Lenihan should first look for patriotic sacrifices much closer to home

YOU report Finance Minister Brian Lenihan (July 16) as saying we must all accept €5bn of cutbacks while telling those set to be hit by them and public sector job losses not to selfishly oppose the measures. Mr Lenihan is wrong. Not everyone will have to accept cutbacks.

It works like this: the higher up the wealth ladder you go, the less you have to sacrifice until you reach the level occupied by the wealthy elite who don’t have to make any sacrifices at all. The minister is also deluding himself if he expects those hit by cutbacks and job losses not to “selfishly” oppose the measures. After all, the minister, along with his government colleagues and a wealthy minority, imposed an economic system on the country – neoliberal free-market capitalism – that was driven by selfishness and greed, rewarding such people with huge fortunes before being instrumental in bringing the country to its knees.

The minister cannot reward selfishness one day and next day expect people not to be “selfish” (or protecting themselves, as they might say). This is especially so when you don’t hesitate to take money from the pockets of public sector workers and others, but claim that for legal reasons you can’t take it from wealthy bankers and ex-bankers who ruined the financial system but still look forward to massive pensions and perhaps deferred bonuses too.