Thursday, May 18, 2006

I'm Hurt By My Irish Bretheren

It hurts more because it is the Irish that have stabbed my heart, for despite a thorough, indepth post that glorified Ireland, my ancestrial brothers have seemed not to notice their American cousin for all I've gotten was one lousy stinking hit from the homeland.


Come on here guys!

So, in a desperate hope to get more representation from the economic emerald in my eye, I will repost the post on Ireland.

There was a comment made on one of my posts about how he was shocked that Ireland was such an economic success. And I suppose I never really gave much thought about it, but it did occur to me that there are probably some people out there who are still under the impression that Ireland is still the armpit of Europe and are unaware as to just what an economic success story Ireland has become.

Thus, I've decided to highlight some of the key statistics about Ireland and compare them to the UK, the US and the EU for reference.

First things first. Ireland used to have high tax rates, but has since lowered them to become some of the lowest in Europe going from above 50% of GDP in the 80's to 35% today.



Overall taxes weren't the only things being lowered, as Ireland effectively has become a tax haven for corporation, attracting investment from foreign firms wishing to establish a beach head and gain access to the European markets.


While leftists will contest otherwise, history has shown us that as taxes are lowered, certain things have a tendency to go down.

Things like unemployment;


Note the precipitous drop in unemployment from French levels to American levels.

But while unemployment may drop, other things increase when taxes are lowered...like economic growth. Ireland is by far the only European Tiger and leaves most other modern day countries behind, lending credence to my theory that an economy can never grow "too fast."


Higher economic growth results in higher standards of living. This should particularly piss off the Brits since as of 1998, Ireland has surpassed their former overlord's in standards of living and looks set to surpass even US standards (don't ask me why the OECD doesn't have 2003-2005 data).


Today there are very few countries that enjoy higher standards of living than Ireland


Of course statistics and economics isn't everything. I remember a socialist getting into it with me saying, "You know, the whole world isn't all statistics, Statistics Man. There's things like love and friendship count too..."

I couldn't agree more. What is life I ask you, without love? And how can you possibly measure or apply statistics to love?

Thus a comparison of who I can fall in love with from varying countries is warranted;

I could fall in love with a German, such as Chancellor Merkel;

I could court Judi Dench, a renouned, Oscar-winning British actress who currently portrays M in the new James Bond films;


To be fair and representative of all Europeans, we should include some Scandinavians like the head of Sweden's feminist party;


Oh, and let's not forget there's a lot of fine selection in them there US American babes!


And then we have those god-awful redheaded monsters that pass for women in Ireland;

Yuck! What sane, rational-minded, red-blooded male would EVER contemplate moving to Ireland?

14 comments:

David_Z said...

I'd move there for the beer and women alone. Redheads are great - but man, a nice fair-skinned, dark-haired, blue eyed irish lass.... mmmm

Alfred T. Mahan said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Alfred T. Mahan said...

If you will forgive an off-topic comment, Captain Capitalism...oh, all right; smashing reason to move to Eire, which I visited in 1998 for a spring break, incidentally, and found it most congenial, but that is beside the point.

Having stumbled across your blog by pure happenstance, I read it with a growing sense, if you will forgive me, that I know you from the University of Minnesota. You like cocktails, as well as many of the other fine things in life, such as actual dancing, as opposed to jumping up and down; real music with melody and rhythm, contrasting with the opening bombardment of the Somme; and, of course, women of taste and distinction (if you will forgive me), rather than the common slattern that the debased media "culture" (so-called) of today seems to be producing. I believe my suspicions are confirmed by your mention of your entering a contest on a local popular talk radio station, and I wish you "many good fortunes", to quote from one of my favorite movies.

Of course, if you are NOT who I believe you to be, I have likely confused the hell out of you, and I apologize if that's the case, but if you are indeed a fellow grad of the U of MN from so many years ago, who wanted to go kick someone's ass for abusing a young woman of our acquaintance and had to be restrained against my better judgement (I wish I'd let you do it, in retrospect), by all means, let me know. I'd like to catch up with you.

A naval and military historian type.

Captain Capitalism said...

Commander Jensen.

Good to hear from you.

I assumed you soared through the ranks at UMPD?

Still in Minnesota?

JTapp said...

How about a comparison on the # of redheads in Ireland vs. other countries? Is it fact or myth?

Alfred T. Mahan said...

I escaped with my sanity intact, if not all of my brain (more on that later). I'll drop you an e-mail sometime.

Mahan of the Fightin' Micks

Captain Capitalism said...

Does anybody want to explain how total government receipts as a percentage of GDP accounts for all types of tax to this guy because I'm too busy.

Captain Capitalism said...

No, it's because your obvious lack of understanding economics and your clear political motives doesn't warrant the amount of time I'd have to expend hand holding you through a lesson in economics, of which you wouldn't bother listening to because your political ideology trumps any desire you'd have to discussing the topic.

Mulk said...

the reason probably has more to do with the fact that they are working their asses of instead of lazily posting to the inernet :P
, drinking or in church.

Mulk said...

btw my amigo keith who is on skype right now from ireland says that the women out there "bigger" and like to drink a lot.

Also he says dont vacation there during the winters, they suck and its' fucking colder than shite.

Captain Capitalism said...

Thanks Mulk. You had to remind my of Skype. I read an article about them oh, a year ago I guess. Was thinking I should invest. Never got around to it. Damn would I have been rich.

oh and no cursing. Watch the f-bombs. Not that I don't curse I just want it somewhat friendly since some of my posts are used by a couple teachers I know (high school, so have to keep it somewhat clean)

Mulk said...

how about smart bombs? cause the internet is blowing up!

Mulk said...

Attention Youth Of America!

I got the Internets Blowing up & I'm calm like a bomb!

Andrew L said...

Looks like your plan succeeded. There's a little red dot in Ireland now.