Enda Kenny as Taoiseach?

jmayo

daniel91 wrote: »

Yeah I know, everytime I hear giftgrub taking the piss out of him, I can't stop laughing!

And what do you do when they take the p** out of Biffo, bertie, lenihan, etc ?
Oh i forgot they didn't really take the p*** out of bertie, they were actaully improving his popularity as one of the lads.

PunkFreud wrote: »

I don't like Enda Kenny, he's really boring and stiff. I'd prefer Richard Bruton, with Lee as his financial sidekick.

Nothing against his political beliefs, but Enda is just a bit...

(I am aware I am not contributing a whole lot to this thread)

So far on every thread you have come across as ff in sheeps clothing.

Just a bit ... what boring and stiff ?
FFS corkman actually had a point about you.

The job of taosiseach should not be based on whether you want to go to the pub with them. It shoudl not be whether you want to take them on holidays or invite them around for a party.
It is someone to run the blooody country without being up the ar** of vested interests that have ruined the economy of the country.

It is someone that promotes ability rather than drinking buddies, it is someone that actaully fires people for incompetence and sticks to decisions.
So far clowen has not lived up to any of this and neither did his predecessor that sleeveen from Drumcondra.

BTW from anyone that has had face to face contact with the man they have found him very personable. He just does not come across good in public arena.

dlofnep wrote: »

God no. What a complete and utter tosspot.

Great contribution. I wonder how someone might describe yourself. :rolleyes:

yurmothrintites wrote: »

Bruton before Kenny. Enda Kenny would not be a very competent Taoiseach, Bruton has much more experience and could do more witht the economic disarray of the country.

Again please pray tell us why he wouldn't be competent ?
Or are you using the yardstick that the soldiers of dysentery use with their leaders :rolleyes:

Deleted User wrote: »

I hardly think suggesting that Richard Bruton and George Lee may be more capable than Enda Kenny is so objectionable.

I think his point that 'Enda is a bit...' would even be shared by many, even within FG.

And especially by those like yourself who are a member of ff and thus try and and use it is as away of getting at him, since he doesn't have the usually baggae that your party leaders have had.

You know he actually did have a bank account of his own, he didn't have wads of cash he won at the races lodged by other people and most importantly he didn't blow the best economy that this country ever had by allowing every builder and would be Donald Trump together with the bankers use the country like a monopoly board.

BTW your own leader would be described by nigh on 85% of the people as a bit ... of a f**king useless twat.

flanzer wrote: »

I honestly think they are all on the par in the Dail. I couldn't care less if Enda Kenny, Brian Cowan, Richard Bruton, That mad socialist Higgins, Ronan Keating or Derek Davis is in charge of the country. They're all as bad as each other.

Ah yes and as long as people like you state that then the clowens, the berties, the o'donghues will still be screwing us over.

flanzer

jmayo wrote: »

Ah yes and as long as people like you state that then the clowens, the berties, the o'donghues will still be screwing us over.

I never said I will or will not be voting for Fianna Fail again. The reason why Fine Gael/Labour will be as bad is that they don't have any clear policies of their own. One of the main reasons Lisbon failed the last time was the Fianna Fail hadn't a clue what it was and thus couldn't convice the electorate.

The same applies to Fine Gael/Labour's mandate to improve the situation here. It's nambie pampie with no clear message. If the government says black, they say white. Take their opposing views on NAMA for example. 2 of their own respected party members, Alan Dukes and Garrett Fitzgerald have said it's the only way to go. George Lee, before jumpiong on the Fine Gael bandwagon, said it was the only way to go. So internally, they come across as they can't agree.

So whatever way I vote next time, I'll be voting another bunch of nambie pampieing eejits in

is_that_so

irish_bob wrote: »

if kenny was taoiseach or not is not what matters most , its whether he or fine gael have to share power with labour that counts , if they do then nothing much will change as labour are a tax and spend party and expenditure needs to be drastically cut , this cannot happen under any goverment involving labour as the public sector and unions are all labour have , you cant ignore your base and remain a force

Tired and woolly generalisations do not offer any insight although you have managed to include your two favourite targets Kenny and the PS in the same sentence .

There is nothing intrinsically wrong with coalitions. The last big single party govt we had set in motion a lot of the problems we had in the 80s. Cast your eyes across the water to see the merits of single party Govt. Where the tail is not wagging the dog, like the PDs, coalitions can be very pragmatic and bring a balance to the so-called tendencies outlined here.

You also might want to look up what Labour and that other evil left wing party DL did as part of that 94-97 Govt. before labelling them with throwaway clichés.

jmayo

jmayo wrote: »

So far on every thread you have come across as ff in sheeps clothing.

Just a bit ... what boring and stiff ?
FFS corkman actually had a point about you.

Great contribution. I wonder how someone might describe yourself. :rolleyes:

And especially by those like yourself who are a member of ff and thus try and and use it is as away of getting at him, since he doesn't have the usually baggae that your party leaders have had.

Now why don't you try and post again about Enda Kenny, and maybe not so much about your thoughts about other posters with different opinions.

I'm pretty sure we are allowed to have different opinions. All your swearing won't change that you know!

Liam Byrne

Liam Byrne wrote: »

And before anyone says that Clown was elected Taioseach; let me remind people that he WASN'T

Not sure that's a valid criticism on this thread.

We are talking about Kenny, who got a ministry when his party crossed the floor of the Dail and assumed power without facing the electorate.

thebman

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread :-/

Nothing wrong with Enda or FG from what I can see. They aren't in pockets of developers so even if they have all the other same policies as FF they won't go easy on the developers like FF will want to find a way to do with NAMA IMO.

thebman

thebman wrote: »

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

In fairness, I know a lot of FG voters and members who in the past have despaired of Enda and don't need any spin, and wouldn't listen to the Government anyway.

If you can haul up threads from the last election debates a number of them had their head in their hands over his performance. I think most FG members would concede that he has a charisma defecit, though of course that is no bad thing. I'm an not saying he would not make an effective leader, not at all, but I'm not sure that his image is something that has been manipulated by the Goverment.

thebman wrote: »

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread.

I would have more faith in him too tbh.

thebman wrote: »

I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread.

As you will note from other threads and posts, unless you are cackling and knitting as they are led to the guillotine, some here think you are being paid off by Cowen himself...

jmayo

Deleted User wrote: »

Now why don't you try and post again about Enda Kenny, and maybe not so much about your thoughts about other posters with different opinions.

I'm pretty sure we are allowed to have different opinions. All your swearing won't change that you know!

Yes you are allowed have an opinion, and I won't even use the famous quote

So if every single sentence is not about Kenny himself, but questioning other's opinion of him then I have a problem posting ?
It is a bit like a proponent of NAMA complaining on a thread that nobody was laying out, or rather laying into, the opposition proposals, but actaully pointing out the glaring issues with NAMA.

Hang on is this the new method of debating that is being fed to the grassroots foprm party HQ ?
We are only supposed to find faults with the opposition even though the government have ones a thousand times, sorry 90 billion times, more glaring ?

I obviously have no right to question other opinions which label him as inept, boring or show utter contempt for him for some unknown reason, apart from maybe it is ff's way of trying to persuade the electorate that someone who doesn't have the stench of corruption or hasn't been proven to be completely incompetent from getting into power ?

Deleted User wrote: »

In fairness, I know a lot of FG voters and members who in the past have despaired of Enda and don't need any spin, and wouldn't listen to the Government anyway.

If you can haul up threads from the last election debates a number of them had their head in their hands over his performance. I think most FG members would concede that he has a charisma defecit, though of course that is no bad thing. I'm an not saying he would not make an effective leader, not at all, but I'm not sure that his image is something that has been manipulated by the Goverment.
...

Yeah right and you would be, if I remember correctly, from the same constituency and party that gave the country the well travelled John O'Donghue ?

Oh God I am attacking your opinion when I should be discussing Enda Kenny for ... maybe just existing :eek:

Raiser

Enda Kenny is a living example of the really poor alternative that nobody ever wants to choose......no matter how bad things get.....

We have Fianna Fail happily playing at managing the State and its pathetic, scary, unbelievable, corrupt, self-serving, puerile, half-arsed, moronic - and worsening my the hour.

But we don't want to choose Enda Kenny, no matter how desperate things are becoming and despite the fact that soon there will be nothing left to pass on to our children.

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

Its also similar to a situation where there is a sinking Ship of Fools and they're all running around panicking - but nobody can get on OR off to remedy the situation because there's some mono-tone, feeble, unassertive, unimaginative idiot from Mayo standing blocking the gangplank month after month in the hope of someday being handed the Helm by default.

Salvelinus

thebman wrote: »

I'll ask the question again so, why do people not like Enda? I don't see what is unlikeable about him.

More to the point I don't see what is likeable about FF politicians :-/ Never saw what there was to like about Bertie either, maybe its just me :-/

Because it's like an episode of You're a Star not something serious like running a country.

Liam Byrne

Raiser wrote: »

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

It's nowhere near like that; FF have already started the fire and then poured the hydrochloric acid on us.

FG might only pour boiling water on it, instead of cold water, but they couldn't POSSIBLY do less than a shower that are more interested in protecting their asses and paying off their buddies, while screwing the rest of us to kingdom come.

ChocolateSauce

EK as big cheese? Meh.

thebman

Salvelinus wrote: »

Because it's like an episode of You're a Star not something serious like running a country.

We should do electing the Taoiseach like that

Would probably increase voter turn out :P

I think Enda comes off as an honest but boring character, a good alternative to what FF are considered to be really.

lostexpectation

thebman wrote: »

and yet still nobody can give a single reason why Enda Kenny is actually seen as an unlikeable character, my guess, government spin.

I'd rather have him lead the country than Brian Cowen and I was getting attacked for defending Brian Cowen in another thread :-/

nah was cos you arguing for us to show respect to somebody who shown us contempt

jmayo

jmayo wrote: »

Yeah right and you would be, if I remember correctly, from the same constituency and party that gave the country the well travelled John O'Donghue ?

Speaking of connection, Mr Mayo, what county is Enda Kenny from again?

But you are correct. John O'Donoghue is from my constituency. So is footballer Darragh O'Se and another well travelled man, Tom Crean. And, Mr. Mayo, I believe Willie Joe Padden is from the area you're called after.

Now let's all think about Enda Kenny, shall we?

I'm still a bit confused about the reaction of hydrochloric acid to fire. Would it improve the situation or make it worse, and is Enda the acid or the flame or what?

jank

Deleted User wrote: »

Speaking of connection, Mr Mayo, what county is Enda Kenny from again?

But you are correct. John O'Donoghue is from my constituency. So is footballer Darragh O'Se and another well travelled man, Tom Crean. And, Mr. Mayo, I believe Willie Joe Padden is from the area you're called after.

Now let's all think about Enda Kenny, shall we?

I'm still a bit confused about the reaction of hydrochloric acid to fire. Would it improve the situation or make it worse, and is Enda the acid or the flame or what?

What are you on about. Stop bringing the thread off topic!

darc

What Enda Kenny needs to understand is that the people decide who gets into power and the people will look at the leader of a party and ask if this is the person they want to lead the country.

In Enda's case it is a resounding NO!

Fianna Fail's support has tanked, Cowen's support has tanked, yet the main opposition party has only managed to move to 34% support and the leader is at 29%

What this says is that even if every person who supports every other party says they don't rate Enda Kenny, you have a further 20% of his own party that don't rate him.

IMO, if FG had a more agreesive and proactive leader, they would sweep the boards and probably become a dominant force in Irish politics. Richard Bruton / Simon Coveney or possibly a dark horse in James O'Reilly would all fit the bill as progressive types would can put forward ideas and attract a better quality of political candidate to the FG party. But it needs to be done this year to allow for time to build up their credentials.

Buit as long as Enda is leader, FG will not come anywhere near maximising their vote. - We all know that, but someone has to get that message through to Enda.

flanzer

darc wrote: »

Buit as long as Enda is leader, FG will not come anywhere near maximising their vote. - We all know that, but someone has to get that message through to Enda.

He should have got that message after the last election. It was funny when his PR staff got him to comb his hair to the left one day, to the right the next and a centre parting other days, applying the odd bit of Brylcreem here and there, in order to somehow sex him up and it failed. Fianna Fail support started to slip during the last election and Fine Gael didn't capitalise, I believe, solely down to Enda. I do believe that this country needs a change of party but having Enda as an alternative makes me shudder somewhat.

FG need to cop themselves on and appoint someone who's believable, who had very clear ideas, who can portray a clear message.

zootroid

Raiser wrote: »

Enda Kenny is a living example of the really poor alternative that nobody ever wants to choose......no matter how bad things get.....

We have Fianna Fail happily playing at managing the State and its like pathetic, scary, unbelievable, corrupt, self-serving, puerile, half-arsed, moronic - and worsening my the hour.

But we don't want to choose Enda Kenny, no matter how desperate things are becoming and despite the fact that soon there will be nothing left to pass on to our children.

Its like a situation where your hair is on fire and all that you have within your reach is a jug of hydrochloric acid.

Its also similar to a situation where there is a sinking Ship of Fools and they're all running around panicking - but nobody can get on OR off to remedy the situation because there's some mono-tone, feeble, unassertive, unimaginative idiot from Mayo standing blocking the gangplank month after month in the hope of someday being handed the Helm by default.

You could argue that Bertie was feeble, afterall, he bought off every vested interest.

Give me Enda any day over Bertie, at least he's honest. But having said that, I would prefer Richard Bruton. Also, I don't think charisma is that important. Honesty and competency are far more important. George Bush has charisma, but was still the worst president the US ever had.

shovelsfc

kenny my ars.e!!!

Mr. Presentable

I want a change in govt. But will not allow Enda Kenny my vote, because

1) He is charmless
2) Defensive
3) Offers no new ideas
4) Comes across as ineffectual
5) Has a "snivelling" personality imo
6) He strikes me as a nay-saying sycophant who brown-nosed his way to the (near) top

jank

jank wrote: »

What are you on about. Stop bringing the thread off topic!

Like you, merely responding to posts that went off topic, one made some point about Kerry TDs, and a bizarre bunch of posts went on about dousing fire with acid. Read them, if only for amusement!

Liam Byrne

nipplenuts wrote: »

I want a change in govt. But will not allow Enda Kenny my vote, because

1) He is charmless
2) Defensive
3) Offers no new ideas
4) Comes across as ineffectual
5) Has a "snivelling" personality imo
6) He strikes me as a nay-saying sycophant who brown-nosed his way to the (near) top

So what ? Add in 7) Incompetent and 8) Unwilling and unable to force his party members to "take the pain", and you've got Cowen!

nipplenuts

nipplenuts wrote: »

1) He is charmless
2) Defensive
3) Offers no new ideas
4) Comes across as ineffectual
5) Has a "snivelling" personality imo
6) He strikes me as a nay-saying sycophant who brown-nosed his way to the (near) top

Agree with some of those, but on the other hand he has been a very safe pair of hands in resurrecting FG following near meltdown. He must get some credit.

Liam Byrne

flanzer wrote: »

He should have got that message after the last election. It was funny when his PR staff got him to comb his hair to the left one day, to the right the next and a centre parting other days, applying the odd bit of Brylcreem here and there, in order to somehow sex him up and it failed.

....having Enda as an alternative makes me shudder somewhat.p

What the f**k does "sex him up" have to do with being capable of running the country ?

And why, exactly, does Enda make you shudder ? Does he make you shudder any more or any less than the incompetent Cowen & Lenihan ?

flanzer wrote: »

FG need to cop themselves on and appoint someone who's believable, who had very clear ideas, who can portray a clear message.

Again, as distinct from the current shower ? :rolleyes:

We may not have any charismatic, clear leaders, but in their absence I'd go for Kenny any day.

Yes, I might prefer Bruton or Gilmore, but as Clowen kept telling us on The Late Late Show, all Taoisigh do is "act on advice" - they're not actually RESPONSIBLE for anything!!!!!!

So surely ANYONE who'll act FAIRLY and in the best interests of Joe Public, rather than their corrupt Galway Tent Buddies, would be welcome ?

Jeez, it's no wonder politics is f**ked up in this country if how someone looks is more important than what they can do. :rolleyes:

Mr. Presentable

Deleted User wrote: »

Agree with some of those, but on the other hand he has been a very safe pair of hands in resurrecting FG following near meltdown. He must get some credit.

To be fair, Conor, I believe with the current shambles either you or I could have done just as well

Het-Field

In fairness, the Kenny led Fine Gael has come up with a variety of suggestions, and alternatives to governmental plans. I was most impressed by Fine Gael's 13 Billion Euro savings package. Something radical like that is totally necessary in times where the exchequer deficit is so unmanagable that it threatens to drag down the country's future.

Labour have come up with noting, other then socialist calls to nationalise the banks, and a 2 Billion programme of Tax and Spend. Gilmore is a superb orator, and Joan Burton has been quite articulate when it comes to the truth. However their party has been useless under their watch. No relevant proposals have been articulated, and they have been so vociferous on the offensive, that they have forgotten that they will need to put forward proper alternatives. They remind one of the latter day activities of the FF led opposition between 1995-1997 where if a handbag was stolen on Grafton Street, they would seek for Nora Owen's head on a pike.

Kenny's Fine Gael need to lead the alternative government.

Either way, BIFFO has been exposed as a useless minister, a useless Taoiseach, and a weak leader of Fianna Fail. When people question if the alternative would do any better, I think the proof lies in Cowen's sheer ineptitude.

P.S Im not a Fine Gaeler.

nipplenuts

nipplenuts wrote: »

To be fair, Conor, I believe with the current shambles either you or I could have done just as well

It's not just doing well v the present lot. It's doing well v other Opposition leaders, while parties like SF have stalled. He walked all over Rabbitte last time out, and did better than Gilmore's party in the locals etc. etc.

Liam Byrne

Liam Byrne wrote: »

What the f**k does "sex him up" have to do with being capable of running the country ?

Ah its nice to have a sexy leader. From Indira Gandhi to Margaret Thatcher right through to Angela Merkel...mmmmmm, dreamy....;)

flanzer

Liam Byrne wrote: »

What the f**k does "sex him up" have to do with being capable of running the country ?

And why, exactly, does Enda make you shudder ? Does he make you shudder any more or any less than the incompetent Cowen & Lenihan ?



Again, as distinct from the current shower ? :rolleyes:

We may not have any charismatic, clear leaders, but in their absence I'd go for Kenny any day.

Yes, I might prefer Bruton or Gilmore, but as Clowen kept telling us on The Late Late Show, all Taoisigh do is "act on advice" - they're not actually RESPONSIBLE for anything!!!!!!

So surely ANYONE who'll act FAIRLY and in the best interests of Joe Public, rather than their corrupt Galway Tent Buddies, would be welcome ?

Jeez, it's no wonder politics is f**ked up in this country if how someone looks is more important than what they can do. :rolleyes:

Believe you me, I shudder uncontrolably at the current shower. As I said earlier on, not one person in the cabinet or opposition stands out. Unfortunately they all a bunch of dithering eejits. When I meant 'sex him up', what I'm really saying is that a good leader also needs to have a presence about him, can convince his peers, is confident. Is able to convince the people what they're doing is for the good of the nation.

Dev had it, Lemass had it, Garrett Fitzgerald had it, Haughey had it, Jack Lynch had it, Bertie a bit. Other world leaders like Reagan, Blair, Clinton, Obama, Chirac had it, the Germans. Yes they all have their flaws.

Irish politics is in a bad state, like the soccer team. There's nought talent out there I'm afraid