An article in todays Sunday Independent raises in interesting topic – for at least those interested in politics and the mood of the general public! The article is entitled “FF and FG need to get strategic about the next general election and stop copying SF“.
The writer in one part, adds “Sinn Fein’s popularity is not down to it’s policies. It is simply because it has not been tried out“. I would differ on what is espoused – but I will get to that shortly, as to why!
The main thrust of the article is that FF and FG needs to up their game in regard to the topics they pick and push, in order to gain back public support, which it will be hoped by both parties, translate into votes. The writer says a lot – including some whopping errors (I will return to this) but in conclusion, the writer say that FF and FG might want to use “Anti-social behaviour” as a way back to winning votes by using that subject as an attention grabber with the public.
The writer states “The big issue on which Fine Gael might have an advantage is crime“. When I read that one sentence alone, I shook my head in disbelief! How could anyone be so blinkered? Why I say that – I shall also get back to!
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The 2021 Budget.
There is no doubt that the previous, just announced budget, was a clear attempt to try winning back public support. There was obvious for everyone – near everyone – even if it was small in notice or an open insult – as it was announced in Dail presentation to the public. What was deliberately not announced in equal large government soundings, was while the giving was going on with one hand, the other government hand was quietly making plans to take it away, sometimes in larger amounts. Quick simple example: Awarding pensioners an extra €5 while upping the carbon tax another €7.50.
Kept buried – till opposition jumped on it, was the farce that has now become the announced new zoned land tax. This was supposed to be something that FF/FG could use and claim that they were serious about dealing with developers hoarding land. The new tax is supposed to replace the ‘failed to be applied and collected appropriately’ local authority administrated vacant site levy. However, opposition quickly spotted that the new levy wouldn’t even start to kick in for three years – and even worse, the levy at that stage, would be lowers in rate than the previous one it’s supposed to be replacing. Not exactly moves by a FF/FG led government which would sent new shivers down the spines of land hoarders? Far from it. In fact, land hoarders get a three year amnesty and come out even more financially better off!
Yes, FF/FG again, was caught one more time looking for those they are regularly accused of quietly trying to look out for! Mates and their own too.
The budget completely failed to address the issue of renters. This was and still is, staring everyone in the face. When confronted by this in media (Not RTE. Are you having a laugh? Not a chance!), Mr Varadkar stated that FF/FG were indeed helping renters – by not further upping their taxes – and that was it! Renters still had to face the same whopping weekly/monthly bills along with rapid increasing power and heating bills. Renters still were facing every increasing rents along with inadequate laws that are barely enforced, that still sees renters being kicked out from under their costly roofs, for any excuse tried used by mean landlords – even for renters daring to ask questions!
To be fair, Mr Varadkar tried changing the topic by going on about how they had made it easier for renters now to supposedly buy homes. What he failed to explain, is how they could even manage to save anything after paying crazy rents and increasing food/power/heating bills!
In short, the budget was an attempt to ‘buy‘ much of the pubic – but it has been exposed by opposition as a complete farce. Not that opposition need to expose much of it – as a hell of a lot of the public immediately saw it for what it was – still is – and also recognised the many areas where it still gaping lacks!
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The Buffy Song.
In the now classic TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” there was a complete, ground-breaking, musical episode. One of the songs contained the words “Where do we go from here?”
FF/FG must be now singing that song to themselves. If they are not – they certainly should be! One or two of the song lines do apply while others are FF/FG self-created illusions. The word of the main verse are:
Where do we go from here
Where do we go from here
The battle’s done,
And we kinda won.
So we sound our victory cheer.
Where do we go from here.
Why is the path unclear...
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Well, the political battles of FF/FG are not over just yet. They haven’t kinda won – especially on the budget – despite what they are deluding themselves into thinking and they certainly have far less now to sound about as they continue to roll on from farce to scandal, from one cock-up to yet another… The episode concludes with two sides connected to each other, still confused and stuck to one another. Their path is unclear – and this is where the Sunday Independent writer tries to help FF/FG out – errors and all.
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The Next Election Issues.
It’s obvious as (FF/FG) sin that the two main parties of government will be desperate to look for positive issues on which they can sell themselves in favourable light, at the next general election. Hell, before that when the next local elections occur, they will face a bit of a battle too.
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What have they got to sell themselves on?
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* Crime and it’s tackling? They can’t – they refuse – to deal with even their own law breakers. Their own parties individually and collectively, are still breaking Ireland and EU laws, defying ECJ court rulings, never mind also breaking a signed international Human Rights Declaration. Leo Varadkar will get off with giving away constituted recognised state secrets to a mate while others still guilty of personal crimes connected to the national buried scandal, JobPath, continue to not only get off – but thanks to FF/FG, continue to be more financially rewarded. At taxpayers cost, of course. This is before we even get to the thousands of Covid deaths caused by incompetence from those at the top too. No accountability there also. No Garda investigations and if FF/FG can help it, there never will be any of them.
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FF/FG are up to their necks as parties and individual members, as being involved in law breaking – while they same time tell others not to break same or similar laws. Heck, even the staff of the Oireachtas have gotten peed off with their double standard antics in relation to Covid precautions (or lack of them observed by visiting TDs) that when it comes to law and order, FF/FG trying to lead the charge on that is a sick, unfunny joke.
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For the record, both parties since their 2020 union, have been connected to 60+ episodes of law breaking, scandals and more.
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If FF/FG or any writer thinks the two parties might win votes by concentrating on anti-social behaviour, it’s double standards being applied as the two parties first needs to see their own long existing, anti-public behaviour being addressed and held to legal account first! A party cannot bang on at election times about crime when it’s up to it’s own neck in illegal actions of their own! Double standards indeed.
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Are the parties going to sell themselves on what they have built? The still bottomless financial hole that is the National Children’s hospital? The now world’s most expensive hospital in total building bill – and it’s not even finished yet (Why do they still hire BAM who proceed to hike their bills and fsil on deadlines?). The National Maternity Hospital farce that is still on land owned by nuns – through a front they got to setup while picking a lot of the people on it’s controlling board… Are FF/FG going to say that their broadband plan is a success – a plan that will only reach a lot less homes than was originally PR’ed in media… A plan that sees broadband companies far better off and which the state will not own – despite paying for everything? Are the government going try sell to the public that they can plan things well, at all?
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Are they going to try sell that they will solve the renters – homeless – housing crises that still continues, getting much worse? Both parties have had a decade (and more) to try just doing that – and boy, have they been an utter disaster? This is before we even get to the questionable insider dealing members of our government are constantly doing, in conflict of their office held and their own private financial interests – be they being landowners themselves, landlords or even bondholders who also got to then decide ‘if to burn bondholder or not‘. How did that work out for them and them – and the public pocket? Maybe we should ask Noonan? Sadly, too late.
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Are FF/FG going to sell themselves on the economy as even the basics of life are rocketing in price? Seriously? 14 Energy companies in Ireland, 30 price increases in the last 12 months alone – and the government’s only recent suggestion is to constantly swap, hip-hop between the companies non-stop. That’s going to be further fun for the average person to do, year to year, never mind the sick, disabled and infirm trying to also get their head around even contemplating doing same and then trying to do it. Especially when they are all rising!
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Are they going to sell themselves on health and care in the community? A few checkable numbers expose them there on that – and this is only a scratch of the Ireland medical surface that we know, is much deeper and going on for decades of miss-management by FF/FG being in charge over many years. Yet, you’re supposed to swallow that if you yet again re-elect them, it’s all going to be different. How many times have they stated similar at previous elections? I’ve lost count myself…
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Is the government going to try over take the Green Party by espousing how they are tackling environmental issues – such as the 70+ data centres that are invading our country (and more to come – great job there lads) along with the forced closure of our generations long peat industry while we import 200 trucks of it in one day alone? My previous report is HERE on that. Media outlets far less influenced by state departments and elected, have copped on to my report and ran with it. Good to see. Sadly, the matter is still overall #RTEcensored or major dismissed. What’s new there!
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You are by now, starting to get the picture. What goes FF/FG sell themselves on at the next election? That the ‘other guys‘ are going to be worse? Seriously? Besides being obvious scare tactics and promises of doing better (how have they worked out this last two decades?), voters need to ask “Can any other parties do much worse as FF/FG?” – But of course, for obvious reason, their attempt to hold on to power and thus also still continue ability to keep many a personal scandal buried, FF/FG will say “Yes” as their scare tactics will continue for people they see as more blinkered susceptible to their propaganda.
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. Back To The Beginning.
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The writer of the Sunday article espouses that “The government parties are genuinely trying to protect vital public services“. Really? He can say this as FF/FG continue to balkanise state departments, dividing their roles up and handing them over to an increasing number of private businesses? He can say this as FF/FG carve up our national roads, department services, hospital jobs and bus service, etc, to private interests? He can say this as they destroy our once great national rail service that extended into many Ireland corners? Not so much any more! Simple example? See image below and then click on this LINK. An irony of ironies – Enda Kenny on RTE going on about trains when his own government contributed to the systematic destruction of our rail sector!
Of course, all this carve up (including banks owned by state along with post offices) and privatisation of our national services and resources (don’t get me started on our water and “Irish Water”), is part and parcel of the TTIP and #CETA quiet agenda. That agenda also now includes by-passing our national court system and bunging cases instead, into a private court system where private interests get to call the shots and name the judges – be the judges? Yes, a lot of this too continues to be #RTEcensored – or given scant very rare coverage. Soundbites if you are lucky – and up late enough at that. If you are up early enough to witness it all, please give Leo Varadkar’s car driver a call so he can wake his master up to, to see or hear it on recorded repeat?
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The article writer says that “Sinn Fein’s popularity is not down to it’s policies. It is simply because it has not been tried out“. Now, there might be an element of truth in that. An element however small. A bigger truth might be claimed that that rise of Sinn Fein is more so down to more people finally copping on that the continuation of FF/FG at the state helm, is not only destroying our economy, our laws, our health, our national services, our resources and even our basic rights. More people are copping on that it’s truly #TimeForBetter.
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It’s very true that Sinn Fein have not been modern day tested in government but it’s more likely now that their day is coming. If they make the ultra mega mistake of saddling themselves to FF or FG, then they will immediately be accused of being “more of the same as before” – as they will be seen openly to be joining up with criminals, their double standards, and their law breaking parties alone, that they had previously remonstrated on a regular basis over years. The political ball will be in Sinn Fein’s court to play. Depending on how they play it, they may only get one shot. The public are increasingly growing more political aware. The Irish Water racket woke many more up.
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So how does FF/FG sell itself at the next local/general election? God only knows because if they are relying on the old previous reliables, beyond scare tactics, distraction and misdirecting the public once again, they are at a true loss.
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I can still hear the Buffy tune in my head as I imagine FF/FG heads singing it, in quiet corners to themselves… “Where do we go from here…?” The music episode concludes with the words “The End”. Prophetic for FF/FG?
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NOTE: I refer to the 2020 government as FF/FG. The Greens are officially there too – but they are doing bugger all besides operating contradictory environmental policies, also helping to shove CETA unfairly down a nations throat (after years objecting to it), keeping quiet on too many other things just so that they can stay in coalition government – besides being utterly useless in the growing eyes of many, to actually keep an eye on the other pair of corrupt parties (something they election promised they would do) and frankly, going along at the end of the day with anything FF/FG decide to do. In other words they are there – but their presence is completely useless, equally traitorous and pointless to boot! The public will devastate them at the next election and we all know it. They too shall reap from what they have sown. They being a supposed environmental party – the irony is stark.
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FF/FG are calling the shots. They are the government. The Greens are just ‘there‘. Cling-on’s in the eyes of many. Enablers of crime, corruption, state enforcements and double standards. No more.
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