The master was a fat, healthy man; but he turned very pale. He gazed in stupefied astonishment on the small rebel for some seconds; and then clung for support to the copper. The assistants were paralysed with wonder, the boys with fear. "What!" said the master at length, in a faint voice.
"Please, sir,' replied Oliver, "I want some more."
The reaction of many of our politicians to the credit crunch and newly-arrived recession has me gritting my teeth. It's not so much the threat of half-rations that sticks in the craw but the humble pie that they insist forms part of our new diet.
There's more than a touch of the rather too well-fed Mr. Beadle in both Mr. Cowan and Mr. Lenihan as they lecture us for the over-indulgence of the last decade. The suggestion, not so subtly made, is that we've all been on the pig's back and it's high time for us to pay for our greed. In an instant, the same politicians who crowed over the success of the wonder economy are turning on those who worked hard to make it happen.
Maybe it's the circles where I move, but I've seen little of the gorging at the trough that they imply. I'm not suggesting that we've all been slaving in the workhouse but, in the main, our colleagues and clients have been working hard for a fair return. We'll tighten our belts if that's what's needed but we can do without the doling out of financial measures as though they were medicine, a sort of antacid for a greedy populace who's eyes have grown too big for its stomach.
I'm not surprised that our politicians and their well-nourished friends in property and finance are suffering more than a little heartburn. But I do think it a little rich that they rush to the same conclusion as their not-so-honourable predecessor Mr. Haughey and tell us that "we've" all been living beyond our means.
Please, sir, keep your nasty medicine for yourself.
1 comment:
Gerard Tannam is right (and not for the first time) Never forget that our Politicians have the most primary of motivational instincts that dominate their every move, thought, twist and turn. Some might call it 'self preservation' I prefer to call it 'the overwhelming thirst to be re-elected, at all costs'
On the other hand, pushing Politicians swiftly to one side, a recession can be good for you. Elswhere, I recently wrote why;
Irish Independent
Dear Sir/Madam,
Ten Reasons Why a Recession is Great!
I used to enjoy reading the newspaper. Today I don’t, I’m almost afraid. You see, this recession thing has become a national obsession. It dominates our every move, twist and turn.
First there is fright, followed by panic, then heaps of fear and piles of anger. When all that settles down we are left with a dreadful hollow empty feeling and a terrible dread that recession will become depression.
But I’m not convinced recession is such a bad thing, in fact, I have come to the conclusion that a recession is great. The problem is, the more we have the more we think we need.
Let me tell you 10 reasons why;
-It means we have to solve problems without money
-It asks politicians to solve problems without writing a cheque.
-It restores our view on the value of that little nest egg.
-It proves those funny little things can go down as well as up.
-It makes us appreciate everything that is free.
-It refreshes lost values and reinforces the joy of family, home cooking and being happily creative.
-It means we can relearn how to say ‘no’
-It proves a whole generation wrong.
-It rebalances the soul of the nation.
-It releases us from greed, gluttony and excess.
As the song goes, and what a good time to sing it! “Always look on the bright side of life”
Yours Faithfully,
Conor Kenny.
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