No way back for Cowen's bunch of Bart Simpsons
WHEN you have to go down, you should go down with your guns blazing and your colours flying. That works just as well, if not better, for those in greatest need of redemption.
Charles Dickens's Sydney Carton redeemed himself by an act of heroism at the end of his life. But there are no Sydney Cartons in Brian Cowen's hapless Coalition. Instead, it contains a bunch of Bart Simpsons.
Not even Brian Lenihan can fill the Carton role. If anyone could go down with grace and style as the good ship Irish Republic sinks, it is he. The €6bn "fiscal adjustment" measures he announced on Thursday could be seen as one last brave effort to save the ship. But they are not his own measures.
Are they the right measures? I think not. Leaving aside the suffering they, and the rest of the four-year fiscal programme, will inflict on individuals and families, they will destroy our hopes of economic recovery and condemn us to a 'lost decade' if not a lost generation.
Worse still, in my opinion, is that they signal the end of our economic sovereignty. In effect, the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have imposed them.
People think the IMF is waiting in the wings to see if the European bailout fund -- to which it appears certain we must resort -- can substitute for direct intervention. In reality, the commission and the IMF are evidently working hand in glove.
On past form, it might seem that the loss of sovereignty need not be permanent. Other countries in similar circumstances have cleaned themselves up and regained their independence.
Our case is different. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will get her way. Brussels will have permanent control of national deficits.
That means (whatever way the Taoiseach may mumble) changes in the European treaties. And treaty changes mean Lisbon III. I don't see how we can avoid it.
What can we rescue from the shipwreck? Our 12.5pc corporation tax? Only if we ask for it as a favour from our European partners, or rather rulers, and they comply.
Frightful as all this looks, it would be more bearable if we had held on to our national spirit and could approach the catastrophe in the belief that we would somehow overcome the worst and thrive again.
But everything our dismal Government does makes it harder, literally by the day, to have even a shred of confidence. It has reduced our people to such despair that they say openly that they want to subject themselves to the IMF.
For me, that is the worst offence of the 'republican party'.
Not only has Fianna Fail lost all pride and self-respect, and diminished the pride and self-respect of the population, it has also lost, if it ever had, pride in and respect for our democratic institutions.
This week, the Government got a rap on the knuckles in the High Court, which forced it to name a date for the Donegal South West by-election. It tried to save face by announcing an appeal to the Supreme Court.
It didn't have the courage, or the good sense, to call the other pending by-elections.
What's this about? Not any delicate constitutional worries about "separation of powers".
There is one reason, and one reason only, for these delays. If and when the by-elections are held, Fianna Fail will lose. And along with the lost seats will go the Government's Dail majority.
Cowen and his ministers seem willing to endure any humiliation to stay in office for a few months longer. To what purpose? Can they imagine that they will get any credit for the austerity measures?
These have been forced on them by two factors. One I have outlined above, outside dictation. The other is the horrendous mistakes made by the governments of Cowen and his predecessor Bertie Ahern.
There will be -- there already have been -- other humiliations. One has attracted little notice in a week of too many sensations.
Jackie Healy-Rae and Michael Lowry announced what sounded like their respective prices for continuing to support the Government in the Dail. Jackie wants a hospital; Michael wants a casino.
I don't know how the Government can deliver on either of these propositions; in fact, I suspect that it can't and that the Healy-Rae and Lowry families will campaign in the general election on the smaller good things already delivered. But what could be more appropriate than a casino?
The Greens for their part have passed up on several opportunities (or excuses) to break the Coalition. Maybe they will identify university fees as a good issue. I don't think, though, that anything can save them.
What do these things tell us about our political system and ourselves as a people? I have asked this question before, and nobody can give an optimistic answer. We have played infantile games for too long.
Now we have been plunged into a game for adults. So here's another question. Can we somehow find an answer of our own, or must we let others find an answer for us?
- James Downey
Irish Independent
