Could "people power" stall the economy to force an election ?

[NoPropertyTax]

For those of us who believe the current governments policies (tax and cut) are wrong and counter-productive, the only "weapon" we have is our consumer spending power , and if enough people could be persuaded to take part in some kind of national spending strike, would that stall out the economy to the extent that it would force the government to call an election ?
What I mean is some kind of non-essential spending strike, to try and make things worse now in order to make things better in the long run. The objective would be to try and convince people to postpone spending / hiring / etc until we have an election, and then release that money / jobs into the economy once we have a new government with a mandate.
It goes to the heart of what type of recovery we want ? A Fianna Fail / Green "recovery" which would be a balanceing of the budget on paper and a reduction of the deficit, but which leaves the people of the country in serious poverty, with penal rate taxes and slashed public services. Or a genuine recovery where a stimulus package leads to higher consumer confidence leads to more sales, new jobs, and a rising tax revenue as a result of more economic activity.
What do you think of the idea of a national spending strike to try and bring matters to a head and force an election ? Would it work ? If organisations like the ESRI, OECD etc said an election should be called as the only way to save the economy would the government have no option but to call one as their patriotic duty ?

[jimbo99]

For those of us who believe the current governments policies (tax and cut) are wrong and counter-productive, the only "weapon" we have is our consumer spending power , and if enough people could be persuaded to take part in some kind of national spending strike, would that stall out the economy to the extent that it would force the government to call an election ?
What I mean is some kind of non-essential spending strike, to try and make things worse now in order to make things better in the long run. The objective would be to try and convince people to postpone spending / hiring / etc until we have an election, and then release that money / jobs into the economy once we have a new government with a mandate.
It goes to the heart of what type of recovery we want ? A Fianna Fail / Green "recovery" which would be a balanceing of the budget on paper and a reduction of the deficit, but which leaves the people of the country in serious poverty, with penal rate taxes and slashed public services. Or a genuine recovery where a stimulus package leads to higher consumer confidence leads to more sales, new jobs, and a rising tax revenue as a result of more economic activity.
What do you think of the idea of a national spending strike to try and bring matters to a head and force an election ? Would it work ? If organisations like the ESRI, OECD etc said an election should be called as the only way to save the economy would the government have no option but to call one as their patriotic duty ?

That consumer spending strike is already underway. Ask any retail business today. People have realised that they have no confidence in this government and have definately answered with their chequebooks. This collapse in spending is one of the main reasons we have a 20billion defecit. The message about this "strike " is not really being spread by the national media however.

[bactrian]

Hey!! What a great idea!!

Let's stop spending and put people out of jobs. That's sure to improve things. It will promote equality. Everyone will be poor.

And maybe we should all burn down our houses so that we can show solidarity with the homeless.

Magnificent.

[goosebump]

For those of us who believe...

You really need to get over the idea that you can read the minds of the entire population.

[jimbo99]

Hey!! What a great idea!!

Let's stop spending and put people out of jobs. That's sure to improve things. It will promote equality. Everyone will be poor.

And maybe we should all burn down our houses so that we can show solidarity with the homeless.

Magnificent.

Unfortunately it is already happening. People are saving rather than spend and travelling North in large numbers to pay their spending taxes. People are losing their jobs and people are becoming poor. The guy in charge of Curry's in Newry was on radio recently saying that 83% of TV's sold at Christmas were sold to residents of the Republic.

Your comment on burning houses is just stupid and doesn't do you any justice.

[st333ve]

The might of Irish protestors come out to face up the state!

[SPN]

For those of us who believe the current governments policies (tax and cut) are wrong and counter-productive, the only "weapon" we have is our consumer spending power , and if enough people could be persuaded to take part in some kind of national spending strike, would that stall out the economy to the extent that it would force the government to call an election ?

For consumers to have "spending power" they first have to earn the money.

Under the previous Government we built an economy on borrowed money.

Between 1997 and 2007 non-Government borrowing went from 20Billion to 400 Billion

We now have to service that debt, and repay that debt.

But our ability to earn money with which to do this is severely hampered because we spent ten years building houses and sheds instead of businesses that can export goods and services, and bring in earnings.

Read this article, and then decide if our long term interests are better served by borrowing more, or by getting our house in order.

A legacy of debt is not the best start for our children | David McWilliams

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[NoPropertyTax]

It is a radical solution, but if anyone has any better ideas on (legal and constitutional) ways to try and remove an un-elected Taoiseach who is operating without a popular mandate, then please post them.

Strikes, protest marches, work to rules, petitions have achieved nothing. The only time the government did a U turn on a tax rise was when the VAT increase proved to be counter-productive. So I am saying the only way to get the government to open a dialogue with its own people is to make them realise that any recovery must help people rather than hurt people.

[SPN]

It is a radical solution, but if anyone has any better ideas on (legal and constitutional) ways to try and remove an un-elected Taoiseach who is operating without a popular mandate, then please post them.

Strikes, protest marches, work to rules, petitions have achieved nothing. The only time the government did a U turn on a tax rise was when the VAT increase proved to be counter-productive. So I am saying the only way to get the government to open a dialogue with its own people is to make them realise that any recovery must help people rather than hurt people.

I think you will find that the Taoiseach WAS elected. He topped the poll in Laois-Offaly with 1.6 quotas.

The people don't vote for the Taoiseach, they vote for the 166 TDs, and the 166 TDs vote for the Taoiseach.

The current choice of the 166 TDs is Brian Cowen.

The current 166TDs have a mandate until 2014 under the Constitution, then the electorate get to choose a new 166 TDs.

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[jimbo99]

I think you will find that the Taoiseach WAS elected. He topped the poll in Laois-Offaly with 1.6 quotas.

The people don't vote for the Taoiseach, they vote for the 166 TDs, and the 166 TDs vote for the Taoiseach.

The current choice of the 166 TDs is Brian Cowen.

The current 166TDs have a mandate until 2014 under the Constitution, then the electorate get to choose a new 166 TDs.

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That mandate is gladly looking very shaky now. Thanks toJODWOD.