Girl 26 looking to become a TD- WTF?

Henlars67

Grayson wrote: »

So, who paid for her job as her fathers assistant?

And you're missing my point. College qualifications are great. And I've even said that she probably knows more about economics than most politicians. But she's asking us, the electorate, to vote for her when she's gotton no experience. She's expecting to be hired into a high level job with no experience on her CV at all.
Nothing, just a job for her dad with him as a reference. And of course she has his name. But that's it.

The taxpayer did, but this thread is about her selection as a candidate for this election, not about her selection for a PA job a couple of years ago.

In this case she has to face an electorate, they will decide if she's fit for the job or not.

I am not missing your point whatsoever. I see absolutely no problem with somebody choosing politics as a career and getting into it as early as possible if they so wish.
Again the electorate will decide if her 'inexperience' means she shouldn't get the job.
I'd never vote for her as FG policies are totally at odds with my own political views, however if I agreed with her or her party's policy's then her age, the fact her father was the last TD or her 'inexperience' would make absolutely no difference to me.

If she went off and became a school teacher for a couple of years would you think that she was fit to be a TD then?

Allyall

Henlars67 wrote: »

If she went off and became a school teacher for a couple of years would you think that she was fit to be a TD then?

She'd be more qualified in something than she is now. She would know at least what the everyday life is like for one profession.

Henlars67

Allyall wrote: »

Nothing is wrong with her wanting a career in politics at any age. But to step up without any life experiences shows how little she knows and how much she thinks she is entitled to it.

If she was made a TD what office could she be appointed to? What experience does she have in anything? What decisions is she qualified to make? How would she decide on her decisions, especially if she had to make them quickly?
If she was made Minister tomorrow for an office that oversees your profession, would you be happy?

She will have lots of experience by the time she becomes a minister, if she ever becomes one.


The fact she can't make a decision because she has no 'life experience' is quite frankly bulls***.

sceptre

Sand Wedge wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks that a 26 year old who never has had a job in the real world (apart from being employed by her Dad(R.I.P.) as a parliamentary assistant for two years) should be running for a TD position.

Unfortunately, "parent dies, son or daughter runs for seat" seems to have been a route for many into national politics, including for our current Taoiseach.

I'm sure that there are a few sons or daughters of current or former TDs who are easily capable of doing the job. But voting for someone just because they're the offspring of a former representative is nuts and hasn't helped a jot in the idiotic mess the country has become. And that's happened time and time again. I could cite many many examples of where that's been a crazy thing to do but Mary Coughlan (who succeeded her father as TD for Donegal SW in 1987, who in turn succeeded his brother as TD in 1986, who in turn was electable largely as a result of being a Donegal footballer) as a perfect example of the calibre of person we frequently elect under this method of sympathy voting.

suicide_circus

Henlars67 wrote: »

The taxpayer did, but this thread is about her selection as a candidate for this election, not about her selection for a PA job a couple of years ago.

In this case she has to face an electorate, they will decide if she's fit for the job or not.

I am not missing your point whatsoever. I see absolutely no problem with somebody choosing politics as a career and getting into it as early as possible if they so wish.
Again the electorate will decide if her 'inexperience' means she shouldn't get the job.
I'd never vote for her as FG policies are totally at odds with my own political views, however if I agreed with her or her party's policy's then her age, the fact her father was the last TD or her 'inexperience' would make absolutely no difference to me.

If she went off and became a school teacher for a couple of years would you think that she was fit to be a TD then?

Are you deliberately missing the point ?

Look, She will win anyway so not to worry.

The electorate will say "sure i knew her faaader well, isnt she great altogether"

Her experience, policies or track record wont even come into it, just her surname, which is why FG are running her.

Henlars67

suicide_circus wrote: »

Because gombeen career politicans with no life experience who got where they are purely based on family connections are a blight on Irish public life. The only job she ever had was one handed to her by her father.

The electorate choose them. That's how democracy works.

And I'm pretty sure she isn't a gombeen.

fatknacker

Title: 26 year old "Girl" + politics + wtf = 122 Thanks and counting....


Jesus titty fcking Christ.

Grayson

P_1 wrote: »

I think people are being a tad discriminatory on age dismissing her because she's 26.

It's not age. If she sat on her arse for the next 10 years, I'd be just as dismissive when she's 36.

And I made a point of saying in my first post in this thread that if she came back in 10 years with some kind of experience I'd consider voting for her.

_Kaiser_

I think some of ye should run yourselves..

Attempting to derail the point being made (namely: someone running with nothing more to offer than name recognition and sympathy generating story has no place being a TD) with whinging about the thread title and whether she's a "girl" or a "woman"

I don't care if she was 26 or 86, man or woman - she has done NOTHING but go to college, do well in some exams and get a few degrees, and work in Daddy's office - oh and the family pub (yet another publican)

So while she's no doubt a certainty to win the seat (unfortunately), this rubbish about "youth" and "new thinking" from some posters is just laughable - in reality it's just business as usual!

P_1

Grayson wrote: »

It's not age. If she sat on her arse for the next 10 years, I'd be just as dismissive when she's 36.

And I made a point of saying in my first post in this thread that if she came back in 10 years with some kind of experience I'd consider voting for her.

Ok she has had one job since she finished college right. People are judging her on that right. Has she come out and said, this is what I want to do, and this is how I plan on achieving it. Personally that would make me more likely to vote for a candidate, rather than just dismissing them for how old they are or what they do to earn money.

Grayson

Henlars67 wrote: »

The electorate choose them. That's how democracy works.

And I'm pretty sure she isn't a gombeen.

So, we voted to make her the FG candidate?

This is one of my favorite quotes from Yes Minister

"The argument that we must do everything a Minister demands because he has been 'democratically chosen' does not stand up to close inspection. MPs are not chosen by 'the people' - they are chosen by their local constituency parties: thirty-five men in grubby raincoats or thirty-five women in silly hats. The further 'selection' process is equally a nonsense: there are only 630 MPs and a party with just over 300 MPs forms a government and of these 300, 100 are too old and too silly to be ministers and 100 too young and too callow. Therefore there are about 100 MPs to fill 100 government posts. Effectively no choice at all."

Grayson

Henlars67 wrote: »

The taxpayer did, but this thread is about her selection as a candidate for this election, not about her selection for a PA job a couple of years ago.

But you're the one who said this isn't like a TD giving someone a job at the taxpayers expense.

It isn't like a TD giving family members a job at taxpayers expense.

But her only job experience is a job her dad got her at the tax payers expense.

Henlars67 wrote: »

If she went off and became a school teacher for a couple of years would you think that she was fit to be a TD then?

Nope. And I've said that I think most of our TD's are useless. But that doesn't mean that she should be elected because she's next to useless.

See, I'd like to think that she'd either get relevant experience. But failing that, any experience.

Henlars67

Grayson wrote: »

So, we voted to make her the FG candidate?

This is one of my favorite quotes from Yes Minister

No, but she then has to face an electorate.
FG picked the person with the best chance of winning the seat. that's what political parties do. They'd be pretty stupid not to.

The electorate can now reject her if they see fit.

Your quote from 'Yes Minister' is irrelevant in an Irish context.

I'm sure you know that British constituencies are single seaters, with a high percentage being either guaranteed labour or guaranteed tory before the election ever takes place.
In that case the party really does pick their MP.
Not the case here with multi-seat constituencies and very often more than one candidate from a party

Grayson

P_1 wrote: »

Ok she has had one job since she finished college right. People are judging her on that right. Has she come out and said, this is what I want to do, and this is how I plan on achieving it. Personally that would make me more likely to vote for a candidate, rather than just dismissing them for how old they are or what they do to earn money.

Of course people are judging her.

We're her employeers. We're the people hiring her. We have every right to look at her and say she isn't qualified.

If I was hiring for a company, I wouldn't hire someone just because they want to do the job. A prospective employee has to demonstrate that they can do the job.

Grayson

Henlars67 wrote: »

No, but she then has to face an electorate.
FG picked the person with the best chance of winning the seat. that's what political parties do. They'd be pretty stupid not to.

The electorate can now reject her if they see fit.

Your quote from 'Yes Minister' is irrelevant in an Irish context.

I'm sure you know that British constituencies are single seaters, with a high percentage being either guaranteed labour or guaranteed tory before the election ever takes place.
In that case the party really does pick their MP.
Not the case here with multi-seat constituencies and very often more than one candidate from a party

No it's not. When you have multi seat constituencies, people are more likely to hold onto one seat. There are many constituencies where there has been at least 1 FF and one FG seat for decades (well until the last election when FF got a hammering). The fight is for the second preference seat.

Grayson

Found this when I was googling the Yes Minister quote.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4744303/sir-anthony-jay-yes-prime-minister.html

There's a great diagram in it

Henlars67

Grayson wrote: »

No it's not. When you have multi seat constituencies, people are more likely to hold onto one seat. There are many constituencies where there has been at least 1 FF and one FG seat for decades (well until the last election when FF got a hammering). The fight is for the second preference seat.

But the electorate decides which of the FG or FF candidates win that seat, the fact that one is chosen at party convention doesn't guarantee the seat like it does in many British constituencies.

I think our way of electing people is one of the best and fairest there is.

Jimoslimos

Say 20 years from now you were manager of FC Barcelona. Would you sign a young lad and throw him into the first team based on nothing more than a few kickabouts he had with his Dad?

Or more likely would you want to see how he performed in reserve team matches /trials/lower league etc? Even if his name was Thiago Messi.

Henlars67

Jimoslimos wrote: »

Say 20 years from now you were manager of FC Barcelona. Would you sign a young lad and throw him into the first team based on nothing more than a few kickabouts he had with his Dad?

Or more likely would you want to see how he performed in reserve team matches /trials/lower league etc? Even if his name was Thiago Messi.

What a ridiculous attempt at an analogy.

Jimoslimos

Henlars67 wrote: »

No, but she then has to face an electorate.
FG picked the person with the best chance of winning the seat. that's what political parties do. They'd be pretty stupid not to.

I'd like to see FG pick the best person to make a difference in DE.

Allyall

Henlars67 wrote: »

She will have lots of experience by the time she becomes a minister, if she ever becomes one.


The fact she can't make a decision because she has no 'life experience' is quite frankly bulls***.

I didn't say that, i said

But to step up without any life experiences shows how little she knows and how much she thinks she is entitled to it.

Also

If she was made a TD what office could she be appointed to? What experience does she have in anything? What decisions is she qualified to make? How would she decide on her decisions, especially if she had to make them quickly?
If she was made Minister tomorrow for an office that oversees your profession, would you be happy?

I meant what could she rely on to help make her decisions when she hasn't even had to decide what ink to put in the printer in work, or what is the best way to get customers in the door, or how best to teach a kid with slower learning to keep up with the class etc..


She has never been employed outside of her family, and no way should she be employed to help run our Country without a CV of any description. It's a pathetic ask, and even more ridiculous if she gets in.
You wouldn't employ someone in your company and pay them a salary without any CV, would you?

Henlars67

Jimoslimos wrote: »

I'd like to see FG pick the best person to make a difference in DE.

They pick the person within the party who has the best chance of winning the seat.

that is how political parties operate.

A lot of people on this thread have very little understanding of politics.

My name is URL

Henlars67 wrote: »

They pick the person within the party who has the best chance of winning the seat.

that is how political parties operate.

A lot of people on this thread have very little understanding of politics.

|I think they understand just fine, and understand that despite FG's populist pre-election rhetoric about 'new politics' etc, and an end to cronyism.. they have; yet again (and it's not even surprising at this stage) failed to live up to their own hype.

Grayson

Henlars67 wrote: »

They pick the person within the party who has the best chance of winning the seat.

that is how political parties operate.

A lot of people on this thread have very little understanding of politics.

But what the people who are against her running are saying is this

The party shouldn't have nominated her. And we wouldn't (and hopefully no-one else will) vote for her. And it's a bad sign that she thinks she deserves that seat.

We're saying this because

She has no experience
She's running on her fathers name.
The only reason that she got the nomination is because of who her father was.

No-one has said she shouldn't be allowed to be interested in politics. Or that she can't pursue a career in politics. Everyone in the country has those rights. We are not in favour of denying her any rights.

But for someone who has no experience at all to put themselves forward shows a feeling of entitlement.

Personally, i hope she gets thrashed at the polls.

Jimoslimos

Henlars67 wrote: »

They pick the person within the party who has the best chance of winning the seat.

that is how political parties operate.

A lot of people on this thread have very little understanding of politics.

You don't see how people would view that as a cynical move and question it? No I suppose FG know what's best, why should we think otherwise.

I don't give a flying fcuk how FG (or anyone else) choose to operate their party. I do (as a citizen of this country) have a vested interest in the calibre of TDs we elect.

Henlars67

My name is URL wrote: »

|I think they understand just fine, and understand that despite FG's populist pre-election rhetoric about 'new politics' etc, and an end to cronyism.. they have; yet again (and it's not even surprising at this stage) failed to live up to their own hype.

Personally I'd much rather have a young person well educated in politics and economics represent me than some 50 something former schoolteacher.


Who that persons father/mother/uncle etc was is in my view completely irrelevant.

My name is URL

Henlars67 wrote: »

Personally I'd much rather have a young person well educated in politics and economics represent me than some 50 something former schoolteacher.


Who that persons father/mother/uncle etc was is in my view completely irrelevant.

It might be irrelevant as far as you're concerned but it's not irrelevant to FG top brasses. It's the only reason she has been nominated to stand.

hatrickpatrick

Allyall wrote: »

I wouldn't necessarily agree.. My older brother is 40 (Maybe 41..) And his generation all grew up with technology. I would say Gen Y are after. (I'm Gen Y).

Maybe the Social Media part, and that is quite important for politics, but that's about it. Okay smartphones etc.. But i would say age isn't much to do with it. a 40 year old could know a lot more than a 21 year old or 25 year old, and vice versa.

Sean Sherlock however, studied Politics in Galway, and is minister for research and innovation.. Possibly the single worst matching of a person to a position ever.

She is 26 and may know a lot less about technology than Enda Kenny. (I doubt it, but it's possible)

Seems she has been waiting for this opening, given what she chose to do in college (I don't mean the loss of her father), She probably assumed she was entitled to it. But given that she hasn't actually done anything or worked anywhere, I wouldn't vote for her. She has probably leap-frogged over a few other people that are more qualified and have been waiting for a long time. She should get a life, job, experience and come back in 5 years.

My point is, she has the mindset and outlook of someone more or less in my generation, and I would vote for her because I can relate to that a lot more than any of the other candidates we have.
The internet freedom thing is just one example - it's an issue which is important to me as an Irish citizen and at the moment I have absolutely no faith in any of the current crowd to do it right.
Is there anything inherently wrong with wanting your own generation to be represented when decisions are being made about how your country is run?

As a young person, she's more likely to empathize with the issues facing young people today. I don't get any grants for college but I would imagine that if the government was run by people who had only recently been in that situation, there wouldn't have been such an unbelievable f*ck up with that system this year. Another example.

Allyall

hatrickpatrick wrote: »

As a young person, she's more likely to empathize with the issues facing young people today. I don't get any grants for college but I would imagine that if the government was run by people who had only recently been in that situation, there wouldn't have been such an unbelievable f*ck up with that system this year. Another example.

A young person who has worked, and struggled in college, and those issues you mentioned may well empathise.

But not her. I doubt she was in any of those situations, I wouldn't imagine she could empathise with anyone like that, as she is now expecting her fathers seat to be handed to her. Maybe she got everything else in life handed to her and feels a sense of entitlement, i don't know, but how can she empathise with anyone if she has never had a job?
I'd say she see's the salary and the light work load.

Henlars67

Not going to respond individually as you're all more or less saying the same thing and spectacularly missing my point.

To say she shouldn't be running is ridiculous and to be quite honest none of your business or mine unless you're a member of FG.

Whether or not she is elected is the business of any citizen but the people of Meath East will decide if she should represent them or not. If she is democratically elected then I don't see the problem.

So what if she follows her parents career? Loads of people in other fields have followed their parents career paths.

And to those saying she has no CV, what exactly would need to be on someone's CV to deem them suitable for public office? And whatever your answer is I'd say a large number of current TD's don't have it.

And one persons criteria for what experience or qualities their TD should will be quite different to another's, but as in all democracy majority will rule and whoever is elected will be the choice of the people.

Who gave any of you the right to decide who should and shouldn't run for a seat in the dail?

You need to learn what democracy is and how politics work.