Ruth Coppinger criticised the inauguration of Donald Trump and warned of a global move toward more right-wing, pro-capitalist politics. She accused the government of dropping the occupied territories bill to appease Trump and corporations and called for a stronger, anti-capitalist left to demand resources for housing, disability, autism and care.
Inauguration and international shift
Coppinger said the week the Taoiseach was nominated coincided with Donald Trump's inauguration, which she described as surrounded by a "broligarchy," billionaires and sexual predators. She warned the incoming administration intends to continue prioritising profit over the planet, to pick on minorities and to move in a more competitive and genocidal direction, and noted the world's richest man performed two fascist salutes.
Government decision on occupied territories bill
She accused the government of announcing it would drop the occupied territories bill partly to prostrate itself in front of Trump and the corporations, and of doing so while ignoring the ongoing suffering of the people of Palestine.
Rise of a more right-wing government
Coppinger argued that a government that was already very right-wing will become more right-wing, including elements who espouse ideas of misogyny, racism and climate denial.
Call for a stronger anti-capitalist left
She called for a left that is "more left" and explicitly anti-capitalist to put up a challenge and an alternative. Coppinger said socialists and the doll will demand the resources needed for the housing crisis, for disability, for autism and care and will organise outside of the doll, urging a movement to challenge the current direction of capitalism.
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Today we nominated Taoiseach in a week that Donald Trump was inaugurated. Surrounded by his broligarchy, his billionaires and his sexual predators, he announced that the US intends to continue to destroy the planet for profit, to pick on minorities and to move in a more competitive and genocidal direction. Beside him, the world's richest man did two fascist salutes for good measure. So what was being announced was the end of a liberal era for capitalism and for politics and that will resonate in this doll as well. Already the government has announced it will drop the occupied territories bill, partly in an attempt to prostrate itself in front of Trump and the corporations to ignore the ongoing suffering of the people of Palestine. What was a very right-wing government will become more right-wing, including with the motley crew of those who espouse some of the ideas of misogyny, racism and climate denial as well. So we need a left. They're becoming more right-wing, more clearly pro-capitalist. We need a left that is more left, that is more anti-capitalist and that puts up a challenge and puts up an alternative. Socialists and the doll will demand the resources we need for the housing crisis, for disability, for autism and care and will organise outside of the doll as well. We need a movement to challenge the direction that capitalism is taking now.
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