The Next Presidential Election

994

banquo wrote: »

Norris would be excellent. Also, we'd be the first country to have a homosexual president. Take that Obama.

What about Dev?

Alcatel wrote: »

Norris would be a great man to represent the liberal, forward thinking Ireland of today. By which I mean, the forward thinking, liberal Ireland some of us would like I doubt rural Ireland would vote for him.

A pity really. He's a strong man on topics like human rights, and the President is mainly a face for Ireland, and I think a Joycian scholar who has a sharp wit would make a good face.

Rural Ireland's not quite so backward as you'd think, after all they have the same TV we do and thus absorb the same values.

ynotdu

sceptre wrote: »

The president doesn't get the option not to sign stuff. It's one of the things Dana plainly didn't get during the Late Late Show presidential debate back in 1997. Mind you Gay Byrne didn't appear to get that either as he asked the question.

Are You sure of that sceptre?
Much as i like President McAleese i feel she did not call the 'Council of State' together anyway near often enough{A thundering disgrace,ya might say!;)} or refer anywhere like enough bills back before she signed them!

Bertie Ahearn would have been a shoe in,IMO,but for the obvious reasons has not got a snowballs chance in hell EVER now.

David Norris to me would be a bit intolerable{don't anybody accuse Me of the obvious reason a bigot might say that!}He has a fine mind and is a man of culture and i don't doubt his intellect,but he gush's so much on his radio show(s) to his guests,i think he likes to be liked TOO much.

Michael D would i think be just right for the job{ok they might have to find out which Tree He is hugging when an important bill has to be signed:)}but he has a sense of the realities,and the Spiritual sides of life!(i have yet to meet a person that does not like him)

Mr McAleese is definatly worthy of consideration and as people know even spokesmen for the DUP,UUP and even the UDA have said how helpful He was in the peace process,He would hardly be our first Protestant President either!

To me there is no exceptional female candidate this time round,except may'be Marion Finucane who in general seems to be a head of sense and has a sense of 'The big picture'

Anyways by the time the Election comes around a 'dark horse' may well have emerged!
Would it surprise us?:)

ynotdu

994 wrote: »

What about Dev?



Rural Ireland's not quite so backward as you'd think, after all they have the same TV we do and thus absorb the same values.

Oh and by the way 994 if you read the Biographies of Collins there are MANY veiled suggestions that he had Bi-sexual instincts!:pac::p:)

j1smithy

sceptre wrote: »

The president doesn't get the option not to sign stuff. It's one of the things Dana plainly didn't get during the Late Late Show presidential debate back in 1997. Mind you Gay Byrne didn't appear to get that either as he asked the question.

In theory they don't have a choice, but they could step down - force a constitutional crisis, if a bill was presented to the that they didn't like.

nesf

Brian Crowley would get my vote. One of the FF TDs/MEPs that I have genuine respect and time for.

I could live with Micheal D too, again one of the few Labour TDs I'd have respect and time for.

ynotdu

j1smithy wrote: »

In theory they don't have a choice, but they could step down - force a constitutional crisis, if a bill was presented to the that they didn't like.

That is almost Exactly what happened under the Cosgrave led Govt in the 70's.the then president sent the special powers act to the Supreme court,a Govt minister called the Presidents action "A thundering disgrace"
The president stood down.

The_Minister

ynotdu wrote: »

Much as i like President McAleese i feel she did not call the 'Council of State' together anyway near often enough{A thundering disgrace,ya might say!;)} or refer anywhere like enough bills back before she signed them!

AFAIK, McAleese and Robinson have sent more bills to the Supreme Court then any other Presidents.

As for whether they can refuse to sign.

Article 13 wrote:

3. 1° Every Bill passed or deemed to have been passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas shall require the signature of the President for its enactment into law.

2° The President shall promulgate every law made by the Oireachtas.

FlutterinBantam

Davy Norris is the man for the job.

Michael D. Higgins.... jaysus are ye all mad!!:eek:

Jim236

Word on the street is Mr. Tayto is to announce his candidacy at the next C&C AGM.

Red_Marauder

We do not need a President. She is totally despensible. The leadership of a country should be meaningful and effective, not a mere formaility.

Personally, I don't like the idea of what amounts to a "Queen of the Ballot Box" election every seven years that is given far more attention than it deserves.

irish_bob

norris cant keep his mouth shut and is too egocentric for the role

trapsagenius

Can't be Norris-didn't he want us to rejoin the commonwealth ffs??Predictably, I'm going to say I'd love if Bertie got the job.

Liam Byrne

trapsagenius wrote: »

Predictably, I'm going to say I'd love if Bertie got the job.

I could just laugh this off and pray that you're in a minority, but I'll offer the courtesy and ask why you think that someone under investigation for his finances who has written blank cheques, given jobs to incompetent friends and run the country into the ground is a suitable candidate ?

He'd make wanting to rejoin the Commonwealth an appealing alternative.

anymore

Brian Crowley will win .. full stop.
I wouldnt vote for him in the last GE and wont vote for him as President.. but he will win.

anymore

anymore wrote: »

Brian Crowley will win .. full stop.
I wouldnt vote for him in the last GE and wont vote for him as President.. but he will win.

Actually, if the only choice was between Crowley and O Higgins, I might vote for Crowley !

trapsagenius

Liam Byrne wrote: »

I could just laugh this off and pray that you're in a minority, but I'll offer the courtesy and ask why you think that someone under investigation for his finances who has written blank cheques, given jobs to incompetent friends and run the country into the ground is a suitable candidate ?

He'd make wanting to rejoin the Commonwealth an appealing alternative.

ffs man, must you try and turn every thread into a Bertie Ahern bashing one?

deadhead13

Of our 8 past and present Presidents, 5 have been nominated by FF and 2 by all-party nomination.

Iwasfrozen

Aard wrote: »

I'd vote for David Norris.

He's got my vote.

Liam Byrne

trapsagenius wrote: »

ffs man, must you try and turn every thread into a Bertie Ahern bashing one?

I'm not the one who suggested that he'd be a worthy candidate, so you can direct that question elsewhere.

And for the record it's not "bashing"; it's stating facts.

Raiser

Red_Marauder wrote: »

We do not need a President. She is totally despensible. The leadership of a country should be meaningful and effective, not a mere formaility.

Personally, I don't like the idea of what amounts to a "Queen of the Ballot Box" election every seven years that is given far more attention than it deserves.

But who is going to open up her Aras and bend over backwards to show the Chinese her Muffin?

wicklowwonder

Before we discuss potential presidents we have to look at what parties can afford to run a presidental campaign. Fianna Fail and Sinn Fein are the only ones at present I can see with the will to fight an election. Fine Gael, Labour will be holding out for the General Election as both will want to pump all resources into gaining power. Greens will be also holding onto funds as they are in for one hell of a fight to get even one TD returned in the next general election. IMO if the Greens where to run a candidate I could see them running Trevor Sargent but I don't think they can afford a Presidental Campaign and Sargent wouldn't fancy cycling the country look for votes

Fianna Fail will run a candidate unless an all party candidate can be agreed, this candidate could be anyone but I feel if Bertie wants it he still has enough sway in the party to get it. However Bertie will not run uness the "Drumcondra Mafia" are sure of winning, he would not put himself and his already batteted reputation through the mill again. Again depends on if any more money stories are hidden in his wardrobe if not I woud not be surprised to a see a fighting Bertie win the election on the back of huge rural support and the Bertie Factor he brings to canvassing! If not Bertie someone like John O'Donohoe might fancy his chances or else Crowley.

Sinn Fein would love to have Gerry Adams or anyone of their members in the Aras for 2016 celebrations to turn the event into a farce!! Sinn Fein of today is no way related to the party which played an integral part in our freedom and I hope the Irish people do not have to go through the humilation of Sinn Fein hijacking what should be a celebration of our country's fore fathers.

Personally I would like to see Bertie get the job as I feel he could play an integral part in trade missions and is loved and very respected abroad as we all saw during our last presidency of the EU. Ireland should use this man to help regain our financial, political and economic standing we had and have the potential to regain. I do not think anyone else on the Irish political playing field holds the same respect abroad as Bertie and despite his ratings at home I feel it could be the country's best interest to let him help in regaining our place at the top table in world econmics!!

dvpower

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Personally I would like to see Bertie get the job as I feel he could play an integral part in trade missions and is loved and very respected abroad as we all saw during our last presidency of the EU. Ireland should use this man to help regain our financial, political and economic standing we had and have the potential to regain. I do not think anyone else on the Irish political playing field holds the same respect abroad as Bertie and despite his ratings at home I feel it could be the country's best interest to let him help in regaining our place at the top table in world econmics!!

I understand that you are writing this from the other side of the world and may not be fully in touch with the zeitgeist here, but Bertie's financial, political and economic standing in Ireland is at zero.

He may be held in high regard abroad, so I can only hope that he will go and get a nice job outside of Ireland. At least that way, he won't be able to do any more damage here.

dvpower

deadhead13 wrote: »

Of our 8 past and present Presidents, 5 have been nominated by FF and 2 by all-party nomination.

In the past, FF were the largest party in the state.

wicklowwonder

I may be at the otherside of the world but i am well aware of how bertie has been blamed for bringing down ireland! I do agree he may have made some wrong decisions but it is on record in the dail the opposition parties regularly complained he was not spending enough! Also he is innocent until proven guilty he has not been proven guilty in a court of law and the media have no right to judge anyone! Dont get me wrong i do agree he may have spent money better but he is not all to blame and no leader of any country saw the financial crisis coming! All i was trying to say was if elected bertie could do alot to right some of his wrongs he commited while in power......... He could help rebuild our country through his reputation abroad!

Liam Byrne

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Dont get me wrong i do agree he may have spent money better but he is not all to blame and no leader of any country saw the financial crisis coming!

He was warned and told people that they were - ahem - being pessimistic.

So he didn't WANT to see it coming.

He also gave the job of Financial Regulator to "his friend" (nepotism/corruption) and the said-same individual didn't do his job, making the crash a million times worse.

There are lots of other things that I could list off that he did wrong, but this isn't really the right thread.

wicklowwonder wrote: »

All i was trying to say was if elected bertie could do alot to right some of his wrongs he commited while in power......... He could help rebuild our country through his reputation abroad!

If elected, a murderer "could do a lot to right some of his wrongs" too, but no-one would have it.

And what "reputation" are you on about ? If Ireland is seen to give a position like this to someone like Ahern it would kill off our credibility completely.

dvpower

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Also he is innocent until proven guilty he has not been proven guilty in a court of law and the media have no right to judge anyone!

People are only innocent if they didn't do what they are accused of doing. Bertie was Taoiseach overseeing the biggest financial collapse in our history. He was responsible for the management of the country and he failed to manage it property. Its absurd to suggest that the media don't have the right to judge our politicians; that's precisely what the ought to be doing.

wicklowwonder wrote: »

Dont get me wrong i do agree he may have spent money better but he is not all to blame and no leader of any country saw the financial crisis coming!

This is a typical FF line of arguement. We're hearing it less and less now; almost nobody is buying it anymore. Even if the global financial crisis wasn't foreseeable (it was), our problems were made worse than almost anyone elses because of the imbalances in our own ecomomy (reliance on unsustainable tax revenue from construction, loss of competitivness, rising current account spending...)

wicklowwonder wrote: »

All i was trying to say was if elected bertie could do alot to right some of his wrongs he commited while in power......... He could help rebuild our country through his reputation abroad!

Bertie doesn't accept that he has done things wrong, so he's not in a great position to fix things. Anyway, as has alrady been said, putting Bertie in the Aras would damage our reputation further.

wicklowwonder

You cannot and do not compare the man to a murderer! as i said in my last post he has not been charged or found guilty of any wrong doing! So thus under irish law is innocent. You agreed he could do alot of good so let him! Who would you rather see as president gerry adams or bertie ahern? It could come down to that as other parties may not be able to afford to put up a candidate. Every leader has given jobs to friends and i agree we have to stop this behaviour, draw a line under the past learn from our mistakes and move on and i feel bertie could help us move on and regain prosperity and economic stability. Finally do not be so narrowminded to think other counties really care that much about Ireland. How many other nations even know about his financial investigations, when you mention his name people think immediately of the man who brought europe together to agree on a constitution, of a man who not only held his own but out performed alot of the world's biggest leaders. Every other country is doing everything they can to pull themselves out of recession we have a man who can help but we have people in the media and on boards like this who feel they know better because he hadnt a bank account when he was going through a rough period get over it people he hasnt been found guilty let him help us get out of this hole..... I know alot of people will not agree with me but this is my opinion.

itsonlywords

trapsagenius wrote: »

ffs man, must you try and turn every thread into a Bertie Ahern bashing one?

Well as Bertie is the most dishonest politician (pending tribunal findings) we have, why should he be nominated? Certain buiLders could abuse and be cleared because of connections with the Áras ,it woiuld be a free for all again.

dvpower

wicklowwonder wrote: »

... learn from our mistakes and move on

I certainly hope so.

itsonlywords

Well if Norris was ever elected President that is the day I would leave Ireland. There is no place for his type in the Áras. I can picture the scene on the lawns with men tripping around the grounds in pink tutu's and magic wands. Ireland would be the laughing stock of the world. I despise Ahearne and FF but would select him over Norris. Michael D is my choice