The Irish are exceptionally generous people, and as such are particularly forgiving of their politicians. They often boast about who has been talking more brown envelopes than another, down at the Pub. I can only think that the general public here expect that taking bribes and ‘wink and a handshake’ deals are the norm for all politicians, and that to get anything done, it’s who you know, not how honestly you deal with people.
The worst thing is, these things are almost the first thing I ever hear about Irish politicians, and that hasn’t changed in the 4+ years I’ve been here. When the general population believe that they live in a third world banana republic, then truly they don’t show much faith in their current government to make things better. And their lack of motivation to change this government reminds me of a passage in the Declaration of Independence of the United States.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
This may be the situation here, that they believe they can do no better, but this sure sets the bar very low as regards to the implied social contract of the people with their government. The Irish should expect better from their elected officials, they should expect to be treated as generously by their government, as they treat their own neighbors and the odd tourist that cross their paths.
nice little post there – any suggestions about how we go about it ? political apathy is indeed rife here … a lot of people will adopt the attitude “Sure what can i do ?”
I wish I knew, part of the selling of politics is lowering expectations.
As most politicians never expect to deliver on their promises, they will always seek to cover themselves with a blanket of excuses for not delivering. It has now dropped to the level where people do not expect anything from their elected officials and the can now deliver anything, and get away with it.