Who’s got a seat at the table when the government decides how to tackle household debt? Is it you?
No, it is a group of middle aged economists and officials whose livelyhood has been dependent on looking out for the interests of industries and corporations. Then they drive off in their SUV’s to their comfortable homes. It is not you.
There is no seat at the table for the Households Interest Group, and there is no seat for you. You cannot afford lobbyists and therefore you cannot buy government policy. You’re not FL Group and you´re not Landsbankinn. You cannot afford a Gudlaugur Thor or a Steinunn Valdis. The politicians are unavailable to you.
Who’s there to compare the figures with the write offs that are granted to failed businesses and to risky businessmen? Is it you? Did you grant a 50 billion write off to Toyota-owner and fish-magnate Magnus Kristinsson alone, when it supposedly takes 200 billion to give all the households some breathing room? Was it really you? No it was Landsbankinn, where he’d previously managed to waltz in and borrow that money. It wasn’t you. You did not have a seat at the table.
Who’s there to write off debts for Bjarni Armannsson when he says it would be irresponsible treatment of money to pay the debts of his business? Is it you? No it is Birna Einarsdottir and the rest of the people who used to work for him. With friends like that, Bjarni doesn’t need to talk to you.
Who called us up to warn us about the banks falling? Who managed to get their stash away? Was it you? No, you weren’t at the table so you couldn’t warn us like someone warned Gudbjorg Matthiasdottir. Someone at the table advised to sell her 3,5 billion share in Glitnir. Then Glitnir wrote off 4 billion in debt for her before she bought Morgunbladid. Did you warn her? Why didn’t you warn us? Oh, you weren’t at the table. There was no room for you.
Who’s there to point out to the government that increased financial breathing room for individuals and small businesses could bring about the most fantastic businesses in the nation? Start ups that could follow the lead of CCP and bring home the bacon through innovation. It is not you. You don’t have a seat at the table because they are all taken by aluminum companies, Chamber of Commerce, fisheries and agriculture. There is no seat for you.
Who is going to stand up to all this? Who is going to demand a seat at the table? Is it you? We backed you when you went after the VR Pension Fund chairman position and we cheer you on when you fight our cause. We elected four of you when you said that the nation would get to have its say, but we won’t do so again because you lied. Who else is going to fight their way to the tables where we are not invited? Is it you? Or will you remain quiet until they cut off the TV and the Internet? And then only rise up to demand a seat by the TV and access to the Internet? Is that really the you that you’ll tell your grandchildren about?
Who’s there to argue that unemployment, exodus and social unrest are more destructive in the long run than fair renegotiation of debt? Not you? Then in the long run you’ll be dead, then, now and always buried in debt.
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2 years ago
“The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing.”
Ben Okri