Gerry Adams on tax, spending and the public sector
I wanted to link to Pat Kenny’s interview with Gerry Adams Tuesday week ago, but through pressure of time I wasn’t able. Gerry Adams has a second time out, this time on RTE’s Prime Time programme. For the first time in years Sinn Fein gets to put it’s economic thinking (video file) to the test in the mainstream media. Adams argues against what he calls private property rights and, without any obvious trace of irony, accuses the banks of robbing people. Thanks to Gordy for the heads up!He argues that the Republic’s economy is wealthy and that that private wealth should be harnessed to bring public sector services up to international standards. Although he’s cagey when challenged over how he would raise the money, he doesn’t want to see income tax raised for those earning more than €50,000 pa, he several times mentions 30 people who earn over £1 million a year who do not pay any tax. He’s challenged over his party’s proposals of raising the banking tax from 10% to 30%, which he seems to row back from, instead promising to look for efficiencies and savings.
Having just viewed the video file. Maybe I missed it but I can find no reference within it to ‘Gerry Adams questioning value of foreign investment’. Where did this arise from?
Not the sharpest title. I’ve changed it something more fitting.
Mick, “without any trace of irony”?
We are yet to see ANY evidence showing republicans had anything to do with the bank heist, let alone Gerry Adams. I know its your site but try and be more impartial.
Gum, stop being silly. Almost everyone bar the chuckies believes the IRA were behind the robbery, evidence or no evidence. Mick’s phraseology does not expose any bias, merely an amusing jest based on the commonly accepted perception of who was behind the robbery.
Gum,
I don’t expect anyone on this site to be impartial.
Mick, in the past you have always demonstrated good objectivity. As site owner, it is important to create a neutral setting in which debate can take place on fair and equal terms. Its a pity that of late, your own bias and that of most other bloggers here has been very clear to see in the choice of blogs and the language used.
I’d like to see some discussion on unionist economic policy, which seems to be blind to all-island realities and intent on perpetual and blind suckledom at the teat of big mutha.
What is the problem with discussing SF economics?
I have to say that I found this much more enlightening than the usual waffle about *the brits* paying for everything because they should not be here. Congratulations therefore for Adams for taking this on.
As for the content of his programme, it was so disjointed, so uncosted, so internally contradictory and internationally unworkable as to be of little value.
What was apparent was the determination that presentation should win out over substance. So thirty fat cats pay no tax – that won’t pay for the hospitals. We all know that the people Adams is aiming for are the PAYE-ers, but we also know that they are always the people who end up paying for everything anyway.
Complainers should stop whining and go elsewhere. This blog is not a newspaper. It does not have to be impartial.
“Complainers should stop whining and go elsewhere. This blog is not a newspaper. It does not have to be impartial”
It does if it wants to be credible. Posters have the right to question the content posted. If you dont like this maybe you should go elsewhere yourself.
“Without any trace of irony?” Excuse me, but I don’t recall Adams being arrested or charged for any bank robbery. Have I missed something? The apparent lack of irony in such statements begs the question, after all…
I’m with the dissenters on the right to correct any perceived bias. I’m just a little puzzled as to why Adams’ interview (being the primary material of the post) is being so comprehensively ignored.
Hmm.. Actually, Mick, I’d be with those who would correct misrepresentation.
Bias is, all too often, in the eye of the beholder.
As to the main point I’d suggest that Alan comes closest in his assessment.
Sinn Féin, according to recent reports, have reached the end of a year-long scrutiny of their economic policies.. let’s hope that they get round to printing something that can then be discussed.. because their previous suggestions were all too easily dismissed, by themselves, as merely ‘discussion documents’.
Questions to ask the politicans
1 Who agreed the water charge regime
(Answer Trimble and Durkan)
2 How will the required investment in water etc be funded
Answer Politican stares at wall and mumbles. Gerry and co retreat into slabber about equality, rights, anything but answer the question).
2 What services or investments will be curtailed to meet the costs?
Answer– Politican stares at wall/camera and mumbles. Gerry and co retreat into slabber about equality, rights, anthing but answer the question
DUP whine on about IRA campaign and money diverted to pay for bomb damage,compensation etc anything but answer the question.
So there we have it economic illiterates waving flags at each other while the NI Taxpayer picks up the bill for the mess (not before time some might say).
Shut the whole pile of shit up by telling them all to fuck off and let direct rule run.
the 64,000 dollar question.
What difference would the assembly make. (forget the shite about “Local decision makers” promoted by the usual suspects) They would make no difference. Keep asking the questions
Watch them wrigle and squirm
*I’m just a little puzzled as to why Adams’ interview (being the primary material of the post) is being so comprehensively ignored.*
Because it consists of smoke without any mirrors and no-one could credibly support it.
Was amused by the SF paper referring to private property as an instrument of oppression. LOL Having heard the report here is one vote SF will not be getting down here next time. 30% bank-taxes and 16% Corporation tax rates will drive away investment. They must move to the centre. Also, I was surprised to hear that even now, they support leaving the Euro. We are in the Euro to stay Gerry. You need to accept that. A small island needs big trading-partners.
”private property as an instrument of oppression.”
Should this really be a surprise BB? SF are hardly making a secret of their Marxist leanings (only a couple of weeks ago they were wining & dining a big-wig from the South African Communist party). Remind me again — which EU bloc did Babs & Mary-Lou join?
The United Left one.
Water charges and rates increases were always on the cards, irrespective of whether direct rule was in place or not, since the Treasury has given us a nice big grant on the condition that the water service is self-funding. It would certainly have been better if our local politicians had a hand in it, at least that way they would have had some say in it.
The party with the correct approach to this will be the party which calls for a wide-ranging analysis of public spending in Northern Ireland, with appropriate fat-trimming as required. Moves are already afoot to reduce the number of district councils (and hence reduce the number of councillors – watch out for the parties which put up a fight)…
Correct BB. The European United Left–Nordic Green Left is a socialist and communist political grouping within the European Parliament.
Just out of interest, does the Republic have an official Communist party or could SF step into the breach?
BB I’ve just listened to Gerry’s interview in full and it had an uncanny resemblance to a bloke I was chatting to in a pub a few years back, who had all sorts of great ideas for ‘sorting the country out’ but didn’t have the first clue how to start.
The only time Gerry sounded like he knew what he was talking about was when he popped in part of his single transferable speech about ‘moving the process forward’, proving in a rather embarressing fashion that he’s merely a one-trick pony.
On the basis of this juvenile display, SF won’t be breaking out of their core vote anytime soon.
Liked the bit about ‘trying to buy my house’ is the Donegal house in someone else’s name, Gerry thinking ahead?
“The party with the correct approach to this will be the party which calls for a wide-ranging analysis of public spending in Northern Ireland, with appropriate fat-trimming as required. “
The Conservative Party? Sounds like what they were suggesting.
If Gerry is opposed to private property rights, I think we Slugger contributors should hire a bus and call round to his new home for tea and buns, Daniel O’Donnell-style.
Sure if it’s public property, then we all have a right to use it.
I ended up stuck in the Donegal gaeltacht a couple of weekends ago, and was shocked at how many new houses there are in that part of the countryside. Is it true that it’s the most densely populated rural area in Europe?
It certainly does nothing for the otherwise beautiful scenery.
Gerry Lvs Castro,
For someone who’s nickname indicates you enjoy left-baiting you seem to be lacking some basic facts.
You said: “Just out of interest, does the Republic have an official Communist party or could SF step into the breach?”
An “official communist party”? What’s that? One which is recognised by the Soviet Union? Oh wait, the Soviet Union doesn’t exist any more and there’s no such thing as “official communists” as a result.
Anyway, Ireland – all of it, not just the republic – has an “official” communist party in the form of the Communist Party of Ireland. The were quite big at one point, with about 1,000 members in Belfast alone.
http://www.communistpartyofireland.ie/
Arguably, the Workers’ Party of Ireland (Garland et al) were also an “official” communist party at one point.