September 2011 - Irish American News

September 2011 Irish American News “We’ve Always Been Green!” 27The Big Picture… And The SmallA silly season story to make youweep. Retiring employees of FAS, thealready discredited Irish state trainingagency, receive up to seven weeks extrapaid holidays during each of theirfinal two years, to help them preparefor retirement (!) No wonder Ireland’seconomic situation is sometimes characterisedas critical but not serious.The Big Picture is now with us. Inthe context of the tremors coursingthrough the world economy, Ireland’seconomic problems, real or otherwise,represent small beer indeed. Who cantell what will be the outcome of the currentworld wide economic upheaval?Will the international economy stutteron? Will the euro survive? Politically,what will happen in the Middle East?Will democracy prevail—eventually—in Libya and Syria? What then? Willthe Arab Spring spread to the Gulf,to Saudi Arabia? Will the pundit whoforecast that in a year or two the southernrim of the Mediterranean would beone Islamic state be proved correct?And what about the price of oil?Thus far the big picture has helped.The need for Europe’s big states tofocus on protecting the Euro hassubsumed Ireland’s problems into thebigger euro whole (“w” optional!). Theimmediate interim solutions, a secondbailout for Greece and moves towardsnew fiscal mechanisms, have, as a byproduct,lowered the interest rate payableby Ireland on monies borrowed.The government has been handed, on aplate, one of it’s chief election commitments.The net effect will be a savingof $1 billion plus annually on interestpayable, giving slightly more wiggleroom on the financial bind. (The savingdoes not mean more money; merelythat the cost of our ongoing borrowingsimply to run the country will beslightly less.)It must be comforting for the Government,just six months in, to have thisinternational economic background asa fallback. There is still mileage out ofblaming Fianna Fail for the domesticsituation and the harsh measures pending,but there is now the added comfortof external economic factors. Shouldthe Irish economy continue to stagnate,and unemployment persist at currentlevels, the international economicuncertainty can be cited as hinderingrecovery. Moreover, the praise andplaudits we are receiving internationallyfor policies pursued are encouraging.If we could only factor out the costof the bank bailout, we would be wellon the way to recovery. If only!The saving on interest will not goamiss. For even if so far Enda Kennyseems blessed with Napoleon’s sine quanon for a general—Luck—the thirdhundred days of the coalition promisesto be interesting. At the very least thegovernment has to find $4.5 billion inextra savings in the December budgetand who knows what else may be lyingin the economic long grass out there(last year $5 billion morphed to $7billion after September, which provedthe tipping point necessitating IMF intervention).A formidable enough targetin itself but made more complicated bya mystifying commitment, celebrating100 days in office, by Kenny and hisdeputy and Labour leader Gilmore, notto raise income tax or cut welfare levelsto achieve the target.Given this commitment, just howthe target—an IMF one—will be metis unclear. Perhaps the Governmentbelieves its luck (and public support)will hold. This is a dangerousstrategy. The money has got to comefrom somewhere. Presumably someform of semantics will be employed,changing tax bands, changing age orincome levels for benefits, a slew ofstealth taxes, but the net effect will beto damage seriously the government’sreputation for transparency. This hasalready taken one blow over RoscommonHospital, where a needless preelectioncommitment was given. Thestrategy should surely have been totake the harsh measures every oneknew were necessary early on in thegovernment’s term and blame it all onFianna Fail.The fallback strategy, to blame theIMF, already used to excuse the newproperty levy, cuts less ice and is lesseffective politically. There is everydanger that the brief opportunity forthe new government to dent decisivelythe public sense of entitlement andregenerate the political system andculture will be lost. Already voices canbe heard complaining that they “votedfor change” and asking where is it, as ifthe economic mess could be banishedby simply casting a vote. While mostpeople recognise the seriousness ofthe situation and the need for firm andpainful action, the danger in delayis that impetus will be lost. As timepasses, and as further harsh measuresare introduced piecemeal, the ficklefinger of blame could quickly redirectat the government.There is no doubt that Fine Gaelfeels it has to tread with care lest itfrighten the Labour horses. Labour forits part has its own frightened horsesto worry about. The unprecedentednumber of new Labour backbenchersis both a blessing and a curse; greatto have the numbers but a slight lossof support could lose those seats nexttime round. The new backbenchers arevery much aware of this, and of theradical left snapping at Labour’s heels.The recent election showed the punishmentthat an angry and disillusionedelectorate can hand out.While all this is true (and also applies,mutatis mutandis, to the FineGael backbenchers), there is surely astronger case to be made in the currentsituation for the tactics of Machiavellirather than Fabian the Delayer, i.e. getthe harsh measures over quickly.Whatever the outcome on the worldmacro- stage, the problem of thebudget deficit on the Irish micro-stagewill remain and this cannot be solvedwithout pain.The first strains on inter-coalitionrelations should come later this monthwhen the comprehensive review of governmentexpenditure is due. Grantedthat the Minister in charge is a LabourMinister, nevertheless any proposedcutbacks in spending, to help meet theIMF target, are likely to impact more onLabour supporters and support and leadto some soul-searching in the ranks. Atoe to toe battle between the two partiesin the October Presidential electionwould also not improve matters, thoughas I write it is not clear what the finalline-up of candidates will be.The mood of the electorate shouldalso be watched. While there has beena healthy dose of realism up to now,as evidenced by the muted reactionto the medicine the public has had toswallow (unlike Greece, there has beenno rioting in the streets), this was accompaniedby a grim resolve to punishthose deemed responsible, as FiannaFail found out. However, into Year Four,with more screw-tightening in prospect,the cumulative effect is mounting, withmany hitherto unscathed (includingsections of the middle class) nowbeing hit.The potential for grievance developingis rising. Revelations suchas the FAS one do not help, nor thefact, underscored daily, that everyonewill hang on doggedly to what theyhave. Ultimately so much depends oninternational developments that theGovernment should be careful lestwhat it does, or doesn’t do, makesmatters worse.Chicago Kilt Run to Try for Guinness RecordOnly a short year ago, a few ChicagoPolice Detectives formed theCommittee for the Chicago Kilt Run. Itwas a tremendous success in fundraisingand as a social event, organized tobenefit Police Charities.This is the only Kilt Run where allparticipants are encouraged to wear akilt to start the race. Kilts are madeavailable by event organizers. CharitableRun/Walk. All are welcome…Even your pets may participate!Afterward… Hang out at our rollickingpost-run celebration with alldayentertainment at the main stagestarring Joe McShane, Fast EddieMcAteer, and Barry Fagan.The current Guinness record is heldby the City of Perth, Ontario, Canada,Seanachai’sThe ShadowOf A GunmanSeanachaí Theatre Companyopens its 2011/12 season ClassicVoices: The Revolutionaries withSean O’Casey’s The Shadow of aGunman in the 3rd Floor Theatre atthe Irish American Heritage Center,4626 N. Knox Ave. in Chicago, fromSeptember 17th to October 23rd.In a Dublin tenement four yearsafter the Easter Rising, poet DonalDavoren finds himself the victimof mistaken identity as an IRAgunman. The notoriety of beingwith 1,089 participants—join in helpbreak this record!When: Sunday, September 18, 2011at 10amWhere: Start and Finish at TrinityPub Festival Grounds located at 5943N. Northwest Hwy., Chicago, ILWhat: A 3K (1.87 mile) run, walk,jog, etc not a strictly competitive race.It will be a C.A.R.A. (Chicago AreaRunners Association) emerging race. Aportion of the proceeds will be donatedto select local schools, and The ChicagoPolice Memorial Foundation. Everyyear this charity/fund changes and willbe community-based. A Celtic Fest followsthe event featuring a concert stagewith The House of Blues; house band,step dancing demonstrations, and moreCeltic entertainers and activities.Registration: via www.chicagokiltrun.com;Pricing is $25 if registeredby Monday, September 12th, 2011,12:00 am; $35 if registered by Saturday,September 17th, 2011, Midnight. Adiscount of $10 will be automaticallyapplied for participants of age 13 andyounger.Also visit the website at chicagokiltrun.comand view the video and photogallery from last year’s event.a “gunmanon the run”becomesan amusingand attractivealter ego, especially given thenewfound affection of the lovelypatriot Minnie Powell. But at whatcost?The Shadow of a Gunman (1923)is part of O’Casey’s well-knownDublin Trilogy, which includesJuno and the Paycock (1924) andThe Plough and the Stars (1926),the latter of which inspired Irishpatriots to riot.www.seanachai.org.RESTAURANT/pubOWNERS:FERDYNAND & ANNA HEBALInvite you to enjoyThe RedApple Buffet!Czerwone JabtuszkoRESTAURANT & DELI’S3121-23 N. MILWAUKEE AVE.PH 773-588-5781FAX 773-588-39756474 N. MILWAUKEE AVE.PH 773-763-3407 FAX 773-763-3406