Sir, – The EU president’s comments that ratification is in Ireland’s interest is not news, it’s propaganda. If he said it was not in Ireland’s interest, that would be news. Either way the term “Ireland” needs to defined – does he mean “the people” or this one per cent everyone is talking about? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole (Opinion, March 6th) writes that the fiscal treaty will, by limiting structural deficits, “ban” Keynesianism. This is surely an overstatement as well as a misrepresentation of the essence of Keynes’s general theory of employment, interest and money, which was that increased spending and investment will increase aggregate demand in an economy thereby reducing unemployment. Keynes did not argue that governments had to run deficits, large or small, to achieve this, which is a convenient adaptation of his theory by latter-day politicians and commentators. He also stated that that such spending and investment in an economy should come from both government and private investors.
Keynes was also noted for his ability to change his mind in the face of new circumstances. This was one of his strengths and we can learn from him. Rather than sloganising debate with various orthodoxies which mean little to most people, we need new ideas and rational debate on how to address the challenges of high unemployment and high living standard expectations in a world where capital has become scarce. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Victor Feldman (March 3rd) makes the assumption that we are a sane society and that we can run our own affairs. What’s the problem, he asks.
We are an intelligent people, but we have never been able to organise ourselves as a civilised country. We have never lived within our means. We don’t want to pay any taxes. We want every service for free. We apply our considerable intelligence to avoiding laws rather that recognising their civic value. We elect only politicians who pander to our desires. We pay ourselves too much. Our promotion systems have been corrupted for decades by religious, political and sporting contaminants such that we are now governed by a mediocre ruling class, unable to lead.
I am fearful that we might regain our sovereignty because I have no faith that any Irish leader is able to take unpopular decisions and do the right thing in the long- term interest of the country. We were governed for years by the colonial British, then by the Roman Catholic church and now by the troika. Our leaders are familiar with performing a subservient role. Rather than take responsibility themselves for property tax, septic tank charges, water metering, environmental protection, etc; it it easier to blame EU legislative imperatives.
I am voting Yes so that some rational European influence continues to prevail in our lives and save us from ourselves. – Is mise,
Sir, – The news (Home News, March 5th) that Nigel Farage and his UK Independence Party are about to enter the referendum campaign on the No side must remind us of their contribution to the second Lisbon campaign.
A full-colour, eight-page pamphlet was delivered to every home in the country. A flavour of its content may be gained by reference to page 6 which contains a representation of a medical syringe, with the slogan “Will we get euthanasia?” No doubt we can look forward to UKIP and Mr Farage maintaining this standard of political comment in coming weeks. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Surely the recent abundance of governmental posturing on the date of a referendum on the European fiscal treaty is in need of some vital contextualising? French Socialist presidential candidate and significant poll leader François Hollande has once again vowed this week to seriously revise the treaty if elected. It is suggested that in a runoff vote, 57 per cent would pick Hollande, with 43 per cent opting for the incumbent.
Until the result of the French presidential election is known, and the next French president sets about his or her agenda, will our government continue to pointlessly jade us by its internal manoeuvring and semanticising over a chimera – albeit an exigent one? – Yours, etc,