Former President Mary Robinson has taken a voluntary 10pc cut to her presidential pension; she will now only get €131,400 instead of €146,000 (Irish Independent).
Mrs. Robinson is following in the footsteps of President Mary McAleese who has also taken a voluntary 10pc cut to her €325,000 salary. Judges, politicians and senior civil servants were asked to take a voluntary cut but most of them refused.
The key word here is, of course, ‘voluntary’ and it is this word more than anything else that separates the ruled from the ruling elite.
All common people must accept ruthless pay cuts, must accept penal tax increases, must accept mass unemployment and must accept responsibility for the catastrophe caused by the ruling elite, they have no other choice – except rebellion.