Fine Gael economic mismanagement: 1980's. Can anyone defend it?

[KingKane]

You would almost wonder, with such a perfect record, why they lost the next election at all. The answer is that they were totally apathetic to the tax burden on ordinary people, leading to "payback time". But again, that post doesn't address the fact that this is what Labour does when there's a boom - spend lots of money to be popular. The problem is that they try to do the exact same thing when there's an economic crisis.

That's for another thread.

[tonic]

Tonic you are so deluded (on purpose or by accident). We talked before when you were Hal and you tried to claim that house prices were more affordable in 2008 than at the start of the decade. When I pointed out that you were talking through your a*se you refused to answer. Go back into your hole.

I refused to engage further with you after SEVERAL requests to you to show where I had made claims in that same thread you were maintaining I had made. After you refused to show proof, as I knew you would, because you couldn't, because there wasn't any, I refused to have anything more to do with you.

If you want to post a link to that thread so we can judge who is in the right of it, please go ahead.

You were an arse then and I see you're still an arse now.

[Congalltee]

I'm delighted to see Leo V does not share the blind spot on the 80s that many exhibit. Fine Gael was useless then, but promise to be better now.

[hiding behind a poster]

I'm delighted to see Leo V does not share the blind spot on the 80s that many exhibit. Fine Gael was useless then, but promise to be better now.

The only problem is that Varadkar is actually wrong. Its interesting, however, that you refuse to engage with the actual figures about the debt, and the structural elements that were causing it to increase, that KingKane posted up.

[wombat]

The only problem is that Varadkar is actually wrong.

I wonder will he admit it, or has he enough sense to know when to stop digging. FitzGerald did a lot that was right but it was his belief that we should tax rather than cut that paved the way for the PD's. Remember, they were led by FF disssidents but took votes and seats from FG.

[Congalltee]

The only problem is that Varadkar is actually wrong. Its interesting, however, that you refuse to engage with the actual figures about the debt, and the structural elements that were causing it to increase, that KingKane posted up.

Deficit 82-86: 8% plus each year
Deficit 87: less than 3%.
The fg record on economic management is indefensible (being better than lynch and cowen is no defence) .

[revereie]

I'm delighted to see Leo V does not share the blind spot on the 80s that many exhibit. Fine Gael was useless then, but promise to be better now.

+1. I may not have liked FG then, certainly don't like them now but the 80's are long since behind us.

They should be judged on present policies and likelihood of those policies being implemented if FG succeeded to government.

[hiding behind a poster]

Deficit 82-86: 8% plus each year
Deficit 87: less than 3%.
The fg record on economic management is indefensible (being better than lynch and cowen is no defence) .

Why won't you discuss the figures KingKane posted up? Furthermore, how do you know how much of the deficit reduction post-87 was down to international interest rates and currency movements? How much of it was down to the fact that some of the borrowing taken on in 1982 was merely to pay interest on loans that were taken out to pay interest on loans that we couldn't pay back, and that some of these loans had now been paid off?

That's the problem with your analysis, Congaltee - you just throw out the headline figures, with absolutely no knowledge of the factors behind them.

[hiding behind a poster]

I wonder will he admit it, or has he enough sense to know when to stop digging. FitzGerald did a lot that was right but it was his belief that we should tax rather than cut that paved the way for the PD's.

Yes and no. There are times you should tax, and times you should cut. A lot of factors have to be considered.

[wombat]

Yes and no. There are times you should tax, and times you should cut. A lot of factors have to be considered.

When anyone who can is being paid cash, its time to cut tax.