Tax the poor - that will solve it

[grapes of wrath]

Have we slipped into an upside down world? Has the pressure become too much and have some of us gone mad? Read the following:

IF IT (RAISING INCOME TAX) HAS TO BE DONE, THE BURDEN SHOULD FIRST FALL ON THOSE WHO CURRENTLY PAY NO TAX AT ALL, AND THEN ON THOSE ON AVERAGE EARNINGS ------EQUITY DEMANDS NO LESS.

This was written in Friday’s Irish Independent by the chief economist of the Ulster Bank. A very aggressive virus must have infected the economic advisors to the main banks because another one was like a jack-in-the box talking boom and boomer (another jewel from Bertie) when even the pups in the street knew we were in trouble. The organs of the media who gave these joxers a forum need to be a bit more responsible.

In general terms we have been badly served by our experts. Hired guns for vested interests have had a very high profile and have been given a free ride in recent years. They need to reined in.

A small number of commentators have a good record. Those funded by the public purse have not lived up their responsibilities, in general. Some are now doing very well. As a retired university lecturer in a technical area I always felt it was my responsibility to make my views known if significant errors were being made in my area of expertise. It is usually a bit uncomfortable going against the conventional wisdom but it is part of what we were paid to do. However, when the state controls most funding and when the likes of Bertie Ahern recommends suicide to those who disagree with him we have a problem. I hope we will not be worse with Brian Cowen as seems to react very aggressively to views with which he disagrees.

Maybe the best approach is to try to escape to Alice in Wonderland after all.

[5intheface]

Of all the people we might turn to for advice, I would imagine that a senior employee from one of the banks would not be one of them.