Sir, – The best parents are those who don’t always give in to children’s demands. Similarly, the people who are best, and most successful, at managing sports teams, businesses and other forms of human endeavour are those who are willing and able to take tough decisions, at times, in the interests of those for whom they take responsibility. The successful management of a modern democracy also requires that tough or unpopular decisions are faced with courage.
Looking across the political spectrum, at present, it appears that the number of elected representatives with the necessary backbone to take on those kind of difficult responsibilities is depressingly small.
Among the Opposition, only the Labour Party has a track record in this regard but, recently, it too seems to have joined the populist movement.
Finally, I believe that it is vital to our future wellbeing that the media get the balance right by not rewarding every populist outburst nor by constantly kicking those required to make the hard choices.
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We have seen in recent years, in the UK and in the US, the damaging consequences of significant media outlets following the populist line. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’MAHONY,
Westport,
Co Mayo.
