We live in a redistributive kleptocracy that has institutionalised Robin Hood

[Pauli]

So where are you, a chara, Antarctica?

No, Zürich.

[Cael]

No, Zürich.

Well, dont know much about it, but if you tell me its better than this semi-feudal shíthole, I wont find it too hard to believe you.

[Pauli]

Well, dont know much about it, but if you tell me its better than this semi-feudal shíthole, I wont find it too hard to believe you.

I won' go into great detail, Cael, but in this democracy, the system, because it works from the bottom up rather than the top down, actually works. There is very little political corruption because everybody is directly accountable and the canton is more powerful than the state. The power of the state is very limited. Hence national politicians are not really important at all. Read up on it and you will be surprised and anything you want to ask me afterwards, be my guest.

[Cael]

I won' go into great detail, Cael, but in this democracy, the system, because it works from the bottom up rather than the top down, actually works. There is very little political corruption because everybody is directly accountable and the canton is more powerful than the state. The power of the state is very limited. Hence national politicians are not really important at all. Read up on it and you will be surprised and anything you want to ask me afterwards, be my guest.

Ya, federalism is the way to go and direct democracy (well, direct democracy of the sort where you are not threatened and told to vote again if you dare to give the "wrong" answer.)

[Pauli]

Ya, federalism is the way to go and direct democracy (well, direct democracy of the sort where you are not threatened and told to vote again if you dare to give the "wrong" answer.)

Eh, the system here is that the people are in charge and the politicians do as they are told. Literally.

[Cael]

Eh, the system here is that the people are in charge and the politicians do as they are told. Literally.

Sounds good to me, a chara.

[Pauli]

Sounds good to me, a chara.

It is not a perfect system but it is miles ahead of any other system I have ever seen. And I have lived in 5 different countries over the last 20 years. The 26 cantons have enormous power over the federal government. Power and the responsibility for exercising it devolves down to the lowest tier to those who vote their community politiicans in and they know that those politicians have real power to affect the community. The canton and the federal government cannot interfere in their decisions because legally they have no competency to do so. Similarly, powers allocated to the canton, including crucially the collection of taxes, cannot be interfered with by the federal government because the constitution allocates this power to the canton alone. The canton passes on any taxes due to the federal government due to it in law. If you live in Switzerland, you realise very quickly that the cantons hold the main power here, not the federal government.

[eyeswideopen]

So that is why rubbish like Mary Coughlan, Beverly Cooper-Flynn, Eamonn O'Cuiv, Willie, O'Dea, Frank Fahey, Ned O'Keeffe, Michael Lowry, Martin Cullen, Noel O'Flynn, Mattie McGrath, Jackie Healy-Rae and Mary Harney are elected. These are total sh1t and yet thousands of phuqwits elect this dross.

Post colonial syndrome.

Of course the OP doesn't mention the layer of society that has used tax avoidance measures to pay virtually no tax or the high VAT paid here.

Ireland has become more unequal, not less. The OP is based on a misapprehension.

[mryoungdan]

[QUOTE=Cael;2269236]

They know their vote counts for nothing and they never vote at all. quote]






Their vote does indeed count for nothing. They are real suckers.

[darkhorse]

In Ireland we have a massively redistributive political system that taxes the wealthy and transfer their money to the poor. Services such as education, health, roads etc are provided free of charge- those who don’t work are given free money and housing. The median earner pays a mere 4% tax on earnings.

Also we've seen the lower paid PS workers, a substantial body of voters, have manged to grab themselves an unjustified 22-31% premium over private workers

This is mob rule, with the poor people ganging up on the wealthy and taking their money. Instead we should have participatory democracy with stakeholders voting according to their contribution.

Thus all people should be allowed to elect a legislature that shall deal with fundamental human (and other animal) rights.

Taxpayers- be they natural people or companies- should elect an Executive in charge of spending. Their voting should be according to their participation: i.e. one vote per one Euro of tax paid

For too long the rich have tolerated the tyranny of the proletariat masses – the rich should raise up and overthrow the institutionalised Robin Hood that is the Irish State.

cYp

Good point.
Perhaps a reworked Senate with greater powers could fulfill that purpose?