General Election 2020 Hub

Economist Jim Power :grinning: :grinning: :grinning: :grinning: :grinning:

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They were individual costings and in total are fully unrealistic, but are being portrayed by SF as the DOF rubberstamping them.

Again noonan 2016 has no relevance.

Now to your argument of FGs policy of transferring wealth from the poor to the rich?

We were told by those on the ground in 2016 that SF hadn’t a prayer in Cork East because Sandra McLellan had left the party due to bullying. Lo and behold, SF retained the seat with a different, low profile candidate.

Again, they had a seat to hold. Adams is a massive vote getter in Dundalk, the most republican town this side of the border. Voters in Tipperary are much more likely to vote for SF if they keep people who remind them of the IRA as far away as possible. They’re more popular in more places now because of Mary Lou, Eoin O’Broin, Pearse Doherty. Those are the people that could and are having an impact on their popularity in Tipperary and across the country, not Adams

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What aboutery is not allowed in SF debates

You seem to be under the impression that seats cannot change hands. So clearly in your view SF will not be gaining any seats this time.

How are they unrealistic? Have the DoF said they are unrealistic? They have said they have costed them individually so if the individual items are costed correctly it should be straight forward to sum them up. Jim Power’s opinion on unrealistic spending could be as valid as Michael Healy Rae’s opinion on climate change.

Monaghan is a more republican town than Dundalk.

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Flesh that out a bit. Where did I put you under the impression that seats cannot change hands?

The department was quoted as criticising their plans, not endorsing them, unless you have evidence of that?

Back to FGs policy of wealth transfer, thanks

Who’s “sid”? Do you think I’m Brian Whelahan? :grinning: Why are you so afraid to answer the question?

It said they costed individual items, not that they tested every individual item

Adams is inextricably linked to the Troubles. If anything I’d put the rise of SF partly down to his absence from this campaign. Yeah, he was a massive vote getter in Louth but in an awful lot of constituencies he was a marmite figure.

Mary Lou, Doherty, Louise O’Reilly etc are just not tainted in the same way. They are the new breed who will never be badgered at election time by repeated questions like “were you ever a member of the IRA?”

If Adams was parachuted back down to Tipperary all the old wounds would be reopened. Would be crazy for SF to wheel him out now at this stage when the likes of Mary Lou & Doherty are a lot more tolerable/popular among the public.

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It’s "leading economist"Jim Power criticising Sinn Fein’s figures. At least read the article.

However, the department clarified that it did not cost the totality of the Sinn Féin package but rather it costed individual items and there was stinging criticism of the party’s spending plans.

Economist Jim Power said any party proposing additional spending within the €11bn ceiling is prudent but moving beyond that is highly risky.

“Any party going beyond that ceiling are dangerous and fiscally irresponsible,” Mr Power said.

He said many of Sinn Féin’s planned tax increases on financial institutions and wealthy individuals “fly in the face” of a growing economy.

Well it’s the obvious implication given you keep mentioning that SF haven’t won a seat in Tipp up to now. That seems to be the sum of your argument, that because SF haven’t had a seat in Tipp before, they automatically won’t this time. You seem hostile to the idea that they could even have a chance. It’s weird. And it makes no sense to take this view as regards Tipp alone.

The town of Dundalk isn’t historically republican per se . The Cooley area though …

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Yes. It’s the rural areas that are close to the border that is the real republican area of Louth.

Monaghan town has always been a very republican town. You know when you visit the bars there.

I said I don’t think SF will win a seat. They are coming from a small base with a no mark candidate and in a constituency where in my opinion 4/5 seats are already sewn up. Having said that MLMCD coming down and putting in a big effort would help them have a chance, while Adams would harm them more than help them in that regard IMO

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Why didn’t you bold this part?

And there is nothing there endorsing SFs policy, bar their own say so.

Im answering away here, why won’t you answer my question about your statement that its actual FG policy to transfer wealth from poor to rich? It was an incredibly moronic populist statement but you have to stand over it

Because there was no stinging criticism from the DoF, the stinging criticism came from a"leading economist". DoF don’t get involved in party politics, they just cost the figures.

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