So Michael D IS running again!

seamus

I'm a little surprised Gallagher and whatshisface are still seeking nominations tbh.

I think it would have been taken for granted that, "Hey, I'm a businessman who you know from TV" would be a sure fire way to kill any election campaign after Trump's farce.

Interesting to see what'll happen over the next four weeks. My gut feeling is that unlike 2011, county councils will be far less generous with their support, and so circus candidates like Sharkey, O'Doherty and even Gallagher, won't get any support unless their pitch is something special.

Aside from SF's candidate, I can't see the Oireachtas putting anyone else forward. Even the far left groups will be happy to leave "lefty" Michael D in place rather than get egg on their face by running some niche lunatic.

blackwhite

seamus wrote: »

I'm a little surprised Gallagher and whatshisface are still seeking nominations tbh.

I think it would have been taken for granted that, "Hey, I'm a businessman who you know from TV" would be a sure fire way to kill any election campaign after Trump's farce.

Interesting to see what'll happen over the next four weeks. My gut feeling is that unlike 2011, county councils will be far less generous with their support, and so circus candidates like Sharkey, O'Doherty and even Gallagher, won't get any support unless their pitch is something special.

Aside from SF's candidate, I can't see the Oireachtas putting anyone else forward. Even the far left groups will be happy to leave "lefty" Michael D in place rather than get egg on their face by running some niche lunatic.

With the way things are going it almost seems like there's some one-upsmanship going on between a few of the former "dragons".

Certainly gives the appearance of being more ego-fueled than anything else.

B0jangles

Wasn't it revealed last time around that Sean Gallagher's major skill as a businessman was knowing how to qualify for government entrepreneurship grants?

Like, he was good at getting the state to give him seed capital to start a business, but they mostly seemed to fail once the free cash ran out.

Loafing Oaf

B0jangles wrote: »

Wasn't it revealed last time around that Sean Gallagher's major skill as a businessman was knowing how to qualify for government entrepreneurship grants?

Like, he was good at getting the state to give him seed capital to start a business, but they mostly seemed to fail once the free cash ran out.

This thread title sums him up IMO:
Gallagher : Good businessman or snout seeking trough

Topgear on Dave

I'm totally unimpressed by any candidate so far, but I'm going to greatly enjoy the online sh*tfit thrown by "Miggeldy" supporters if things get tight.


Iv just seen him referred to as a "beloved icon" on twitter.

Ah here lads, he's a politician :pac:

Zubeneschamali

B0jangles wrote: »

Wasn't it revealed last time around that Sean Gallagher's major skill as a businessman was knowing how to qualify for government entrepreneurship grants?

He also had a good patent tax (erm... what's a term I can use out loud) "accounting method" going.

Yer Da sells Avon

Topgear on Dave wrote: »

Iv just seen him referred to as a "beloved icon" on twitter.

Ah here lads, he's a politician :pac:

He's a very well liked politician though. The only people who really dislike him are that tiny cohort of angry right-wing men, who seem to exist mainly on the internet and in texts to Newstalk programmes.

blanch152

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

He's a very well liked politician though. The only people who really dislike him are that tiny cohort of angry right-wing men, who seem to exist mainly on the internet and in texts to Newstalk programmes.

Higgins is well-liked in the way that any inoffensive nonentity is well-liked, just don't think it is enough to be a President. When you think of the impact that Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese had, on women, on Ireland's international standing, secularism of society and on Northern Ireland, then you realise what a poor President Higgins has been.

Up there with Patrick Hillery for the ability to turn up and open an envelope without making a fool of himself, but some of us want more from a President.

Loafing Oaf

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

He's a very well liked politician though. The only people who really dislike him are that tiny cohort of angry right-wing men, who seem to exist mainly on the internet and in texts to Newstalk programmes.

Even on politics.ie, about the nastiest thing anyone had to say about him round the last election was "an unctuous, flowery-speaking little man."

pixelburp

What should have Higgins done though? He wasn't at the centre of the conversations during Marriage or 8th Amendment referenda, but neither of those were really about him - so to speak. The limelight was rightly cast on those directly affected (with personal stories arguably being what persuaded a lot of undecided or antagonistic folks to vote in favour, not the speeches of politicians).

Higgins is well liked because he's likeable, genial and represents the country well in a public settings. Nothing spectacular, but we don't need spectacular at this juncture.

Yer Da sells Avon

blanch152 wrote: »

Up there with Patrick Hillery for the ability to turn up and open an envelope without making a fool of himself, but some of us want more from a President.

You say he 'hasn't made a fool of himself' - that's just a less kind way of acknowledging the fact that he hasn't put a foot wrong. In what way do any of the current potential candidates offer 'more' than Michael D?

Zubeneschamali

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

You say he 'hasn't made a fool of himself' - that's just a less kind way of acknowledging the fact that he hasn't put a foot wrong. In what way do any of the current potential candidates offer 'more' than Michael D?

Now that the boom is back, the money-grubbers from the Dragonball Z-list show can remind us all how to live life in the fast lane properly!

Loafing Oaf

Yer Da sells Avon wrote: »

In what way do any of the current potential candidates offer 'more' than Michael D?

Or what more could any potential candidate offer at this point in history? Did the Robinson presidency 'push the boundaries' of the office as far as they could constitutionally go?

Zubeneschamali

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

Or what more could any potential candidate offer at this point in history?

Luas in Connemara apparently, that's what one of the lads was pushing in Meath.

Better mental health from one, paranoid conspiracy theories from another, and a promise of more lunacy in the Park from a third, so mental health (good and bad) seems to be a common theme.

Then there are the Dragons, who all see a good return on the campaign money if they win.

VinLieger

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Luas in Connemara apparently, that's what one of the lads was pushing in Meath.

Please tell me they are being called out on this garbage each time they spout it? Whatever about a TD promising it theres still the chance no matter how slim it could happen, the president has zero ability to deliver such a thing

blackwhite

VinLieger wrote: »

Please tell me they are being called out on this garbage each time they spout it? Whatever about a TD promising it theres still the chance no matter how slim it could happen, the president has zero ability to deliver such a thing

He had plenty of goodies for Meath too - so probably not :pac:


https://twitter.com/SeanDefoe/status/1034036915979341824

seamus

I'm not sure if I'm more surprised by how few of the electorate seem to know what the President does, or how few politicians and presidential candidates, seem to know what the position does.

There's certainly a strong argument that the likes of Joan Freeman can use the office to help spread awareness of humanitarian issues, as others have done before her.

But the rest seem to think it's some kind of hybrid between a local councillor and a supreme court judge.

blackwhite

blackwhite wrote: »

He had plenty of goodies for Meath too - so probably not :pac:


https://twitter.com/SeanDefoe/status/1034036915979341824

Fun fact.

If Feeney manages to get nominated via the Council route he'll have convinced more councillors to nominate him for President than he convinced actual voters in the last General Election

gandalf

seamus wrote: »

I'm not sure if I'm more surprised by how few of the electorate seem to know what the President does, or how few politicians and presidential candidates, seem to know what the position does.

There's certainly a strong argument that the likes of Joan Freeman can use the office to help spread awareness of humanitarian issues, as others have done before her.

But the rest seem to think it's some kind of hybrid between a local councillor and a supreme court judge.

TBH I think they are confusing the Irish Presidency with the US Presidency. They all see themselves as potential Donalds, well one wants to dress up as Marilyn Monroe and welcome him to the Aras (LIKE WTF!).

Of course this is what they should know. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/government_in_ireland/the_president/functions_of_the_president.html

And this is an important limitation.

"Many of the powers of the President can only be exercised on the advice of the Government. This means that if the President wishes to exercise a power, they must first obtain the advice and agreement of the Government.

The President also possesses some powers that they cannot exercise without first consulting with the Council of State."

VinLieger

Gemma's latest addition to what the presidency is about

https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/1034572886248443910

What????

blanch152

VinLieger wrote: »

Gemma's latest addition to what the presidency is about

https://twitter.com/gemmaod1/status/1034572886248443910

What????

When did Ireland get an honours system, let alone one that could act posthumously?

pixelburp

To play devil's advocate, I presume O'Doherty's intention towards the Presidency would be to use every ambassadorial visit and opening of a car park to make speeches about these subjects. It's not like she'll have any legislative avenue, and presumably she's not so ignorant as to think the Presidency allows that kind of latitude.

Zubeneschamali

I would assume that O'Doherty is well aware that she hasn't a snowballs chance of winning, and just wants to use the campaign itself to rant about her various conspiracy theories.

gandalf

WTF what's next...On Discovery Channel The President of Ireland looks for hidden Nazi Gold.....

FrancieBrady

pixelburp wrote: »

To play devil's advocate, I presume O'Doherty's intention towards the Presidency would be to use every ambassadorial visit and opening of a car park to make speeches about these subjects. It's not like she'll have any legislative avenue, and presumably she's not so ignorant as to think the Presidency allows that kind of latitude.

Whatever kind of president we get I hope it is one who is at least sincere when they talk about stuff in public. Nothing is as cringe as somebody talking the talk they think people want to hear.
Just say what you feel there Pres. and be done with it.
McAleese got caught out on it a number of times (Protestants akin to nazis, and British army recruits etc) and just made her look silly when she went on and on with the peace and reconciliation guff (nobody really bought all that stuff).
Higgins did and said what he felt over Castro for instance and he was a better man, in my eyes for it.

This idea that a president has to conform to a narrow point of view or mirror the values of whoever is in government in what they say or comment on, is a bit silly imo and will always lead to the spats over the events I mentioned above.
Why canvass their 'views' or political leanings when electing them, if they are not going to be allowed to express them when in office anyway.

It's a president of a country of many shades we require not the honorary president of whatever party is in power.

Water John

To exercise your true PR democratic vote in Ireland you should mark all the ballot paper. If there are 10 candidates, one should mark it one to ten.
Rather than asking who you may put first, who will you put last?
At the present time Tally ho Gavin Duffy gets that distinction, for me. Though it's a position keenly contested.

blanch152

Water John wrote: »

To exercise your true PR democratic vote in Ireland you should mark all the ballot paper. If there are 10 candidates, one should mark it one to ten.
Rather than asking who you may put first, who will you put last?
At the present time Tally ho Gavin Duffy gets that distinction, for me. Though it's a position keenly contested.

To be fair, there is little damage that Duffy can do.

On the other hand, the two anti-vaxxers - O'Doherty and the SF woman - could actually do some real damage to the health of this country if they are linked with that agenda, so they have to be bottom of the list just for that reason.

James Brown

Water John wrote: »

To exercise your true PR democratic vote in Ireland you should mark all the ballot paper. If there are 10 candidates, one should mark it one to ten.
Rather than asking who you may put first, who will you put last?
At the present time Tally ho Gavin Duffy gets that distinction, for me. Though it's a position keenly contested.

He already got caught out telling fibs. He used the council logo on his paraphernalia and when asked said he had permission. Then when called out, said he was only using it as an example and hadn't got permission. Great start.

Gallagher winning would bring the Presidency down to the low levels of Varadkar spin and socks.

Larbre34

Water John wrote: »

To exercise your true PR democratic vote in Ireland you should mark all the ballot paper. If there are 10 candidates, one should mark it one to ten.
Rather than asking who you may put first, who will you put last?
At the present time Tally ho Gavin Duffy gets that distinction, for me. Though it's a position keenly contested.

Not so, in fact the opposite. Ive worked election counts for 20 years. Ive seen nos. 12 and 13 on long GE ballots count for candidates in the shake up. Why would you take the risk of a vote transferring to someone you abhor?

The approach I take myself is to mark the ballot as far I approve of candidates and leave blank the ones I definitely disapprove of. Its no less a true democratic PR vote.

dulpit

Larbre34 wrote: »

Not so, in fact the opposite. Ive worked election counts for 20 years. Ive seen nos. 12 and 13 on long GE ballots count for candidates in the shake up. Why would you take the risk of a vote transferring to someone you abhor?

The approach I take myself is to mark the ballot as far I approve of candidates and leave blank the ones I definitely disapprove of. Its no less a true democratic PR vote.

If you don't go to the end your vote may eventually not be used. If you go to the end then you can at least keep it in circulation away from your least favourite as long as possible.