in teminological inexactitude, to borrow a phase. Should he be given the boot (pretending for a moment that Bertie would do such a thing) or made to fix things and remain really unpopular!

Mike.

sceptre

I've been saying for the past two years that McCreevy isn't driving the Irish economy - it's driving him. In other words, rather than acting in a manner that would actually influence the direction of the economy he's merely taking steps to try and influence Ireland's fiscal (NOT economic) performance as the issues arise. I think he's finally realised this (at least hopefully he has).

Because he's got little or no influence over our economic performance (IMHO) and hasn't really got much of a clue that he hasn't (IMHO) he falls under the classic definition of a fool.

Should he resign? At some stage yes. He hasn't done a bad job, he just hasn't done much of a job.

The trouble is that I don't see a stunning choice for his replacement anywhere in the Dail (on either side of the House).

The Sability and Growth Pact is simple enough in its application that a five year old could understand it (though my old Euro Law lecturer (who also has an economics degree) might disagree): When you're making money, save some of it, when you're not making money, spend the money you saved while you were making it. This results in a steady growth with fewer spurts and stalls. The problem with the EU is that they added a number of penalties, charges and growth charges into the mix. However no-one is paying much attentino to these (even though we're likely to be fined this year or next as a result of the government spending hikes).

In its purest form (purely as a principle) I agree firmly with the Pact - it coincides with a position on economics I've held for at least ten years for controlling an economy that is likely to have highs and lows. Sweden is the perfect example of a country that has applied this principle successfully over the past forty years. The downside of the Swedish economy, as any budding economists will point out, is that its place on the world GDP table has fallen over the past twenty years - its economy would actually be bigger if it had adopted the spurt and stall tactics of successive US Republican governments. However individually its people are richer, though the Swedish tax regime must take some of the credit for this. Here in Ireland we've chosen (or at least the government has) to ignore completely the idea (and ideals) behind such a principle (which remember we're legally bound by under Maastricht) in favour of whacking the economy around like a rubber ball.

Meanwhile, McCreevy seems to be messing about with Monetarist policies. Which don't work. Unfortunately it's treating the Irish economy in the same way that the US and UK economies were treated with around 1987.

Keep in mind I'm not a member of any party and also don't see anyone capable of replacing him properly. Plus these are my own ideas - not cut and pasted so argue over them if you feel like it.


So in short: yes. Damn fool doesn't know what he's doing. Never has, probably never will.

DadaKopf

I think Bertie should ask the President to dissolve the Dáil and hold another general election.

seamus

Originally posted by DadaKopf
I think Bertie should ask the President to dissolve the Dáil and hold another general election.

It's coming mate. IMO, it won't last more than a year. As soon as FF don't deliver on all their pre-election hot air, people will wake up.

hmmm

If you were stupid enough to vote for any government that was telling you everything was rosy then it's your own fault. I didn't notice any of the other parties telling us that they were going to cut back spending.

I'm glad that we have a government that has the guts to tackle problems. I'm glad that we have a finance minister who I believe will stick to his guns (excuse a minor budget blip a few years ago )

What annoys me about this is the suggestion that this memo was released 'by accident'. I'm sorry government, this is what the FOI act was supposed to do i.e. introduce transparency.

DadaKopf

The point is that McCreevy lied to the Irish electorate. This proves it.

This isn't just a political white lie, this is the Minister for Finance, knowing that government spending will have to be cut, promising the opposite and driving the State into fiscal crisis all because there was an election to win.

This is unforgivable. All preparations should be made for a new election within the year.

hmmm

This is unforgivable. All preparations should be made for a new election within the year.

Really? And how's that going to happen exactly (try to avoid rhetoric here). There's not a hope of this government voluntarily going to the polls, and no backbencher worth his salt is going to bring the government down. Now if Bertie had gone with the independents rather than the PD option you may have been right - but a stable platform for fiscal reform is why he went with the PDs in the first place.

DadaKopf

You're right. I didn't say it was possible, what I meant was that that's what I think the honourable thing to do is.

However, if the remaining parties of the Dáil play their cards right, they may succeed in bringing public opinion to the point where the government's position is no longer tenable. The possibility is remote, but there all the same.

sceptre

I'd say an election is a remote chance any time soon. Mostly because of the two main opposition parties with new leaders who are going to want some time to establish themselves (or in the case of Enda Kenny prehaps re-establish himself). Can't see them rushing for a fresh election with no new direction established for either party.

(dammit I'm taking another bloody thread OT - sorry, unintentional)

Ajnag

Originally posted by hmmm

I'm glad that we have a government that has the guts to tackle problems.

Fianna Fail dont have the guts to admit their own mistakes much less "tackle problems"

It just keeps getting more and more tito/cheasceau in this goddam govt, I read the last day how we the taxpayers paid 3 grand just so bertie could have his favourite desk in donegal, ffs and this despite them telling us that things are gonna get tight.

One minute and i get a charlie ad from the eightys.

Ajnag

Mc Crevvey should resign as he knowing lied to the public who put put him there by democratic means in the first place.

kinda off topic, but whats to come in a back to future kinda way is this only replace cj with da bertie man

Typedef

Isn't it great that the Taoiseach has Mary Harney to blame for Stadium Ireland and Charlie McCreevy to blame for the election lies about the economy?

In short no, I don't think McCreevy should be scapegoated for the sins of his entire party, you want to blame someone, then blame Bertie, he is the leader and his party lied consistently about the need for cutbacks.

In fact I do think I remember Fianna Fail promising to increase spending in various areas.
So since Ireland is "re-running" the Nice Referendum because voters were "misinformed" of the issues, I expect Ireland will be "re-running" the General Election, this time with the all the facts laid out hmm?

Cork

Mc Crevvey should resign as he knowing lied to the public who put put him there by democratic means in the first place.

THe dogs in the street knew that tax reveues were down. It was our media and FG and Labour that needed to high light this. They did not.

It was their failure as much as Charlie McCreevys.

Politics is Politics.

deco

IMO, every FF TD should resign...

PH01

Should he resign? Hell no. He got us into this mess so he can get us out of it!

All Hail McCreevey!