Madam, – While the ongoing economic crisis has resulted in a lot of justified criticism of our political system, we need more constructive comments and fewer destructive soundbites.
Prof Ray Kinsella (Opinion, April 23rd) calls for a radical change of our political institutions and system of governance and a “realignment of politics in Ireland”. But to what exactly? Prof Kinsella wants government budgets to be written on a vocational basis by farmers, factory workers, nurses, etc. In the 1930s a similar model of government was proposed along such a corporatist basis. Parties proposing these models also wanted the overthrow of democracy in favour of a system where civil liberties and democratic values played second fiddle to economic growth. These were fascist parties and they drove Europe to war.
I am sure Prof Kinsella is not advocating the dumping of democracy but our current system can only be properly evaluated vis-a-vis an alternative on offer.
If the electorate want to reject the current political system, so be it, but let us first discuss what will be introduced in its place. Advocating “values-based leadership” may be a populist message but what does it mean? It was the soundbites and scaremongering of the 1930s that convinced citizens to reject democracy. Let us have reasoned and constructive debate before such political mistakes emanating from economic mishaps are repeated. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I strongly disagree with Shane Brett (April 24th) that Ireland needs a Thatcherite political figure to sort out the Irish economy. The IMF may well end up being that figure, but Ireland was already doing what the IMF wanted, as one of the most open, free-market economies in the world. Now the economy has gone the way of former IMF stars such as Argentina, Finland and more recently Iceland. Mr Brett and his wife have moved to London to escape a punishing tax regime and collapsing public services which have all been the result of a Thatcherite free-market ideology. It is typical of people like the Bretts, with degrees and good job prospects to jump ship and leave someone else to pay for the mess.
What we need is a socialist government for the people, not more of the failed, greed is good, opportunism that got us into this mess. Unfortunately it is probably too late already to save the country from outside intervention. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The Letters page (April 22nd) sees another call to allow people “unfortunate” to possess fixed-rate mortgages to be allowed walk away from these commitments.
People do not possess fixed-rate mortgages by some “unfortunate” accident of fate. They chose to enter them as they wished to have certainty about their future mortgage payments and allay their fears of future interest rate rises. If interest rates had risen, as in the long run they surely will, would the calls be so loud demanding that people are forced out of their fixed-rate mortgages to pay the higher variable rate? I think not.
The State has a duty to care for its citizens not to compensate them for lost bets on interest rates which with hindsight prove costly.
– Yours, etc,