Why do the Greens seem to hate the lower paid ?

[NoPropertyTax]

Firstly I love the idea's in general, especially where they want to be, however, I'm curious as to how they can do all the above without being lambasted for spending too much money!

Bicycle Recycling - good idea, but that can be done through charities already - although it's not really done as much as it could be..
Seeds are actually very cheap as is, if people aren't willing to spend the few Euro for seeds, it is unlikely that they'll put the hardwork in anyway..

Yes I know some of these ideas would cost some money, but the bicycle idea would be cost free as people just need somewhere to leave or collect unwanted bicycles. Say a corner of Stephens Green in Dublin or the park opposte the Jervis Centre.

I remember that TV show from years ago "The Good Life" where the couple opted out of the rat race, and instead became self sufficient and lived a very green environmentaly friendly lifestyle, and ended up seeming much happier than their richer neighbours.

While it was just a TV show, I think that is the kind of thing the Green Party should be encouraging and promoting. Instead they seem to want to get everyone to have to work harder and faster at the rat race so we can afford to pay these threatened taxes.

Its just I believe the green party should be about improving peoples quality of life, not making it worse.

[dse123]

One could say that environmentalism is a luxury, the 'lower paid' would worry more about bills and getting by than polar bears and penguins.

[stripey cat]

One could say that environmentalism is a luxury, the 'lower paid' would worry more about bills and getting by than polar bears and penguins.

Yeah, because the environment consists entirely of polar bears and penguins, and so degradation of that environment has no effect, except on people who are not "the lower paid".

Global warming causing floods and food shortages will make no difference to anybody who earns under a certian amount- is that what "one could say"?

[teapot]

I believe that the Green hierarchy and the ultra-greens don't like (and may actually despise) lower paid workers and their ilk; because they may view them as non-intellectuals (unlike themselves) who cannot see the 'rationale' of Greenthink - they may view the average digger driver as the chappie who would demolish a tree rather than hug one; the average housewife as being uncomprehending of the Green need to compost, etc., etc. There may also be a defensive mechanism showing here - in that said digger driver and housewife may have no use for Greens, esp Government Greens. A lot of Greens put me in mind of the folks who say that the underpaid, underprivileged, unwashed masses could never appreciate fine paintings, good wine, expensive cars...so I think that there's something of that in it, too - 'we know what's good for you...' Whether they wanted it this way or not is hard to say, but I fear that they have become elitist and will go the elitist way - out. Which, if they are right about the climate (and I fear that they are) will be a shame.

[White Horse]

I think The Green Party should be more sympatetic to the lower paid workers - most of us can't afford cars or frequent flights, we have no choice but to use environmentally friendly bicylces or public transport or walk. We can't afford to waste electricity or food or heating, or throw out stuff with getting the full use from it. I speak as someone on 13 euros an hour, and I believe most other low waged workers are good green citizens growing their own stuff where they can, and making sure they recycle as much as possible in the green bin.

So why is it that the Green Party seems to hate us so much - In particualar threatening all these extra taxes - like the water charges and "site value tax" - both of which will be really unfair to the lower paid, as they will take a much bigger slice out of our (small) incomes, than any income based tax.

Is it a class thing because the Green Party TD's (in particualar Eamon Ryan) are very well off themselves ?

Greens consider working class people to have a high carbon footprint and thus are environmentally unfriendly.

[Twin Towers]

That is such a silly picture

[Defcon1]

How about if they helped out by reducing the carbon footprint of our country and the energy bills of the lower class?


Of course I forgot. We arent allowed have nuclear power are we. !!!

[planejane]

Why are the Greens hard on the poor?????


Because unlike a third of their TDs, the poor didn't go to Gonzaga College and they don't understand important things like global warming, they are more concerned with silly things like trying to keep a job

[Eamonn76]

With the Greens having driven up our borrowing costs through Nama and the blanket guarantee, while negotiating free fees, reversal of other education cut backs and more funding for their own ministries of Energy and the Environment, the cuts are going to fall even harder on other areas.
Are they now the Green PDs?