So Michael D IS running again!

Tell me how

Zubeneschamali wrote:

There aren't going to be any transferred votes.

Why not?

L1011

Tell me how wrote: »

Why not?

Higgins is extremely likely to win on the first count.

walshb

I'm starting to really worry about these candidates judging by their taste in comedians....

Tommy Tiernan and Michael McIntyre featuring a lot according to the Irish Times magazine yesterday...

Tell me how

L1011 wrote:

Higgins is extremely likely to win on the first count.

Yes but do they finish out the count regardless or halt as soon as someone is deemed the winner?

Zubeneschamali

Tell me how wrote: »

Yes but do they finish out the count regardless or halt as soon as someone is deemed the winner?

They finish the first count (all the #1 votes) regardless.

If Higgins gets above 50%, he wins. They do not have a 2nd count, and nobody's #2 to #6 matters.

Higgins is at 66% in he latest poll, making it likely he gets 50%+ in the first count.

The only remaining question then is if any of the losers can get to 12.5% and get their expenses back. In the latest IPSOS/MRBI, Gallagher comes closest at 12%, but none of them get a cent.

Which is fine by me.

VinLieger

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

They finish the first count (all the #1 votes) regardless.

If Higgins gets above 50%, he wins. They do not have a 2nd count, and nobody's #2 to #6 matters.

Higgins is polling at 68% in he latest poll.

That poll was taken before casey's remarks, and tbh im worried how stupid most of the country is.


Not that casey might win but i think he could possibly push it to a 2nd count due to how many morons are saying they will vote for him specifically on an issue he has no control over or power to do anything about

McMurphy

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

They finish the first count (all the #1 votes) regardless.

If Higgins gets above 50%, he wins. They do not have a 2nd count, and nobody's #2 to #6 matters.

Higgins is polling at 68% in he latest poll.

The latest poll being taken pre - Casey taking a lot of the limelight.

Be interesting when actual new polls are released post 17th of Oct.

Pussyhands

VinLieger wrote: »

That poll was taken before casey's remarks, and tbh im worried how stupid most of the country is.


Not that casey might win but i think he could possibly push it to a 2nd count due to how many morons are saying they will vote for him specifically on an issue he has no control over or power to do anything about

The president can't do anything so there's no point even having debates. Actually what's the point in having a president at all?

McMurphy

Pussyhands wrote: »

The president can't do anything so there's no point even having debates. Actually what's the point in having a president at all?

Which is why voting for Casey can be a fairly effective protest vote.

I'm just glad that Higgins isn't getting the free run that he was expected to get, and am looking forward to further televised debates with him in them.

martingriff

I support what Casey says and I am 100% behind him on them but as a president no. Not voting Higgins

FrancieBrady

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Which is why voting for Casey can be a fairly effective protest vote.

I'm just glad that Higgins isn't getting the free run that he was expected to get, and am looking forward to further televised debates with him in them.

They said that about voting for Farage and look at the mess they are in.

I am hoping that people maintain a sense of maturity and see Casey's electioneering for what it is, an ego driven trip fuelled by conning the easily conned.

Tell me how

Pussyhands wrote:

Actually what's the point in having a president at all?

The president represents the state abroad and when greeting dignitaries visiting Ireland.

Many would say, why can't the Taoiseach do that but, if there is a crisis or hot topic going on, it could look weird to have the Taoiseach attending what might be a somewhat low-key function which might simultaneously be important to a visiting head of state.

Also, it provides a separation of state and government. Personally, I think its good to be able represent the country without every engagement being politically charged.

tayto lover

L1011 wrote: »

Higgins is extremely likely to win on the first count.

He is indeed. However that's not the point.
If Casey gets a high vote it will seriously annoy the establishment who tried to put him down like Govt and RTE. Great laugh if he finishes in second or third.

Zubeneschamali

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

The latest poll being taken pre - Casey taking a lot of the limelight.

If Casey dropped his pants on a TV debate, he would get lots of press attention, but probably not many votes.

I don't think this Traveller thing is going to win him many votes, either. He might catch that other Dragon guy I suppose.

FrancieBrady

tayto lover wrote: »

He is indeed. However that's not the point.
If Casey gets a high vote it will seriously annoy the establishment who tried to put him down like Govt and RTE. Great laugh if he finishes in second or third.

Yeh, of course he will 'annoy the establishment' as they install him in office and tell him to keep his mouth shut for the next 7 years. :rolleyes::rolleyes:

Tell me how

tayto lover wrote:

He is indeed. However that's not the point. If Casey gets a high vote it will seriously annoy the establishment who tried to put him down like Govt and RTE. Great laugh if he finishes in second or third.

How did RTE try to put him down?

mrbrianj

Fed up with all the lies.

MDH has questions to answer or better still just explain the spending. 3k a night hotel room in Geneva is just a smoke screen. That's what they cost, SG said he would stay in the Irish embassy (does SG know that the Irish embassy in Switzerland is in an office in Berne -2 hour drive from Geneva)
But still, MDH should be front and centre on this.

Sean Gallagher, like the others, put his hand up when asked if they were landlords by Pat Kenny - but he said he 'only had one house rented out' - as if the Nokia court case never happened, jeez can they not just be straight rather than just give versions of half truths. The holier than thou attitude changes to do what I say not what I do!

Gavin - Sorry, Liam Duffy (actually comes across as an alright person), but should have let the skeletons out before somebody else did. All the others had caught themselves in half truths already.

Anyway, if you look at the Brexit and Trump (and Pat Rabbit!;)) sometimes vote winners just tell loader lies.

Loafing Oaf

Tell me how wrote: »

The president represents the state abroad and when greeting dignitaries visiting Ireland.

Many would say, why can't the Taoiseach do that but, if there is a crisis or hot topic going on, it could look weird to have the Taoiseach attending what might be a somewhat low-key function which might simultaneously be important to a visiting head of state.

Also, it provides a separation of state and government. Personally, I think its good to be able represent the country without every engagement being politically charged.

Does he/she have to be directly elected though?

An Ciarraioch

On a lighter Casey note, his solution to the Border is "creative", to put it mildly - an independent NI, in confederation with the UK, but an EU member in its own right! If such an arrangement were possible, I suspect half the regions in Spain, France and Italy would be looking for the same.

An Ciarraioch

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Tell me how wrote: »

The president represents the state abroad and when greeting dignitaries visiting Ireland.

Many would say, why can't the Taoiseach do that but, if there is a crisis or hot topic going on, it could look weird to have the Taoiseach attending what might be a somewhat low-key function which might simultaneously be important to a visiting head of state.

Also, it provides a separation of state and government. Personally, I think its good to be able represent the country without every engagement being politically charged.

Does he/she have to be directly elected though?

Surely better that the electorate pick the President, rather than the Dáil, as happens elsewhere in Europe?

Loafing Oaf

An Ciarraioch wrote: »

Surely better that the electorate pick the President, rather than the Dáil, as happens elsewhere in Europe?

There are other options for choosing the president: the Seanad, the Council of State, a government-appointed panel.

Pussyhands

Tell me how wrote: »

Many would say, why can't the Taoiseach do that but, if there is a crisis or hot topic going on, it could look weird to have the Taoiseach attending what might be a somewhat low-key function which might simultaneously be important to a visiting head of state.

Don't see why a minister of foreign affairs can't do all that, or Tanaiste even. If it's so important that you need a 300k + expenses + election costs president then how can it be so low key for a tanaiste or taoiseach?

Also, it provides a separation of state and government. Personally, I think its good to be able represent the country without every engagement being politically charged.

Miggledy is a labour man and the only reason FG and the rest are supporting him is the fact he's outrageously popular, mostly due to the fact he speaks well, is old and small and has dogs.

They're also only supporting him because technically he is an independent now. Once we're back on a fresh slate we'll have the major parties put their own candidate forward again.

Zubeneschamali

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

There are other options for choosing the president: the Seanad, the Council of State, a government-appointed panel.

Yes, but those are all worse options.

People are complaining that the race is low quality this time, but that would only be an issue if one of the low quality candidates wins. The system is working fine - Michael D and a bunch of low quality candidates are running - and Michael D is going to beat them all handily.

Not only is he going to get 50%, right now it looks like he is going to get 50% more than the the nearest challenger!

Is it a waste of time and money? Yes, this time. Blame SF for that. But we keep the option to remove an unpopular incumbent by popular vote for the future.

Zubeneschamali

Pussyhands wrote: »

They're also only supporting him because technically he is an independent now. Once we're back on a fresh slate we'll have the major parties put their own candidate forward again.

I am not so sure. FG burned 500K and some credibility running Gay Mitchell in 2011. Neither mary Robinson or Mary McAleese, bith very popular, were conventional party picks, and Michael D. was the pick of a minor party.

I wouldn't be surprised if FG stop nominating politicians for the role altogether, and back popular apolitical/charidee types in future.

MrMusician18

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Yes, but those are all worse options.

People are complaining that the race is low quality this time, but that would only be an issue if one of the low quality candidates wins. The system is working fine - Michael D and a bunch of low quality candidates are running - and Michael D is going to beat them all handily.

Not only is he going to get 50%, right now it looks like he is going to get 50% more than the the nearest challenger!

Is it a waste of time and money? Yes, this time. Blame SF for that. But we keep the option to remove an unpopular incumbent by popular vote for the future.

Id argue that all six candidates are low quality.

Michael D's eulogizing of Castro demonstrated his unfitness for the role

Tell me how

MrMusician18 wrote:

Michael D's eulogizing of Castro demonstrated his unfitness for the role

He commented on this that he should have mentioned human rights issue when he said what he said about him.

He said it is normal to comment on the passing of a head of state irrespective to their record.

I agree he shouldn't have been as gushing but I don't think that that is enough to rule him out.

Loafing Oaf

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Yes, but those are all worse options.

People are complaining that the race is low quality this time,

It seems to me that the complaints go beyond the low calibre of the field this time round to the farce that elections to such a ceremonial position seemingly inevitably descends into.

I'd say there is general agreement that the overall standard of candidates was higher in 2011, but I don't remember the process being less of a circus.

I'm surprised nobody has yet quoted the old saw about academic politics being the most vicious and bitter form of politics, because the stakes are so low.

RobertKK

VinLieger wrote: »

That poll was taken before casey's remarks, and tbh im worried how stupid most of the country is.


Not that casey might win but i think he could possibly push it to a 2nd count due to how many morons are saying they will vote for him specifically on an issue he has no control over or power to do anything about

A lot of the country are indeed stupid, and will be afraid of change so will vote for Higgins again.

RobertKK

MrMusician18 wrote: »

Id argue that all six candidates are low quality.

Michael D's eulogizing of Castro demonstrated his unfitness for the role

Plus Higgins 5 years ago said he wants to visit President Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, so far he has failed to distance himself from his friend who runs death squads.
Right up until the race for the presidency started, and while Ortega was murdering his own people, our president had a picture of himself and ortega on president.ie as if it was something to be proud of, rather than Ortega being someone he should have been condemning.

martingriff

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

There are other options for choosing the president: the Seanad, the Council of State, a government-appointed panel.

So have them picked by the Seanad which is government majority or by the go government panel so again by the go government. Which will be fine unless is the government you do not like. Again how is it democratic