The Sunday Independent appears to have a major problem with Brian Cowen. Prior to the General Election it flailed him mercilessly on the issue of Stamp Duty. It then swung in strongly behind FF in the three weeks prior to the election.
The attacks on Cowen have recommenced. Jody Corcoran today in a front page article calls him a "doom and gloom" merchant. Cowen expects a growth rate of 3.5% in the economy whilst NCB brokers expect a 5.5% growth rate. The Stamp Duty issue appears to be at the root of the attack.
When Cowen speaks he has the support of the cabinet including the Taoiseach. He is expressing the Governments view and not just his own. FF is now laying the ground work for the 2012 General Election.
There will be sharp cuts in public expenditure. Within three years the Government will once more have the wherewithal to loosen the purse strings. Public expenditure will once more rocket in the lead in to the 2012 election. A grateful electorate-suffering another dose of amnesia- will once more return FF. That is the FF expectation.
Prior to the 2002 General Election FF allowed public expenditure to spiral out of control. Having won the election Charlie McCreevy slashed public expenditure and introduced a raft of Stealth Taxes. By 2005 the Government was flush with cash. The purse strings were opened and public expenditure reached 13% in 2007. The Government duly won the election. After all the Irish people have short memories. The FF/PD/Green government is now about to adopt the same approach as was used after the 2002 General Election.
The Sunday Independent also carries a front page headline-"State Waste of €10bn in 10 years." FF led Governments are responsible for this. Why did the Sunday Independent support the outgoing FF/PD government?
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