Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Myra Hindley
I said I would comment on Carol Ann Lees book on Myra Hindley. My opinion has always been that Hindley should have been treated like any other life prisoner. I must admit after reading Carol Ann's book I can understand why there was a reluctance to release her. The wicked torture and murder and the tapes of that act published in this book was traumatic reading. However Hindleys detention after her life sentence was complete was an abuse of the legal system. And if we accept the law as the law then her detention was illegal and unfair. However Hindley was a deceptive and devious woman who lied, lied and lied throughout her life. Coming clean at the beginning after sentence may have meant she would have been released earlier. I accept now that she truly was an evil person and if she changed at all it was only at the very lates stage of her life.
The New Dictatorship: Budget Continued.
Well I proposed a Military takeover of the Republic of Ireland in my last blog. But events have overtaken me and the country. Because the European Union and the International Monetary Fund have already taken over Ireland. Still I'll put my tuppence worth on the table as an alternative budget for 2011.
The proposal from Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan is to create a four year plan to reduce Ireland's deficit from 14% to 3%. The first year of this plan, 2011, would have €6 billion sucked out of the economy. Now anyone who knows anything about paying off a debt, such as a mortgage, knows you don't volunteer to pay off a 25 year mortgage in twelve years. Because that would lead to bankruptcy. So firstly I would reduce the deficit to 5% in six years. I am absolutely convinced that the Irish government whoever they turn out to be will not be able to achieve 3% by 2014. Secondly, it would appear that the Fianna Fail - Green coalition will attempt to achieve this years targets with €4 billion of cuts from the sick, the poor, the elderly and children. The other €2 billion will come from adjusting taxes on the middle class and reducing the wages, pensions, and numbers in the public services. Now I would do some of those things too. But I would reverse the 4-2 in favour of taxing the billionaires and millionaires by €5 billion and cutting services and social welfare by €1 billion per year for three years and then carry out a review.
So here is a quick list of taxes and cuts that would be in my budget for 2011.
1. Shut down the Irish Senate.
2. Shut down 50% of all County Councils and Urban Councils.
3. Cut the FAS training agency by 50%.
4. Abolish the Health Service Executive completely. Now this time it must be abolished in it's entirety. When the HSE was set up the Health Boards were to close down. What actually happened was the Health boards are still there. My solution would be to create a new Health Service that would be built around One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse. The present health service has a foundation that rests on 27,000 Administrators. I will give an example. North Eastern Health Board Kells Co Meath. There is no hospital or medical services in Kells Co Meath. But this monolithic Administrative centre employing thousands of people (most would never have any direct involvement in patient care.) So I would close the old health boards down. Start all over again. To do this a team would go round all the hospitals asking doctors, nurses and patients what staff back up they need. Obviously we need radiographers, porters, domestics, ward clerks etc. But all those people work in a hospital setting, taking care of patients. So in fact more people may need to be employed to work with patients and those not working with patients would be made redundant. I propose to reduce Health Service staff by 4000 per year over the next six years. No staff who work directly with patients should lose their jobs. High paid non medical consultants and Civil Servants should be made redundant or have their wages reduced by 50%.
5. This country has too many hospitals. All cottage hospitals should be closed down over the next 25 years. Twelve hospitals would be built over that period in the Republic of Ireland. All of about the size of Belfast's Royal Victoria and City Hospitals put together. They would be strategically placed to cover all of the country. An air ambulance service would be set up and would eventually take all emergency service calls to the twelve hospitals. Ambulance services on the ground would be reduced at a rate of five per cent per year over the first six years. Non urgent patient transport would continue as now and a road transport ambulance service would be on standby for major incidents.
6. All top Civil Servants such as Judges, Higher Civil Servants, advisers etc would have their salaries reduced by 10% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Government Ministers to have their salaries reduced by 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. RTE employees on higher salaries such as broadcasters would take a salary cut of 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Anyone earning over €100k annually would make a one off tax payment in 2011 of 25%. The fiction that we won't be able to attract the best people if we don't pay them millions for their services is false. This country has half a million unemployed, plenty of well educated graduates to take the place of Pat Kenny or the head of the HSE. An example of where I would look for money would be from those who withdrew €10 billion from the AIB in August and September. Tax payers lodged €7 billion through Brian Lenihan into AIB in 2010. The government must take hold of the banks and prevent a run on the banks by declaring a national emergency. Transfers of money out of Ireland must be stopped for three months until the budget is passed and the 4-6 year plan is implemented.
7. A wealth tax which would be based not just on cash but on assetts and property.
8. A property tax on properties worth more than 400k. Those with more than three houses would pay at a higher rate than those with one. Protection for certain categories of people who are living solely on benefits or pensions would mean many would not pay the property tax. Those who have more than €1million in property assetts would be penalised the most. Someone or some company who owns €100m in property would be forced to sell €25m worth for a one off payment to Revenue in 2011-2012.
9. Probably the single most important change needed in the 2011 budget is parliamentary reform. The Dail should have a working body of members working in the parliament five days a week, fifty two weeks of the year. The parliament must be seen to work harder, work quicker and work longer and more efficiently. More emergency legislation to address the problems of this country is vital. If there is a crisis the Irish Parliament must be be prepared to be in the Dail even at 3 a.m on a Sunday. TDs pay should be cut by 40%.
10. All Social Welfare payments should be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Exemptions from these reductions would be allowed only for pensioners over 85 years of age and Special Needs children. All public service pay to be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Minimum wage to be frozen at this years rate for two years and then reviewed.
11. The Government should set up a State bank which would be run like any other Government Department. All other banks should be nationalised and sold off over the next five years. A levy would be put on all private financial institutions until the €140 billion lost by banks is paid off over the next 25 to 50 years.
12. Many people find it hard to understand why goods and services in N. Ireland are mostly between twice the price of the Republic and fifteen times the price of the Republic. Many of the problems we face today were created by greed. Even if we go back to the eighties or nineties ordinary goods in the shops were often 15 or twenty times that of the North. There were never such difference of costs such as minimum wage or electricity which are 10% and 15% respectively. To address this problem I propose that a Prices Commission be set up. The head of this Commission should be an ex senior member of the Gardai. The commission should investigate prices in both N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If the government can introduce a sensible pricing policy in Ireland then there is no reason why Social Welfare and Health costs could not be reduced. The very basic goods purchased every day by people to feed their families in the south are costing enormous amounts in comparison to the North. As a small example: Daily Mirror North 45 p; South €1; Fruit scone Co Monaghan 85c; Co Antrim 15p; 16 Panadol County Antrim 15p; County Mayo €1.89; Packet of brand bacon Antrim £1.59; Cavan €5. Litre of Whiskey South €49.50; North £18.99. 2 litre milk South €1.89; North 90p. Excessive profiteering would be investigated by the new Prices Commission. The Commission would have a right to order a company to reduce it's prices in particular where a company is selling a product in N. Ireland manufactured in the Irish Republic for half the price in the North. And this is a common occurrence. It would have an advisory capacity as well to help industry and the retail trade by comparing the price structures in the two areas. Broadcaster Pat Kenny highlighted where a drug for epilepsy cost €4.80 in a small village in Spain. It sells in Ireland for €50. The Commission would have teeth and could impose heavy fines or remove a licence to trade from a company or retail outlet. The Commission would widely publish its findings in order to dissuade business from unfair practices and profiteering.
13. Bond holders would have to be identified by having their licences published in local papers once a year. The Irish people have a right to know who is controlling their economic well being. All millionaires and billionaires would have to be identified annually in National papers in Ireland. Whether individuals or companies. The 7% of the population who control the wealth of Ireland will have their masks removed in my budget.
14. Those involved in fraud over the past thirteen years must be arrested, charged and tried. Legislation should be enacted and if necessary back dated to see that Ireland jail those who caused the crisis Ireland is now in. A method of speeding up the prosecuting process must be implemented as part of the 2011 budget.
15. Shell Gas in Mayo to be Nationalised.
16. Water rates to be brought in over a five year period using water metres. Payment of water rates would be means tested to protect those who could not afford them.
17. Corporation Tax to be increased to 15%, still the lowest in Europe.
18. Finally I have a plan for a massive boost to the Irish economy on both sides of the border by using the border as an economic platform to turn this Island into a multi billion euro investment destination. That problem of differences in cross border prices would be solved. The depression caused on both sides of the border because it is an unequal international frontier would be ended and replaced by a vibrant economy. I propose that the authorities on both sides of the border set up a Free Enterprise Zone along the whole 300 mile stretch of the Irish border. It would be a six mile band, three miles on either side of the border where taxes would be low, perhaps only 5% income tax, 5% Corporation tax, 10% VAT etc. The EU would be asked to help fund and support the project. International companies would be invited to set up industries and develop the infrastructure of the zone bringing huge prosperity to the whole country over the next 25 years. The area could be widened over a period and this would attract people from surrounding areas into the zone. There would be no border restrictions on the old Irish border, no customs and the six mile band would be jointly policed by security services from both sides of the border. The new border would be all of the six mile band. The Prices Commission would strictly control prices inside the Zone and all goods would have to sell at the same price throughout the zone ending the profiteering on the southern side of the zone. This would have the effect of stabilising prices and the economy would be contaminated by the new surge inside the zone throughout the Island over a period of years.
The proposal from Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan is to create a four year plan to reduce Ireland's deficit from 14% to 3%. The first year of this plan, 2011, would have €6 billion sucked out of the economy. Now anyone who knows anything about paying off a debt, such as a mortgage, knows you don't volunteer to pay off a 25 year mortgage in twelve years. Because that would lead to bankruptcy. So firstly I would reduce the deficit to 5% in six years. I am absolutely convinced that the Irish government whoever they turn out to be will not be able to achieve 3% by 2014. Secondly, it would appear that the Fianna Fail - Green coalition will attempt to achieve this years targets with €4 billion of cuts from the sick, the poor, the elderly and children. The other €2 billion will come from adjusting taxes on the middle class and reducing the wages, pensions, and numbers in the public services. Now I would do some of those things too. But I would reverse the 4-2 in favour of taxing the billionaires and millionaires by €5 billion and cutting services and social welfare by €1 billion per year for three years and then carry out a review.
So here is a quick list of taxes and cuts that would be in my budget for 2011.
1. Shut down the Irish Senate.
2. Shut down 50% of all County Councils and Urban Councils.
3. Cut the FAS training agency by 50%.
4. Abolish the Health Service Executive completely. Now this time it must be abolished in it's entirety. When the HSE was set up the Health Boards were to close down. What actually happened was the Health boards are still there. My solution would be to create a new Health Service that would be built around One Patient, One Doctor and One Nurse. The present health service has a foundation that rests on 27,000 Administrators. I will give an example. North Eastern Health Board Kells Co Meath. There is no hospital or medical services in Kells Co Meath. But this monolithic Administrative centre employing thousands of people (most would never have any direct involvement in patient care.) So I would close the old health boards down. Start all over again. To do this a team would go round all the hospitals asking doctors, nurses and patients what staff back up they need. Obviously we need radiographers, porters, domestics, ward clerks etc. But all those people work in a hospital setting, taking care of patients. So in fact more people may need to be employed to work with patients and those not working with patients would be made redundant. I propose to reduce Health Service staff by 4000 per year over the next six years. No staff who work directly with patients should lose their jobs. High paid non medical consultants and Civil Servants should be made redundant or have their wages reduced by 50%.
5. This country has too many hospitals. All cottage hospitals should be closed down over the next 25 years. Twelve hospitals would be built over that period in the Republic of Ireland. All of about the size of Belfast's Royal Victoria and City Hospitals put together. They would be strategically placed to cover all of the country. An air ambulance service would be set up and would eventually take all emergency service calls to the twelve hospitals. Ambulance services on the ground would be reduced at a rate of five per cent per year over the first six years. Non urgent patient transport would continue as now and a road transport ambulance service would be on standby for major incidents.
6. All top Civil Servants such as Judges, Higher Civil Servants, advisers etc would have their salaries reduced by 10% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Government Ministers to have their salaries reduced by 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. RTE employees on higher salaries such as broadcasters would take a salary cut of 25% in 2011 and 5% per year over the next three years. Anyone earning over €100k annually would make a one off tax payment in 2011 of 25%. The fiction that we won't be able to attract the best people if we don't pay them millions for their services is false. This country has half a million unemployed, plenty of well educated graduates to take the place of Pat Kenny or the head of the HSE. An example of where I would look for money would be from those who withdrew €10 billion from the AIB in August and September. Tax payers lodged €7 billion through Brian Lenihan into AIB in 2010. The government must take hold of the banks and prevent a run on the banks by declaring a national emergency. Transfers of money out of Ireland must be stopped for three months until the budget is passed and the 4-6 year plan is implemented.
7. A wealth tax which would be based not just on cash but on assetts and property.
8. A property tax on properties worth more than 400k. Those with more than three houses would pay at a higher rate than those with one. Protection for certain categories of people who are living solely on benefits or pensions would mean many would not pay the property tax. Those who have more than €1million in property assetts would be penalised the most. Someone or some company who owns €100m in property would be forced to sell €25m worth for a one off payment to Revenue in 2011-2012.
9. Probably the single most important change needed in the 2011 budget is parliamentary reform. The Dail should have a working body of members working in the parliament five days a week, fifty two weeks of the year. The parliament must be seen to work harder, work quicker and work longer and more efficiently. More emergency legislation to address the problems of this country is vital. If there is a crisis the Irish Parliament must be be prepared to be in the Dail even at 3 a.m on a Sunday. TDs pay should be cut by 40%.
10. All Social Welfare payments should be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Exemptions from these reductions would be allowed only for pensioners over 85 years of age and Special Needs children. All public service pay to be reduced by 1% per year for the next three years. Minimum wage to be frozen at this years rate for two years and then reviewed.
11. The Government should set up a State bank which would be run like any other Government Department. All other banks should be nationalised and sold off over the next five years. A levy would be put on all private financial institutions until the €140 billion lost by banks is paid off over the next 25 to 50 years.
12. Many people find it hard to understand why goods and services in N. Ireland are mostly between twice the price of the Republic and fifteen times the price of the Republic. Many of the problems we face today were created by greed. Even if we go back to the eighties or nineties ordinary goods in the shops were often 15 or twenty times that of the North. There were never such difference of costs such as minimum wage or electricity which are 10% and 15% respectively. To address this problem I propose that a Prices Commission be set up. The head of this Commission should be an ex senior member of the Gardai. The commission should investigate prices in both N. Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. If the government can introduce a sensible pricing policy in Ireland then there is no reason why Social Welfare and Health costs could not be reduced. The very basic goods purchased every day by people to feed their families in the south are costing enormous amounts in comparison to the North. As a small example: Daily Mirror North 45 p; South €1; Fruit scone Co Monaghan 85c; Co Antrim 15p; 16 Panadol County Antrim 15p; County Mayo €1.89; Packet of brand bacon Antrim £1.59; Cavan €5. Litre of Whiskey South €49.50; North £18.99. 2 litre milk South €1.89; North 90p. Excessive profiteering would be investigated by the new Prices Commission. The Commission would have a right to order a company to reduce it's prices in particular where a company is selling a product in N. Ireland manufactured in the Irish Republic for half the price in the North. And this is a common occurrence. It would have an advisory capacity as well to help industry and the retail trade by comparing the price structures in the two areas. Broadcaster Pat Kenny highlighted where a drug for epilepsy cost €4.80 in a small village in Spain. It sells in Ireland for €50. The Commission would have teeth and could impose heavy fines or remove a licence to trade from a company or retail outlet. The Commission would widely publish its findings in order to dissuade business from unfair practices and profiteering.
13. Bond holders would have to be identified by having their licences published in local papers once a year. The Irish people have a right to know who is controlling their economic well being. All millionaires and billionaires would have to be identified annually in National papers in Ireland. Whether individuals or companies. The 7% of the population who control the wealth of Ireland will have their masks removed in my budget.
14. Those involved in fraud over the past thirteen years must be arrested, charged and tried. Legislation should be enacted and if necessary back dated to see that Ireland jail those who caused the crisis Ireland is now in. A method of speeding up the prosecuting process must be implemented as part of the 2011 budget.
15. Shell Gas in Mayo to be Nationalised.
16. Water rates to be brought in over a five year period using water metres. Payment of water rates would be means tested to protect those who could not afford them.
17. Corporation Tax to be increased to 15%, still the lowest in Europe.
18. Finally I have a plan for a massive boost to the Irish economy on both sides of the border by using the border as an economic platform to turn this Island into a multi billion euro investment destination. That problem of differences in cross border prices would be solved. The depression caused on both sides of the border because it is an unequal international frontier would be ended and replaced by a vibrant economy. I propose that the authorities on both sides of the border set up a Free Enterprise Zone along the whole 300 mile stretch of the Irish border. It would be a six mile band, three miles on either side of the border where taxes would be low, perhaps only 5% income tax, 5% Corporation tax, 10% VAT etc. The EU would be asked to help fund and support the project. International companies would be invited to set up industries and develop the infrastructure of the zone bringing huge prosperity to the whole country over the next 25 years. The area could be widened over a period and this would attract people from surrounding areas into the zone. There would be no border restrictions on the old Irish border, no customs and the six mile band would be jointly policed by security services from both sides of the border. The new border would be all of the six mile band. The Prices Commission would strictly control prices inside the Zone and all goods would have to sell at the same price throughout the zone ending the profiteering on the southern side of the zone. This would have the effect of stabilising prices and the economy would be contaminated by the new surge inside the zone throughout the Island over a period of years.
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Budget 2011 details
Firstly Ireland has been conned by every political, financial and social institute on earth. It is so obvious but most Irish people don't understand it and are unlikely to understand it. Irish people are generally hard working people. They produce labour, agricultural products, manufacturing goods. People in government, banks, and financial services don't work. They sit and bet like bookies on the ability of working people to produce enough tea, carrots, rice, potatoes. So my budget proposals will ignore or penalise the multi billionnaires, the very rich. But I have the advantage on Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan. I already know thier plan to get cosied up to the "markets". The stock Markets. Unless Ireland.com radically changes from a western multi capitalist proffiteering entity to a socialist child friendly, pensioner friendly, worker friendly society Ireland will collapse financially.
I have set out my main aims above for the Irish budget which will be announced on 7th December 2010 for the 2011 budget. My introducton was published and now I will give the details:
As this country has been damaged by those who we have elected more than any other group of people in our country then I must start with those we have elected as a way of changing our system of government. This country elects 166 TD's (MP's) for 4 million people. My main proposal before I can reccomend any other reduction in services is that as part of the 2011 budget the numbers of TD's is reduceded from 166 to 111.
I have set out my main aims above for the Irish budget which will be announced on 7th December 2010 for the 2011 budget. My introducton was published and now I will give the details:
As this country has been damaged by those who we have elected more than any other group of people in our country then I must start with those we have elected as a way of changing our system of government. This country elects 166 TD's (MP's) for 4 million people. My main proposal before I can reccomend any other reduction in services is that as part of the 2011 budget the numbers of TD's is reduceded from 166 to 111.
Sunday, 10 October 2010
The 2011 Budget for the Republic of Ireland
Hope Kate from the Silver Surfers picks up on this one.
The Republic of Ireland, as quoted by a commentator on RTE's Marianne Finucane radio programme (10/10/10), is on the precipice of total economic collapse within a fortnight if a common approach is not agreed between the main political parties in Ireland. I, Toni Manifesto, propose a budget to try to save Ireland from total economic collapse. However I totally disagree that there needs to be consensus between the political parties on the way forward. Such a consensus would merely present a Political Dictatorship. I would prefer and openly propose a Military Takeover by Ireland's Defence Forces. The suspension of the Constitution. The suspension of the Irish Parliament and Senate. The immediate takeover of all banking, financial and Insurance institutions by Government Officials who would at all times have the support of armed personnel. The government has been pleading with the banks to start lending. The pleading would be over. If a government official and army officer enter a bank building and tell bank officials to start lending and this order is disobeyed those bank officials would be put under house arrest. This is an emergency measure that would last for one year.
The reason Ireland is in the predicament it is in is greed, corruption at every level throughout the state. I mean every level throughout the state. Every government department, every bank, every business, every human element including churches, voluntary organisations, security services including police (Gardai). The connection I will make here is the Galway Tent, a Fianna Fail Government corruption pump to encourage the rich to create and keep sustained the thing that brought Ireland to it's knees, The Celtic Tiger. Aligned with this was the Church and its child abuse and systemic cover up. The scandal of Shell Gas in Mayo that was donated free to international oil companies which flies in the face of best practice shown by the Norwegian Government. The Golden Circle in the Anglo Irish Bank of Fianna Fail Government supporters and building developers who brought Anglo and Ireland to it's knees. The FAS corruption in Ireland's Government training Agency. The recent revelations about monies going missing in HSE expenses. And of course Senate and Parliamentary expenses by politicians. Some will be surprised that I mention the Gardai but I recall a scandal some years back about nursing home owners stealing money from their residents and a major investigation was launched. One of those complaints was made by a garda on RTE radio about money being taken from a parent. No-one was ever prosecuted in the nursing home scandals, in the banks or finance companies despite public airing of billions being slushed around from one institute to another to create a false impression that all was OK. These are all crimes I am describing!! Serious criminal offences which every member of the Irish police service know about! But unfortunately the two most serious offences that people go to jail for in the Irish Republic is no TV licence and minor traffic offences. Why don't police officers respond to major criminal offences being committed on a daily basis as described above. Well the Fianna Fail Government set up Anglo Irish Bank, the HSE, FAS, collaborated with the churches, collected the political expenses and appointed every Police Commissioner for the past fifteen years. But if a garda officer doesn't have to be told to stop a car for no tax or a baldy tyre why should a garda officer have to wait for the call to go in to parliament and arrest someone fiddling expenses, or into a bank that has just covered up tens of billions of euros in fraud? I could go on and on and on. But the Government under Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan and the Green Party will announce Ireland's budget on 7th December 2010 for the year 2011.
I believe this budget announcement will be the single worst attack on the poor and disadvantaged that any western country has seen in the past 70 years. It will continue last years policy of rewarding, supporting and covering up for the rich in Ireland at all costs. Capitalist ideology and past acts of economic terrorism will be protected before the interest of the Irish population.
My budget proposals will come under the usual policies of fiscal rectitude. Huge political reform and cutbacks on the cost of the political system in Ireland. A new health system which would literally pull down the structure of the HSE, the health boards that should have been abolished and the over loaded clerical, administrative, consultative private profiteers and hangers on that have created a mammoth waste of expenditure that is creating misery to the entire population. It would be replaced by a simple health system that is built on one doctor, one nurse and a hospital bed. Obviously everyone will be waiting for the rest of that story. I would introduce a fast track system of legislation, an end to a part time parliament in Dublin, a halving of County Councillors and Urban Councillors. Reform of the Social Welfare System. A special Government Department to set wages and prices with strict control on both. All banks would be controlled by the Government until the €50 billion banking guarantee is repaid in full. A state bank would be set up which would have the interest of the Irish people, not profit, as it's ethos. The 30,000 millionaires reported by Fintan O'Toole of the Irish times would be named and ordered to come into the tax net. Each would be given one year to make a one off payment of €330,000 to the Revenue Commissioners. There would be a wealth tax, a property tax and water rates which would be charged on the basis of what one could afford. Child Benefit would be taxed and abolished for the rich. Critics might say this type of actions against the well off might make them leave the country. That's not a big problem. We have tens of thousands of well educated graduates who can take their place, hundreds of thousands of unemployed who can take their place. As long as the billionaires, millionaires and well off don't try to take their money with them the rest of us don't mind. Medical Consultants and millionaire Lawyers can and will be replaced. Lawyer fees to be reviewed with a view to a minimum 50% reduction. Tribunal fees to be reduced by 80%. Bond Holders, either bank or Government to be named before the Bank Guarantee can be implemented. We don't know if these bond holders are members of the Real IRA or Al Queida. Or Chelsea supporters. The Constitution of Ireland Completely re-written to reflect 2015 values and not 1930 values. A taxation overhaul that would take away the emphasis on "income tax" and be replaced with a levy system. A Health Levy, an Education Levy, a Crime Levy. A new system to provide finance for our prisons which should be paid for by those who commit crime and support crime. I've mentioned a lot of them above. Extensive changes to the Justice System including penalties against Judges who release prisoners on bail or early from prison who then go on to kill, rape or commit serious crimes.
A Civil Service who would take commands from Government Departments and an end to the "Yes Minister" farce. All of the matters and others, I will set out in detail over the next days and weeks and hope to give politicians a fortnight to think about my radical budget. One more proposal I will have would be the most far reaching all Ireland economic plan that could very well create the ultimate economic boost on the Island of Ireland and that could in a matter of five years end the economic mire we are now in. But that's all for another day.
The Republic of Ireland, as quoted by a commentator on RTE's Marianne Finucane radio programme (10/10/10), is on the precipice of total economic collapse within a fortnight if a common approach is not agreed between the main political parties in Ireland. I, Toni Manifesto, propose a budget to try to save Ireland from total economic collapse. However I totally disagree that there needs to be consensus between the political parties on the way forward. Such a consensus would merely present a Political Dictatorship. I would prefer and openly propose a Military Takeover by Ireland's Defence Forces. The suspension of the Constitution. The suspension of the Irish Parliament and Senate. The immediate takeover of all banking, financial and Insurance institutions by Government Officials who would at all times have the support of armed personnel. The government has been pleading with the banks to start lending. The pleading would be over. If a government official and army officer enter a bank building and tell bank officials to start lending and this order is disobeyed those bank officials would be put under house arrest. This is an emergency measure that would last for one year.
The reason Ireland is in the predicament it is in is greed, corruption at every level throughout the state. I mean every level throughout the state. Every government department, every bank, every business, every human element including churches, voluntary organisations, security services including police (Gardai). The connection I will make here is the Galway Tent, a Fianna Fail Government corruption pump to encourage the rich to create and keep sustained the thing that brought Ireland to it's knees, The Celtic Tiger. Aligned with this was the Church and its child abuse and systemic cover up. The scandal of Shell Gas in Mayo that was donated free to international oil companies which flies in the face of best practice shown by the Norwegian Government. The Golden Circle in the Anglo Irish Bank of Fianna Fail Government supporters and building developers who brought Anglo and Ireland to it's knees. The FAS corruption in Ireland's Government training Agency. The recent revelations about monies going missing in HSE expenses. And of course Senate and Parliamentary expenses by politicians. Some will be surprised that I mention the Gardai but I recall a scandal some years back about nursing home owners stealing money from their residents and a major investigation was launched. One of those complaints was made by a garda on RTE radio about money being taken from a parent. No-one was ever prosecuted in the nursing home scandals, in the banks or finance companies despite public airing of billions being slushed around from one institute to another to create a false impression that all was OK. These are all crimes I am describing!! Serious criminal offences which every member of the Irish police service know about! But unfortunately the two most serious offences that people go to jail for in the Irish Republic is no TV licence and minor traffic offences. Why don't police officers respond to major criminal offences being committed on a daily basis as described above. Well the Fianna Fail Government set up Anglo Irish Bank, the HSE, FAS, collaborated with the churches, collected the political expenses and appointed every Police Commissioner for the past fifteen years. But if a garda officer doesn't have to be told to stop a car for no tax or a baldy tyre why should a garda officer have to wait for the call to go in to parliament and arrest someone fiddling expenses, or into a bank that has just covered up tens of billions of euros in fraud? I could go on and on and on. But the Government under Brian Cowan and Brian Lenihan and the Green Party will announce Ireland's budget on 7th December 2010 for the year 2011.
I believe this budget announcement will be the single worst attack on the poor and disadvantaged that any western country has seen in the past 70 years. It will continue last years policy of rewarding, supporting and covering up for the rich in Ireland at all costs. Capitalist ideology and past acts of economic terrorism will be protected before the interest of the Irish population.
My budget proposals will come under the usual policies of fiscal rectitude. Huge political reform and cutbacks on the cost of the political system in Ireland. A new health system which would literally pull down the structure of the HSE, the health boards that should have been abolished and the over loaded clerical, administrative, consultative private profiteers and hangers on that have created a mammoth waste of expenditure that is creating misery to the entire population. It would be replaced by a simple health system that is built on one doctor, one nurse and a hospital bed. Obviously everyone will be waiting for the rest of that story. I would introduce a fast track system of legislation, an end to a part time parliament in Dublin, a halving of County Councillors and Urban Councillors. Reform of the Social Welfare System. A special Government Department to set wages and prices with strict control on both. All banks would be controlled by the Government until the €50 billion banking guarantee is repaid in full. A state bank would be set up which would have the interest of the Irish people, not profit, as it's ethos. The 30,000 millionaires reported by Fintan O'Toole of the Irish times would be named and ordered to come into the tax net. Each would be given one year to make a one off payment of €330,000 to the Revenue Commissioners. There would be a wealth tax, a property tax and water rates which would be charged on the basis of what one could afford. Child Benefit would be taxed and abolished for the rich. Critics might say this type of actions against the well off might make them leave the country. That's not a big problem. We have tens of thousands of well educated graduates who can take their place, hundreds of thousands of unemployed who can take their place. As long as the billionaires, millionaires and well off don't try to take their money with them the rest of us don't mind. Medical Consultants and millionaire Lawyers can and will be replaced. Lawyer fees to be reviewed with a view to a minimum 50% reduction. Tribunal fees to be reduced by 80%. Bond Holders, either bank or Government to be named before the Bank Guarantee can be implemented. We don't know if these bond holders are members of the Real IRA or Al Queida. Or Chelsea supporters. The Constitution of Ireland Completely re-written to reflect 2015 values and not 1930 values. A taxation overhaul that would take away the emphasis on "income tax" and be replaced with a levy system. A Health Levy, an Education Levy, a Crime Levy. A new system to provide finance for our prisons which should be paid for by those who commit crime and support crime. I've mentioned a lot of them above. Extensive changes to the Justice System including penalties against Judges who release prisoners on bail or early from prison who then go on to kill, rape or commit serious crimes.
A Civil Service who would take commands from Government Departments and an end to the "Yes Minister" farce. All of the matters and others, I will set out in detail over the next days and weeks and hope to give politicians a fortnight to think about my radical budget. One more proposal I will have would be the most far reaching all Ireland economic plan that could very well create the ultimate economic boost on the Island of Ireland and that could in a matter of five years end the economic mire we are now in. But that's all for another day.
Friday, 8 October 2010
The Irish Budget, Belderrig and Gamu
Hi! Folks. Sorry for my absence during the summer. A little illness but a short break in beautiful Mayo helped with that. I stayed near the centre of that Shell to sea dispute. Belderrig and Belmullet. Friendliest place on earth. Belderrig Bay Hotel and the surrounding areas. Mind the sheep! It's an open pedestrian area for our woolly friends. Before I go on to the Budget I just want to comment on Gamu being ejected from the X Factor. Why is it that every year a potential winning contestant is deprived of the right to go before the public vote? Even though Gamu is not presently in the contest she is still the bookies favourite to win it! The bookies are rarely wrong. That's why they never go broke. But at least all this controversy has highlighted the unjust system of deporting people from the UK and Ireland. Gamu was brought into the UK as a child. Her mum may technically be illegally resident but Gamu is more Scottish than African. It is cruel and inhuman to deport her back to Zimbabwe.
Now to the Irish Budget. This will be a long haul piece so I'll start off a new post. I intend to publish a budget myself and of course it will be in speech form and therefore will contain commentary on subjects surrounding the present economic crisis in Ireland on the international scene.
Now to the Irish Budget. This will be a long haul piece so I'll start off a new post. I intend to publish a budget myself and of course it will be in speech form and therefore will contain commentary on subjects surrounding the present economic crisis in Ireland on the international scene.
Thursday, 1 July 2010
€2.2 million for two days work. Get a law degree in Ireland Kapello.
People have been complaining about England's World Cup performance and their manager's and players wages. Well take a look at RTE's News Headlines tonight at a Judgement on legal fees for two barristers and two solicitors for two days work. The Taxing Master of Dublins High Court said he was disgusted at the fees demanded for a case taken five years ago. The legal team charged €2.2 million for a case which lasted two days in court. Fabio Kappelo may just forget about that England job. Get a law degree in Dublin and you can rip everyone and anyone off!!
Taxing Master Charles Moran reduced the Lawyers fees by 82% from almost €2.2 million to €393 thousand. Mr Moran said he was disgusted and bewildered at the level of the claim from the Lawyers. All Irish Legal fees need to be reduced by 82%.
Taxing Master Charles Moran reduced the Lawyers fees by 82% from almost €2.2 million to €393 thousand. Mr Moran said he was disgusted and bewildered at the level of the claim from the Lawyers. All Irish Legal fees need to be reduced by 82%.
An open letter to Kenneth Clarke MP, Justice Minister UK
30th June 2010
http://manifesto151051.blogspot.com
Dear Mr Clarke,
I refer to your speech at Kings College London today regarding prisons policy. Firstly, I want to congratulate you on your appointment as Justice Minister in the new Government. I am strongly opposed to your party and most of its policies. I regard myself as a socialist and find billionaires, banks and the rich as an obnoxious cancer in our society. However going back many, many years ago you were the only face of Tory-ism I ever found acceptable. You may think I am going to exclaim a tirade of abuse or heap praise on the Conservative change in policy relating to Prisoners and Crime. In fact I am going to better your new policy in favour of reducing the prison population by 60,000 in one fell swoop. Those who favour throwing more criminals in jail will agree with my policy and those who feel prison is a wrong method of criminal justice will also agree with my proposals. But more important, I will be switching the responsibility for re-offending away from the government, away from the prisons, away from the police. Prisoners under my scheme would take responsibility for their own detention. They would be given a choice en masse whether to get the key of the front gate of the prison.
My proposal in response to your claim that prison doesn’t work is to announce a General Amnesty for all prisoners in the United Kingdom.
Now before people go ape I want all the people now incarcerated in prison to be offered an amnesty for their crime/s. Except for those involved in Violent Crime. Violence includes Child Abuse and a lot of crimes that people may have felt were threatening. However the amnesty would be announced on the basis that all prisoners would be allowed to apply. Only people who apply would be given consideration. As an example, if this was open to the Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 2000. Brady would refuse to apply and would also not be eligible on the grounds that he is diagnosed as insane. Hindley would be entitled to apply as her actual life sentence was served by 2000. Thousands of people have been locked up in prison for not paying their TV Licence, for debts owed to Banks who have been shown to be involved in serious crime. Yet no prisoner is ever ask to share a cell with a banker! People find themselves in prison for ridiculous things like not paying speeding fines they didn’t know they had because they were abroad when they got the Summons.
Now Mr Clarke, here’s the catch. I’m a socialist but I’m not a sympathiser with criminals or their activities. This Amnesty has to satisfy those on both sides of the argument. So really I agree that we should not have 85,000 people in prison locked up in cells throughout the United Kingdom. You want to save the 3 billion that your supporters might have to pay if they don’t get the right accountant to keep those 85k people out of prison. I want you to reduce that cost so that you can increase the amount of money given to Paediatrics in our hospitals, Hospices, Handicapped etc. So the basics I propose are this: Every prisoner in the United Kingdom would be released on January 1st 2011. Those who would not be released would be those who had not applied, those convicted of murder, rape, child abuse, or any conviction for assault.
So if all those convicted of a violent crime were kept in prison and all those, including the alcoholics, drug addicts, schizophrenics and mentally ill, speed merchants, white collar criminals, debt defaulters, were released we would release 75% of our prisoners. But more important. Those who support banging up offenders in prison will get their day. If a prisoner applies for release under the Amnesty Act 2010 they will be given a Contract to Sign. They will agree that if they are convicted of a crime within 5 years of signing the Amnesty they will return to prison for a period twice that of their original sentence. However no one in the United Kingdom will ever be detained on the grounds of health or poverty.
Mr Clarke, the benefits of this Amnesty are huge. Every aspect of the policy is good for society, good for the poor where most prisoners communities originate, good for the wealthy who support your party. I ask you to give my proposal consideration. Most of the problems however, that created such a monstrosity of prison policy is the Parliamentary, Judicial and legal system in this country. The legislative system must be speeded up. Instant law should be created. Ten years for being found with a knife. Instant legislation. Now in one year this law would not be needed. Because people would stop carrying knives. So revert to the old law and carry on.
Thank you
Toni Manifesto
http://manifesto151051.blogspot.com
Dear Mr Clarke,
I refer to your speech at Kings College London today regarding prisons policy. Firstly, I want to congratulate you on your appointment as Justice Minister in the new Government. I am strongly opposed to your party and most of its policies. I regard myself as a socialist and find billionaires, banks and the rich as an obnoxious cancer in our society. However going back many, many years ago you were the only face of Tory-ism I ever found acceptable. You may think I am going to exclaim a tirade of abuse or heap praise on the Conservative change in policy relating to Prisoners and Crime. In fact I am going to better your new policy in favour of reducing the prison population by 60,000 in one fell swoop. Those who favour throwing more criminals in jail will agree with my policy and those who feel prison is a wrong method of criminal justice will also agree with my proposals. But more important, I will be switching the responsibility for re-offending away from the government, away from the prisons, away from the police. Prisoners under my scheme would take responsibility for their own detention. They would be given a choice en masse whether to get the key of the front gate of the prison.
My proposal in response to your claim that prison doesn’t work is to announce a General Amnesty for all prisoners in the United Kingdom.
Now before people go ape I want all the people now incarcerated in prison to be offered an amnesty for their crime/s. Except for those involved in Violent Crime. Violence includes Child Abuse and a lot of crimes that people may have felt were threatening. However the amnesty would be announced on the basis that all prisoners would be allowed to apply. Only people who apply would be given consideration. As an example, if this was open to the Moors Murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 2000. Brady would refuse to apply and would also not be eligible on the grounds that he is diagnosed as insane. Hindley would be entitled to apply as her actual life sentence was served by 2000. Thousands of people have been locked up in prison for not paying their TV Licence, for debts owed to Banks who have been shown to be involved in serious crime. Yet no prisoner is ever ask to share a cell with a banker! People find themselves in prison for ridiculous things like not paying speeding fines they didn’t know they had because they were abroad when they got the Summons.
Now Mr Clarke, here’s the catch. I’m a socialist but I’m not a sympathiser with criminals or their activities. This Amnesty has to satisfy those on both sides of the argument. So really I agree that we should not have 85,000 people in prison locked up in cells throughout the United Kingdom. You want to save the 3 billion that your supporters might have to pay if they don’t get the right accountant to keep those 85k people out of prison. I want you to reduce that cost so that you can increase the amount of money given to Paediatrics in our hospitals, Hospices, Handicapped etc. So the basics I propose are this: Every prisoner in the United Kingdom would be released on January 1st 2011. Those who would not be released would be those who had not applied, those convicted of murder, rape, child abuse, or any conviction for assault.
So if all those convicted of a violent crime were kept in prison and all those, including the alcoholics, drug addicts, schizophrenics and mentally ill, speed merchants, white collar criminals, debt defaulters, were released we would release 75% of our prisoners. But more important. Those who support banging up offenders in prison will get their day. If a prisoner applies for release under the Amnesty Act 2010 they will be given a Contract to Sign. They will agree that if they are convicted of a crime within 5 years of signing the Amnesty they will return to prison for a period twice that of their original sentence. However no one in the United Kingdom will ever be detained on the grounds of health or poverty.
Mr Clarke, the benefits of this Amnesty are huge. Every aspect of the policy is good for society, good for the poor where most prisoners communities originate, good for the wealthy who support your party. I ask you to give my proposal consideration. Most of the problems however, that created such a monstrosity of prison policy is the Parliamentary, Judicial and legal system in this country. The legislative system must be speeded up. Instant law should be created. Ten years for being found with a knife. Instant legislation. Now in one year this law would not be needed. Because people would stop carrying knives. So revert to the old law and carry on.
Thank you
Toni Manifesto
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