by election 2011 manifesto

n Investment down €26 billion

n Austerity has cut €14.6 billion out

of the economy

Unemployment is up since FineGael and Labour took office,despite nearly 40,000

emigrating.Living standards are down and thecrises in health and education aredire. The cuts in Connolly Hospitaland to local SNAs and resourceteachers shows this.This Government believes that thewealthy elite who caused this crisiscan get us out of it. That approach,coupled with the policy of austerity,is madness. The only alternative is for the stateto implement a massive pro-gramme of Public Investment.

n Stop austerity cut-backs now. Defend Health,Education

and all Public Services.n Develop the infrastructure we requireand create jobs. Proceed with MetroNorth and Metro West immediately.n Defend the right of all to a decentjob and education. n Every €1 billion invested can createin the region of 12,000 new jobs bothdirectly and indirectly.n Just €15 billion of public investment,a fraction of the Anglo bailout, couldprovide jobs for the 150,000 jobs andtransform the performance of the economy overall.n For a massive programme of demo-cratically controlled public investment todevelop a strong wealth pro-ducing industrial base andeconomic security for all.

Where is the money?

n Productive investment would quicklypay for itself and adds to the value andwealth in society.n In 2010, 300 people in Ireland hadassets, excluding the primary home, of€57 billion - up €6.7 billion on 2009.n The top 1% have 20% of the wealthand the top 5% have 40%. n Last year, economist Michael Collinssaid there were 110 tax loopholes thatoverwhelmingly benefit the super rich,costing the exchequer €11 billion.n Big business raked in €30 billionprofits in 2010 alone.

We are told that this wealth can't betaxed or taken because they will thenstop investing. But they aren’t investing! And they won’t unless they can make abig enough profit. That is capitalism. Thissystem has failed and should be ended.We say don't allow them to squanderkey economic resources while the major-ity are hit by an unprecedented eco-nomic and social crisis.

n Tax the super-rich and big business -No to the Household or Water Taxes.n Scrap exemptions and subsidies tobig business. n For a significant increase in corpo-ration tax – Every 1% rise would netanother €300 million.n An emergency 10% wealth tax on

the richest 300 would net €5.6 bil-lion. A tax on all the super richwould yeild a lot more.n For public ownership of thebanks and financial institutionsand democratic control, sothey serve the needs of ordi-nary people and small busi-nesses. n For democratic publicownership of the key sec-tors of the economy so theresources can be used in aplanned way for people’sneeds.

A CRAZY WORlD

PUBlIC INvESTMENT“The first thing you

need to know about

Goldman Sachs is that

it's everywhere. The

world's most powerful

investment bank is a

great vampire squid

wrapped around the face

of humanity, relent-

lessly jamming its

blood funnel into any-

thing that smells like

money.”Rolling Stone magazine,

April 5, 2010

“Our job is to make

money from it. And

personally, I’ve been

dreaming of this moment

for 3 yrs. I have a

confession, which is: I

go to bed every night, I

dream of another reces-

sion. I dream of another

moment like this.”

Alessio Rastani, market trader, inter-

viewed on BBC News

“Class warfare is going

on and my class isn’t

just winning, I

mean we’rekilling them”

World’s third

richest man,

WARREN BUFFETT,

October 2011.

The EU crisis and financial instabil-ity is getting worse and the EUleaders are responsible for this.

They facilitated the casino financialmarkets over many years.

Their bailout deals are just aboutsaving bankers and speculators at ourexpense.

They are using blackmail to de-mand that €3.5 billion is paid to un-guaranteed Anglo speculators in thenext months, nearly the total of theausterity due in December’s Budget.

New estimates say the cost of the

Anglo bailout could be between €70and €90 billion. This is obscene and itmust end.

Resisting the EU / IMF Deal is the best way to fight bankruptcy

In Ireland, to pay back the debtsand interest we've being saddled withwould need a sustained high growthrate significantly above 3.5%, the EU/ IMF interest rate.

But EU / IMF austerity and thestrike of investment rules that out. Wecan’t pay or abide by thisausterity/bailout deal.

n Build a united movement of work-ers and young people across Europeto stop EU austerity.

n Democratic public ownership ofthe banks and financial system in Ire-land and Europe and run them forthe benefit of society. Guarantee thesavings of ordinary depositors andworkers’ pension funds.

n Refuse to pay the gambling debtsof speculators - refuse to abide bythe EU / IMF Deal.

n Instead, demand an economicbailout that benefits ordinary peoplein Ireland and throughout Europe.

n Unite with the people of Greece,Spain, Italy and Portugal, withwhom we share a common miseryand a common struggle.

n Fight against the capitalist policies

of the EU, link up with workers andyoung people in all the other countries who are also suffering austerity .

n For a Government based onworking class people that implements genuine socialist policies in Ireland and gives peo-ple the chance of a decent future.

n A Europe for the millions notthe millionaires – for a socialistIreland and a socialist Europe.

In Ireland and across Europe – Put people’s needs first

5.

The only way out of this crisis

For a real bailout – Not this EU / IMF rip-off

Markets wage

class war 1.2.

3.4.

Stop theausterity

Tax big

business

and the

super rich

Use economicresources forpeople notprofit

Public Investment- For JobsNow!

€3.6 to €4 billion austerity for us in

December but Labour & Fine Gael will give

unguaranteed Anglo bondholders €3.5

billion at the same time.

449,600 - the numbers of ordinary

working people on the live register, nearlyone eighth of the entire population - what a

rotten system that cannot use people’s capabilities and talents.

At the height of the crash - 2009 - the top

300 people in Ireland increased their wealth

by €6.7 billion, to a total of €57 billion.

Anglo Bailout - pick your number. The Government insist that the total cost of the

Anglo bailout will be €47 billion. Other

economists and commentators say €75 or

even €90 billion over the next twenty years.

The ULA was initiated by the Socialist Party, PeopleBefore Profit and the Tipperary Workers and Unem-

ployed Action Group. It has five TDs and wants tobuild a new party to really represent working people.Many have joined since its launch in November last -

get involved today! UNITEDLEFTALLIANCE.ORG

United LEFT ALLIANCE

MORTgAgE CRISISLabour & FG abandoningstruggling homeowners -we say bailout the victimsnot the perpetrators!n 10,000 cases in the

court system - we sayoutlaw repossessions.

n Reduce all “propertybubble” mortgages toaffordable levels.