Paying taxes and getting stuff? There's a connection?

There is a pattern to how Irish people react to cutbacks. It goes something like this.

1.      Of course, we all must make sacrifices in the current difficult economic climate.

2.      However, we must protect the vulnerable, especially the Old/ Young/  Urban dwellers/ Rural communities/Professional Unicycle Performers/ Didgeredoo enthusiasists/ The Unemployed/People with disabilities/ Non-Irish Nationals/ Minorities/ Roller-skating Giraffes/ Public sector workers/The Low paid/Arts and heritage activists/ and above all, “Community activists”

3.      Aside from those groups, who make up nine and a half out of ten Irish people, everyone else should be prepared to make sacrifices.

4.      However, we must remember to “put people before money” and that rights are more important than money.

5.      Unless it involves money going to any of the people involved above. Then money is very important. Sorry, did we say money? We meant “resources.” Which means money, only it doesn’t sound as, well, grabby.

6.      We will also oppose any means of raising that money by taxing any of the above people. The “well off” should pay for the extra “resources.”

7.      The definition of “well off” is basically people who wear top hats/ monocles/ having twirly well-waxed moustaches/ Employ people called “Bidlington” or “Jennings” to iron their spectacle chamois/ or swim around in Scrooge McDuck moneybins.          

      Or anyone earning over, say,  €30k who does not  work in the public or NGO sector. If they do work in the public/NGO sector, then about €100k a year is tolerable for additional taxation, as long as they are not expected to pay any of this pension levy nonsense. 

       Well, that’ll work, because the world is just full of countries which provide the level of public services we want, only tax the wealthy (Who happily stay in the country to pay those taxes.), and don’t tax anyone else too much, right? For example, there’s…eh…….and then there’s……um?