Olltoghchán 2024 – Príomhcheisteanna agus Moltaí na bPáirtithe (FF,FG,SF)!

2024 General Election – Key Issues and Party Proposals (FF,FG,SF)!

by | 2024/11/26 | Current Affairs, National News, Opinion

2024 General Election – Key Issues and Party Proposals (FF,FG,SF)!

The general election is almost upon us! Politicians are making their promises liberally on traditional and social media, and the parties have published lengthy manifestos online. How can we separate the wheat from the chaff?

Manifestos

I have read the manifestos published by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, and they are incredibly detailed. It was not easy to compare the policies of the parties, as all the manifestos have different structures. Worse, even after finding certain policies in the three manifestos, you are still comparing apples and oranges. Every policy should have a budget, an objective and a deadline, but often it is just ambitious goals, without the details. The Sinn Féin manifesto is better than the others in clearly stating their policies.

Anyway, after reading the manifestos, I summarised the main issues in the election and the plans of the three parties to tackle them. I will share it with you here, and you may find it useful.

Summary: Main Issues and Proposals of the Parties (FF,FG,SF)

  1. Cost of Living: The cost of living is a major concern, although falling interest rates and the €10.5 billion budget package may ease the pain.
  • Fianna Fáil: Increase the State Pension to at least €350 a week; cap childcare fees at €200 a month.
  • Fine Gael: Raise the threshold for the highest tax bands by €2,000 each year; increase primary tax credits by €75 each year; changes to reduce the Universal Social Charge (USC); changes to reduce inheritance tax; cap childcare fees at €200 per month.
  • Sinn Féin: End USC on the first €45,000 of income, saving €1,100 per year; €1,000 rent relief; temporary mortgage relief up to €1,250 per year; €10 per day childcare.
  1. Housing Crisis:According to a poll last year, 61% of respondents said the housing crisis is one of the worst problems in Ireland. It is no wonder that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and Sinn Féin have made housing a top priority in their manifestos.
  • Fianna Fáil: Expand housebuilding to 60,000 per year by 2030; prioritize affordable and social homes.
  • Fine Gael: Build 300,000 homes by 2030, with a budget of €40 billion.
  • Sinn Féin: Build 370,000 homes by 2030, including 125,000 social and affordable homes by 2029; three-year rent freeze.
  1. Healthcare: In ainneoin barrachas buiséid de bheagnach €2.2 billiún, léiríonn daoine a míshástacht leis an gcóras cúram sláinte, go háirithe maidir le plódú ospidéil agus liostaí feithimh fairsinge.
  • Fianna Fáil: Reduce waiting times by expanding hospital beds, consultants and GPs; provide new Rapid Access Outpatient clinics; reduce health fees; free medical cards for all children under 12, and specialist services for cancer care and women's health.
  • Fine Gael: Expand healthcare capacity with 5,000 new hospital beds, six surgical centres, and four elective hospitals; extend free GP care to under-18s, and cap prescription costs at €50.
  • Sinn Féin: Universal healthcare with free prescriptions; 5,000 new hospital beds, and four elective hospitals in place by 2031; expand GP services; improve mental health care and supports for people with disabilities; recruit 40,000 healthcare workers; invest €15 billion in infrastructure, and save €1 billion through effective reforms, ensuring equitable and modern healthcare.

And the Irish Language?

Here are the main proposals proposed by the three parties regarding the Irish language.

  1. Government Leadership and Policy
  • Sinn Féin: Create a new position in Government for a Senior Minister for the Irish Language and the Gaeltacht, to prioritise Irish language and Gaeltacht issues.
  1. Funding and Investment
  • Sinn Féin: Establish a dedicated Irish Language Capital Programme to create Cultural Centres and develop Irish Language Quarters in urban areas.
  • Sinn Féin: Provide an additional €50 million in current funding over five years and €75 million in capital expenditure specifically for the Irish language and Gaeltacht development.
  1. Education
  • Fianna Fáil: Increase the number of Irish-medium schools and Gaelcholáistí, improve teacher training, and expand the Gaeltacht Schools Recognition Scheme.
  • Fine Gael: Strengthen Naíonraí within and outside the Gaeltacht, and expand Irish immersion education for primary school children in the Gaeltacht.
  • Sinn Féin: Provide free Irish language books to all children and teenagers, once during primary school and once during secondary school.
  1. Cultural and Community Support
  • Fine Gael: Work with housekeepers and summer colleges to support Irish language immersion programmes.
  • Sinn Féin: Develop cultural centres and create Irish language Quarters with additional funding for language planning.
  1. Labour and Legal Rights
  • Sinn Féin: Make state websites bilingual; extend language requirements to print and online advertisements.
  • Sinn Féin: Achieve 20% bilingual public servants by 2030, with a B2+ Irish language proficiency requirement for state roles.

Conclusion

I hope the above comparisons give you a better understanding of the differences between the plans of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and Sinn Féin in relation to the policies that are most pressing for us as citizens, and as Irish speakers. But that’s only part of the story. Making a promise is one thing, keeping it is another.

According to the polls, it looks like Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil will be able to form a coalition government with the support of another party (the Greens for example).

The most important thing is to have a conversation with the political candidates in your area and let them know what you want from them. If they agree to do your bidding, get their commitment to that before casting your vote for them. If they are elected, be sure to keep putting pressure on them to keep their promises – especially on the Irish language!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Litir ó Mheiriceá – Oscailt Súl don Pháirtí Daonlathach!

Letter from America - A Wake-Up call for the Democratic Party!

by | 2024/11/20 | Current Affairs, International News, Opinion

Letter from America - A Wake-Up call for the Democratic Party!

Donald Trump carried the day. The Republicans took control of the Senate. The Republicans will also keep control of the House of Representatives. That is the reality of politics on the ground in the United States of America (USA) after the latest election. This did not happen by accident, either. No doubt, that is an eye opener for the Democratic Party.

Divining Rod

Why did Kamala Harris lose the election? Well, many people suspected that the same administration would just continue with their same policies, and they were not happy with the administration and their policies. President Biden's satisfaction rating was at 36% before he pulled out of the presidential race, and that's a terrible rating. On the TV show 'The View', Kamala Harris was asked if she would change any decision made by Biden as president during his term. She thought for a moment, and answered: "Nothing occurs to me, and I was involved in the most important decisions." With that answer, she tied herself directly to President Biden and his policies. People came to the conclusion that there would be no significant change with Harris as president. But the majority of the country's people were unhappy with Biden, and they desperately needed changes. So, they saw that they had no other choice but to put Trump in office, whether they liked the man or not. But why were so many people unhappy with Biden and his administration? Well, as it turns out, Trump has a divining rod, and he is able to identify the groups of people who suffer the most from major problems. Then, he speaks directly to them, saying that he will solve their problems as president. What are the problems and who is affected by them?

Eggs, Coffee, Milk…

There was a strategist named James Carville who worked for Bill Clinton as part of his presidential campaign. He was asked about the most important messages for the campaign to focus on. He had three messages, but one spread rapidly, and that message is still in use. "It's the economy, stupid!" Carville said. People were not happy with the economy at the time, and therefore, the Clinton campaign should focus on the economy, and their plan to improve it. That plan was a great success at that time and Clinton won the presidency.

Trump was also able to focus on the economy, and get his message across in a simple way, aimed at those who were struggling financially. He shared an information graphic on his social media ('Truth Social'), claiming that many items were much more expensive now with Kamala Harris as vice president, than when Trump was president. He mentioned salmon, coffee, potatoes, cheese, milk, ham and eggs, and the increase in price from when Biden came in as president. While the details are debatable, his message was very clear – it's harder to put food on the table now with Biden and Harris in charge. That message had a great impact on people in the country who were struggling and who were living from hand to mouth.

The Working Class/Gen Z

Before 1992 and the presidency of Bill Clinton, the Democratic Party was the party of the working class. But Clinton moved his party towards the right wing and big business, and things have continued that way ever since. With that, they lost members of the working class, bit by bit. Often, these people were conflicted and were swing voters. Things got worse for them during the Biden period, when prices increased significantly, so that they were barely able to survive. They blamed Biden and his party and cast their votes for the Republicans.

Young people of Gen Z (18-27 years old), regardless of their class, had the same problem, as they wanted to achieve their independence, but were unable to do so, due to the cost of living. Many of them were voting for the first time.

The Republicans asked people the question: "Are things better for you now than four years ago?" For a large portion of the working class and for Gen Z, things are no better, and they are suffering because of it. According to them, instead of helping them, the Democrats were ignoring them. The Democrats weren't even talking or listening to them. Why would they cast votes for the Democrats, then? And did not do so.

Trump spoke with Joe Rogan on his podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience" for three hours. It's the most popular podcast in the United States with audiences over the age of thirteen. Trump was able to spread his message among the struggling people, blaming Biden and Harris, and saying that he would help them as president. There are many other examples of Republicans reaching out to the working class and Gen Z (for example on Hasan Piker's YouTube show) and saying that they knew the Democrats were ignoring them, but that the Republicans would help them so that things would be better for them from now on.

Lesson

Without a doubt, the Democrats took their eye off the ball. They were doing data analytics instead of focusing on the people of the country. They were not in contact with the ordinary people of the country and therefore did not understand what they desperately needed from them. It is time for the Democratic Party to do some soul-searching, in order to create a new inclusive approach that will tackle, on an urgent and practical basis, the biggest current problems facing the people of the country. To understand what is troubling them, the Party needs to reach out to them and then listen to what they are saying. It will be hard to earn their trust, and it will take time, but there is no other way for the Democrats to resurrect themselves.  

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Ceolchoirm Dhochreidte sa Hollywood Bowl!

An Incredible Concert at the Hollywood Bowl!

by | 2024/11/13 | Reviews, Personal

An Incredible Concert at the Hollywood Bowl!

At exactly the right time, my wife and I found relief from the hustle and bustle of life, and especially from the anxiety we had about the big and important election we had coming up in the United States. We attended a rock concert at that iconic venue in Los Angeles called the 'Hollywood Bowl'. David Gilmour and his backing band were on stage. It's now about 50 years since I first listened to 'Dark Side of the Moon', Pink Floyd's seminal album, featuring Gilmour as lead guitarist. That album really impressed me, and it didn't fade over time. On the contrary, the influence of the album on me increased year after year, as it unfolded its its secrets to the world. Heartbeats (of life), the ticking of the clock, the rhythm of breathing, the influence of money, ageing, dementia and finally the inevitable death – these are the deep themes running through this album – important themes for all of us. Our insight changes and depends on where we are in our own lives, and that is a very clever plan. This album, like all great works of art, is timeless. So, it's no wonder we were excited about this concert. In spite of our expectations, it was better than we thought it would be, and that's not a small thing!

Beforehand

On the day of the concert, we drove a few hours to Hollywood from San Diego County and checked into a hotel we had booked months in advance. It was close to the 'Bowl' and we were able to walk to the concert. The crowds were doing the same thing, and it was easy and safe. A lot of police were present, and as it was Hallowe’en, a lot of people were in costume, including me ('The Riddler' from Batman). We were there quite early and had time to get some popcorn and a bottle of wine. Then, an official led us to our seats, and we sat down. We had a nice chat with our neighbors and then, the concert started.

The Concert

Gilmour and his band opened with '5 A.M.' from their album 'Rattle That Lock' (2015), followed by 'Black Cat' and 'Luck and Strange' from their new album 'Luck and Strange'. They were poignant pieces of instrumental music and paved the way for the classics we all looked forward to. Then came the pot of gold - three unmistakeable songs from the 'Dark Side of the Moon' album - 'Breathe (In the Air),' 'Time,' and 'Breath (Reprise)'. Even after decades, they haven't lost their spiritual magic, and for people of a certain age, including us, the music took us back down memory lane, and we were young again. A reverent silence fell upon us all, as we listened to sublime notes soaring and swooping through the air, notes that Gilmour coaxed from his guitar and that no other guitarist in the world would have been able to pull off. Perhaps God had left Heaven's gate open and the transcendental music of His own Angels was wafting down over us in the Bowl. Anyway, we were hooked and in a kind of Divine ecstasy!

I won't describe every other song in the concert, but a few others that stand out. I loved the set list - a powerful mix of songs, both old and new. Gilmour was also at his best as a singer, which was very clear when he sang the jewel 'Wish you were here' - the title track of the album of the same name, released in 1975. A new depth in Gilmour's voice brought a full-bodied sound to his singing style. Like a fine wine, Gilmour gets better with time, both singing and playing guitar. He is a master not only of his electric guitar - especially the 'Black Strat' (Black Fender Stratocaster), but also of his acoustic guitar - a Martin D-35, and he played both of them with gusto on 'Wish you were here' '. 

Romany Gilmour (David's daughter) sang a track from the new album 'Luck and Strange', called 'Between Two Points'. David took a back seat in the song and let the spotlight shine on his daughter, who has a great voice herself. We felt the intimate bond between David and Romany as they collaborated on stage.

Romany, Louise Marshall, Hattie and Charlie Webb sang the wonderful song 'The Great Gig in the Sky', from the album 'Dark Side of the Moon'. They were gathered around a grand piano that Louise was playing. Louise was the lead singer, with the other three as backing singers. David Gilmour was playing slide guitar in the background. You wouldn't imagine any singer could sing the high notes as well as Clare Torry, who sang the original version. In my opinion, this version was better than the original – and that’s no mean feat!

Encore!

At the end, Gilmour and his band returned for an encore. When we heard the iconic first note of the tune 'Comfortably Numb', we all stood up in tribute to Gilmour and his band.

Gilmour put on quite a show, playing both guitar solos like there was no tomorrow. He hit every note perfectly and precisely, so that his guitar squawked, whined and howled as if it were the voice of an animal, and he was taming the wild, emotional beast whose voice it was. It was an appropriate closing for the concert, and we were all, both musicians and their audience, exhausted and happy.

 

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Litir ó Mheiriceá – Toghchán Mór i Meiriceá!

Letter from America - Big Election in America!

by | 2024/11/06 | Current Affairs, International News, Personal, Politics

Litir ó Mheiriceá - Toghchán Mór i Meiriceá!

As I write this column, the Presidential election is underway in America. I studied the system of government here in the United States in depth before I cast my own vote. I'll share a summary of it here, along with a few implications, which could be very important, especially if Trump wins the Presidency.

Montesquieu

Cé nár mhaith le go leor Meiriceánaigh é a admháil, ba é fealsamh ón Fhrainc darbh ainm Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de Montesquieu, a raibh an tionchar is mó aige ar bhunreacht na Stát Aontaithe. Smaoinigh Montesquieu ar struchtúr rialtais nua, a mhol sé mar ‘trias politica’nó ‘scaradh cumhachtaí’ ina leabhar cáiliúil “De l’Esprit des lois” (“Maidir le Brí Dlíthe”) foilsithe sa bhliain 1748. Sa leabhar sin, mhínigh sé go mbeadh sé níos fearr cumhachtaí rialtais a scaradh amach i dtrí pháirt: cumhacht reachtach, cumhacht bhreithiúnach agus cumhacht feidhmiúcháin. Leis an struchtúr sin, bheadh idir shrianta agus cheartúcháin sa chóras, ionas nach mbeadh aon pháirt amháin in ann an ceann is fearr a fháil ar aon pháirt eile. Chuir bunaitheoirí bhunreacht Mheiriceá an prionsabal sin i bhfeidhm nuair a dhear siad an rialtas feidearálach, ina bhfuil brainse reachtach (Comhdháil na Stáit Aontaithe – idir Theach na nIonadaithe agus Seanad), brainse breithiúnach (An Chúirt Uachtarach agus Cúirteanna Feidearálacha na Stáit Aontaithe) agus brainse feidhmiúcháin (Uachtarán na Stáit Aontaithe agus a riarachán).

Na Toghcháin Fheidearálacha eile

I got my ballot a few weeks ago, and I have to say I had some work to do to sort out my choices. In addition to the famous Presidential election, there are many other elections taking place at the same time. The United States has a hierarchical system, with multiple levels (Federal, State, County, City). But even with respect to the federal elections, all seats in the House of Representatives (435) and 33 (out of 100) seats in the Senate are on the ballot on a national basis. In addition to voting for President, I will be able to cast my vote for Senator in California and for Representative (in the House of Representatives) in my congressional district.

Two Party System

The system of government in the United States is a two-party system (the Democratic Party and the Republican Party), which happened by accident and not on purpose. In both the Senate and the House of Representatives, the Party with the majority has more power. That is important, because no legislation is passed without the approval of both Houses (both the House of Representatives and the Senate), and finally the approval of the President. That is why it is difficult to pass legislation in the United States. You would think that if one Party had the Presidency and the majority in both Houses (as happens from time to time and could happen in this election), then it would be easy to pass legislation. But even then, it's not too easy. Although only a simple majority (more than half) is required in the House of Representatives, a supermajority (60 Senators out of 100) is usually required in favor of legislation in the Senate before it is given its seal of approval. It is not often that at least 60 Senators from one Party sit in the Senate. Therefore, the Senators from the minority Party in the Senate are able to demand significant changes in legislation before giving it their blessing. There is a formal process to discuss such changes, in an attempt to gain agreement in Congress on the proposed legislation. If Congress reaches agreement on changed legislation, that new legislation needs to go through the approval process all over again. If that new legislation is accepted in both Houses, the President still has an opportunity to veto it. While Congress can override a Presidential veto, that is very difficult to do, and rarely happens.

Implications??

According to the polls, the three federal races are neck and neck, for both Houses of Congress and the Presidency. The Presidential election is a strange election, as one candidate can win even if the other candidate receives a majority of the votes. This can happen because a selection process called an 'electoral college' is used. It is a complex process that is unfortunately not fully representative. I do not have space to discuss this complex process here, but this process is mentioned in the country's constitution, and therefore it is very difficult to change it (around 700 attempts have been made to change it up to now). Because of that process, my Presidential vote here in California is not worth a dime and the people in the 'Swing States' will be choosing the President for the entire country. The States in question are: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada. But I will cast my vote for Kamala Harris, regardless of the impact of my vote on the outcome.

But, and this is my central point, I am able to cast my vote for a Senator in the Senate and for a Representative in the House of Representatives. And my vote will make a difference to them. Adam Schiff (Democrat) is standing against Steve Garvey (Republican) in the Senate election in California, and according to the polls there is a good chance that Schiff will win. I will support him anyway and cast my vote for him. By the way, Trump hates Schiff (he calls him 'shifty Schiff') and with that, I have plenty of justification to vote for Schiff!

For the House of Representatives, I am in the 49th Congressional district, where the incumbent Representative, Mike Levin (Democrat), is running against Matt Gunderson (Republican). While Mike Levin is leading in the polls, Matt Gunderson is improving his rating. I will cast my vote for Levin, and this is undoubtedly an important vote. Why? Well, if the Democrats were able to achieve a majority in the House of Representatives, they would be able to block legislation that the Democratic Party disagrees with - regardless of whether Trump is in office as President or the republicans have the majority in the Senate. There will not be 60 Republican Senators in the Senate, and therefore, the Democrats will be able to block legislation in the Senate as well, if necessary.

Conclusion

Although I don't have a say in the Presidential election, I do have a say regarding a Senator in the Senate and a Representative in the House of Representatives, and it makes a big difference how many Democrats there are in the Senate and the House of Representatives. So, I have an indirect say in how much power Trump would wield, should he win. I will therefore take full advantage of my vote, in an effort to preserve democracy in this country. And to people in Ireland, I will say this: if Trump were to be elected President of America, that does not mean that he will have unlimited power - he will not! While it is often frustrating for us in America to push for changes in the federal government, in the case that Trump were in office trying to be a dictator, that would be a good thing. It would be difficult, even for Trump, to effect change, regardless of which Party is in power in the Senate and the House of Representatives! But let's hope he won't have that opportunity in the first place, even if there would be other problems to solve!

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Litir ó Mheiriceá – Dearcadh Hanrahan agus na Poblachtánaigh!

Letter from America - Hanranhan's View and the Republicans!

by | 2024/10/30 | Current Affairs, International News, Opinion

Litir ó Mheiriceá – Dearcadh Hanrahan agus na Poblachtánaigh!

There's no doubt in the world that Hanrahan’s Outlook is ingrained in us here in the United States of America, as no matter what aspect of the media you view, you can be sure that it won't be long before you hear this battle cry or a similar one being sung by someone from the Republican Party, issuing a dire warning about what will happen if Trump/Vance does not win the presidential election...

 “We’ll all be ruined (said Hanrahan),

Before the year is out.”

Talk about a negative attitude!

As everyone knows, the United States of America (USA) is stuffed to the gills with misinformation at the moment and if we want to escape the swamp of mud we are trapped in, we have no other choice but come to our senses, at there is no strength without unity. Don't our politicians need to tell the honest truth, and reveal their plans for how to improve things in the country? But, instead, members of the Republican Party are working hard, not to disprove and defeat negative myths and misinformation, but to invent and spread them! Every chance that Donald Trump and his colleagues get, they share a negative attitude about the Joe Biden Legislature and about the Democratic Party as loudly as possible.

"We will all be ruined if we vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming presidential election. We'd better go a different route altogether, if we want to get out of this slush hole we're stuck in at the moment with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris."

Now, we all understand that Donald Trump, JD Vance and members of their Party need to promote themselves and to blame the other side. But they throw ugly personal insults at Harris and Walz all the time. They also say things that are not true against them. And neither Trump nor Vance admit that Trump lost the last presidential election. And they don't have a plan in the least, either.

Here's a sample of a few things Donald Trump has been saying recently while campaigning:

Madraí agus Géanna

In the presidential debate between Trump and Harris, Trump said, with 67 million people watching: "In Springfield they are eating dogs," referring to the Ohio city where many legal immigrants from Haiti live. “They are eating the cats. They are eating … the pets of the people who live there. And this is what is happening in our country, and it is a great shame." Some time later, he was asked a question during an interview on Fox TV asking why he would not admit that such a thing was not taking place. “I don't know if that's true or not. What about the geese? What happened then? They are all missing.”

FEMA

The federal emergency management agency (FEMA) is responsible for providing disaster relief to communities affected by catastrophic disasters (tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes and the like). After Hurricane Helene, FEMA workers were on the scene quickly, doing everything they could to help those badly hit by the hurricane. But Trump repeatedly said that FEMA had no money to help the victims. "They spent a lot of money bringing in illegal immigrants... They have no money for people who live here," said Trump. "They have spent the money on the illegal immigrants."

Shoplifters

Speaking at a recent rally in Pennsylvania, former president Trump said the key to preventing crimes like shoplifting is to allow the police to beat the thieves. "If you had one really violent day...a rough hour, and I mean really rough, the news would spread and it would be over immediately."

An namhaid laistigh

What Trump has to say about the citizens of his own country is cause for great concern. This is what he said on 'Fox News' recently. “We have some bad guys. We have some radical left wing lunatics. I think that would be very easy to handle with the National Guard, or if necessary, the military" And he said in another interview “We have a lot of bad people, but when you look at Shifty Schiff and some of the others, yes, they are, to me, the enemies within. I think Nancy Pelosi is an enemy within.”

Conclusion

After reading the above (and they are just a few examples!), isn't it hard to believe that Trump has any chance of winning the presidential election? But if the polls are accurate, Trump and Harris are neck and neck so the outcome is unpredictable. Unbelievable!

Trump's former chief of staff, John F. Kelly, said that Trump is a fascist, according to the definition of the word, and would rule as a dictator if allowed, and that he had no understanding of the Constitution or the concept of the rule of law.

In my opinion, I agree with Trump on the enemy within – but I'm not talking about Adam Schiff or Nancy Pelosi, but about Trump himself. Trump is the enemy within. But it is not necessary to use the National Guard or the military to defeat him. Fortunately, we are able to do so peacefully and legally – at the ballot box. The voters in the decisive states - Pennsylvania, Michigan, Nevada, Wisconsin and North Carolina - have a special duty. I urge the people of those states to think deeply before casting their votes - not only for themselves, but for everyone in the country, and for the future of the country. Trump has already shown his hand, and said what he would do as president from now on. With Trump as president, there is a good chance that we may no longer have a democratic country. Putting Trump in office is an irreversible change – don't do it!

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