On Neo-Liberal Slabbers

Only huge taxes can pay for Left’s spending plans – Analysis, Opinion – Independent.ie

The left is doing an excellent job at shifting all the blame for the crisis on to that malign thing, ‘neo-liberalism’. Labour and the trade unions, backed up by RTE and the left-wing commentariat, are persuading an ever-growing portion of the public that if they turn to the State and allow themselves to be enfolded in its compassionate, social democratic arms, all will be well. There they will find refuge from merciless, pitiless neo-liberalism.

Someone point me the way of the left-wing commentariat. I could do with a good read. Also, some decent conservative commentators wouldn’t go amiss. There is something quaint about seeing ‘neo-liberalism’ in scare quotes, as though proof of its existence were comparable to that of unicorn hoofprints. But such are the wonders of ‘the internet’.

And also:

On ‘Questions and Answers’ ICTU’s Paul Sweeney was practically salivating at the prospect of a bigger State

Without wishing to come over all Radio 4, I think we should put a stop to the use of ‘practically’ to mean ‘nearly’. To be practically salivating means you are drooling at the mouth in a manner that is very close to salivating without actually salivating.

As Recession Bites, Places On Self-Awareness Classes Go Unfilled

Industrial sound of families ratcheting down a notch – The Irish Times – Fri, Mar 13, 2009

The new dark age is depriving households of many things taken for granted – jobs, holidays, teeth braces and dog food, writes ORNA MULCAHY

THERE IS a new type of bore out there.

You. don’t. fucking. say.