So Michael D IS running again!

prawnsambo

yrreg0850 wrote: »

The 10,000 signatures is a good idea.

As things stand now the leaders of the political parties or their handlers can decide who runs by either blocking their TDs from nominating or, trying to muzzle their local council members .
At least a few local council party members have shown a bit of back bone.

10,000 signatures is pretty meaningless imo. a candidate with a bit of money can send the minions out to get them. Also requires some sort of checking, otherwise it's open to abuse. Which is a pretty heavy load on whomever is picked to do it.

For Forks Sake

Dig up Gemma :rolleyes:

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037739731700916226

prawnsambo

Everybody knows that RTE is the voice box for the unions. Especially the public service unions. Not impressed with her investigative skills.

yrreg0850

prawnsambo wrote: »

10,000 signatures is pretty meaningless imo. a candidate with a bit of money can send the minions out to get them. Also requires some sort of checking, otherwise it's open to abuse. Which is a pretty heavy load on whomever is picked to do it.

Is it not more democratic than allowing faceless party handlers choose candidates.

feargale

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

None of the above is an argument for making it easier than it is now to get nominated.

So in the first 50 years of the presidency we had six presidents, three of whom assumed office unopposed, and three additional unsuccessful candidates.. You think that's an adequate choice to offer the people? You don't think that in half a century a few others might have been worthy of consideration? It's supposed to be a direct election.
I would prefer to see the bar lowered than to hear talk recently about shortening the term.

feargale

prawnsambo wrote: »

10,000 signatures is pretty meaningless imo. a candidate with a bit of money can send the minions out to get them. Also requires some sort of checking, otherwise it's open to abuse. Which is a pretty heavy load on whomever is picked to do it.

Anyone who sees no complications with collecting signatures should contemplate Pat McDonagh's present woes in Clarecastle and Ennis over a handful of endorsements. That method is too easily abused.
Go with the councillors and legislators but lower the bar.

yrreg0850

feargale wrote: »

Anyone who sees no complications with collecting signatures should contemplate Pat McDonagh's present woes in Clarecastle and Ennis over a handful of endorsements. That method is too easily abused.
Go with the councillors and legislators but lower the bar.

Not much point in lowering the bar if they are dictated to by faceless handlers in Dublin.

prawnsambo

yrreg0850 wrote: »

Is it not more democratic than allowing faceless party handlers choose candidates.

It may sound more democratic, but it's so open to abuse, it's just not feasible.

Hotblack Desiato

feargale wrote: »

So in the first 50 years of the presidency we had six presidents, three of whom assumed office unopposed, and three additional unsuccessful candidates.. You think that's an adequate choice to offer the people?

False dichotomy.

You don't think that in half a century a few others might have been worthy of consideration?

The council nomination route was there same as it is now, what was stopping them?

I would prefer to see the bar lowered than to hear talk recently about shortening the term.

Given that we're getting several low quality candidates as it is, why do you think that lowering the bar to entry will produce higher quality candidates?

seamus

Some comedy there yesterday alright:
https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037744631197388800

"Two-thirds of the country want this signed, but I am going to run on a platform based on not signing it"

That woman needs professional help, not a nomination.

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037747101097189382

This guy is at least being somewhat honest; he's there to make a point more than fight for a nomination.

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037725033760739329

Speaks for itself

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037713100311543808

Someone else in need of help

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037701830418071552

Something of a nothingburger from Gallagher, he's desperately trying to say he'll "do" something but with full knowledge that the president doesn't "do" anything.

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037699465623298048

Maire Moylan's platform is "cute". Sounds somewhat like something a 14 year old would produce if you asked them to write their fictional platform for Irish president.

VinLieger

I think goretti might have surpassed doherty in my books for being mad as a bag of cats. The dinosaur skeleton and gameboy comments are just.... i cant even

Hotblack Desiato

seamus wrote: »

Some comedy there yesterday alright:
https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037744631197388800

"Two-thirds of the country want this signed, but I am going to run on a platform based on not signing it"

That woman needs professional help, not a nomination.

If you're applying for a job, inform yourself what the duties are, and don't say at the interview that you'll refuse to do the most important part of those duties if you don't feel like it :rolleyes:

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037747101097189382

This guy is at least being somewhat honest; he's there to make a point more than fight for a nomination.

Problem is, nobody knows what his point is. Does he know?

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037713100311543808

Someone else in need of help

I wonder what his opinion would be on legalising all undocumented immigrants in Ireland?

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037701830418071552

Something of a nothingburger from Gallagher, he's desperately trying to say he'll "do" something but with full knowledge that the president doesn't "do" anything.

So he's fully aware he's being disingenuous at best.

https://twitter.com/patmcgrath/status/1037699465623298048

Maire Moylan's platform is "cute". Sounds somewhat like something a 14 year old would produce if you asked them to write their fictional platform for Irish president.

Gameboys :rolleyes:

Councillors should be voting "none of the above" and any in my ward who vote for a clown are going to get an earful from me next year!

For Forks Sake

The sooner this nomination circus is over the better.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/gemma-o-doherty-clashes-with-councillors-over-collusion-claims-1.3622005

CrabRevolution

I worry that a lot of councillors will see these candidates as the jokes they are but will think "well, we may as well nominate someone, even if they are a bad candidate".

It's pretty much the only opportunity for the council to get national attention, so they probably don't want to waste it.

Roger_007

We sorely need a Monster Raving Looney Party in this country. They would be a bastion of common sense and political vision compared to some of the deranged would-be candidates we have seen in this election.

(I'm surprised Dustin the Turkey hasn't thrown his feathers in the ring yet).

L1011

Roger_007 wrote: »

We sorely need a Monster Raving Looney Party in this country. They would be a bastion of common sense and political vision compared to some of the deranged would-be candidates we have seen in this election.

(I'm surprised Dustin the Turkey hasn't thrown his feathers in the ring yet).

A substantial part of the 1960s MRLP manifesto has been implemented. 24 hour drinking, voting at 16 (well, very limited - but it was 21 when they 'wanted' it) and dog passports.

They actually have 6 elected reps (all parish councils, not hard to get on to; but they actually have property tax levying powers etc), which is more than Renua :pac:

eastwest

Roger_007 wrote: »

We sorely need a Monster Raving Looney Party in this country. They would be a bastion of common sense and political vision compared to some of the deranged would-be candidates we have seen in this election.

(I'm surprised Dustin the Turkey hasn't thrown his feathers in the ring yet).

We have a couple of these looney parties already; the new irexit lot would qualify, as do people behind prophet.

Capt'n Midnight

Roger_007 wrote: »

We sorely need a Monster Raving Looney Party in this country. They would be a bastion of common sense and political vision compared to some of the deranged would-be candidates we have seen in this election.

(I'm surprised Dustin the Turkey hasn't thrown his feathers in the ring yet).

He did in elections past but there was a mixup at the printers and his name didn't appear on the ballot.

Even so there's a fair chance more people will vote for him than for some of these candidates.

Rhineshark

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

He did in elections past but there was a mixup at the printers and his name didn't appear on the ballot.

Even so there's a fair chance more people will vote for him than for some of these candidates.

The Deep State strikes again.

I went into it with an open mind but I've been fine with Higgins.

Not keen on O'Doherty, she gives me the populist conspiracy theorist vibes. Not going for anti-vaxxers and I don't like the Dragons Den coterie in general. I'm running out of potentials at this point although I'm not 100% sure of who is still in. Was it Joan Freeman that was talking about mental health?

Sierra Oscar

It will be interesting to see where this story goes.

RTÉ whistleblower makes explosive 'insider' claims about election coverage

There will be a lot of scrutiny on how RTÉ cover the election this time around.

jmcc

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

It will be interesting to see where this story goes.

RTÉ whistleblower makes explosive 'insider' claims about election coverage

There will be a lot of scrutiny on how RTÉ cover the election this time around.

It will be very interesting if all these claims stand up. According to the article, they are backed up by RTE e-mails, non-public internal RTE reports, minutes of meetings and notes. Multiple TDs have been contacted and one of the politicians that the whistleblower met is bringing these allegations to the attention of the Minister for Communications.

Regards...jmcc

VinLieger

Its a depressing look for local politics that sarah louise mulligan is getting even 2-3 votes from some of these councils

Cork Boy 53

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

He did in elections past but there was a mixup at the printers and his name didn't appear on the ballot.

Even so there's a fair chance more people will vote for him than for some of these candidates.

As previously stated many of the people looking to get into the Aras won`t get nominated, so will not be on the ballot paper on election day.

Annasopra

Sierra Oscar wrote: »

It will be interesting to see where this story goes.

RTÉ whistleblower makes explosive 'insider' claims about election coverage

There will be a lot of scrutiny on how RTÉ cover the election this time around.

I think Sean Gallagher has planned this to come out now.

Beechwoodspark

I think Gallagher hasn’t a hope. What has he done since 2011.

Loafing Oaf

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I think Gallagher hasn’t a hope. What has he done since 2011.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fourth-nomination-ensures-sean-gallagher-on-ballot-paper-1.3624015?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Ffourth-nomination-ensures-sean-gallagher-on-ballot-paper-1.3624015

well he's definitely on the ballot paper now, which is more than you can say for any of the other candidates yet except the incumbent and the SF rep.
He's clearly going to try to build a bandwagon around his 'I wuz robbed the last time' narrative. Doesn't sound like a winner to me, but then I would probably have placed him last of the seven candidates at the start of the last race...

marieholmfan

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

I think Gallagher hasn’t a hope. What has he done since 2011.

He got €130,000 from RTE
https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/woman-wrongly-arrested-and-held-in-mountjoy-over-mistake-about-tv-licence-nonpayment-settles-high-court-action-36599507.html

Did Gallagher laugh when he heard this.

blackwhite

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/fourth-nomination-ensures-sean-gallagher-on-ballot-paper-1.3624015?mode=sample&auth-failed=1&pw-origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishtimes.com%2Fnews%2Fpolitics%2Ffourth-nomination-ensures-sean-gallagher-on-ballot-paper-1.3624015

well he's definitely on the ballot paper now, which is more than you can say for any of the other candidates yet except the incumbent and the SF rep.
He's clearly going to try to build a bandwagon around his 'I wuz robbed the last time' narrative. Doesn't sound like a winner to me, but then I would probably have placed him last of the seven candidates at the start of the last race...

Freeman currently at 3, and Duffy at 2 as well.

Sounds like Duffy will get at least one more (Westmeath looks likely).

I'd expect at least one, if not both, of them to make it on as well.

blanch152

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/no-conspiracy-or-state-involvement-in-veronica-guerin-murder-brother-says-868004.html


Jimmy Guerin has his say about Gemma at Fingal County Council meeting.

She will be ramping up the conspiracy theory against her.

Edgware

blanch152 wrote: »

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/no-conspiracy-or-state-involvement-in-veronica-guerin-murder-brother-says-868004.html


Jimmy Guerin has his say about Gemma at Fingal County Council meeting.

She will be ramping up the conspiracy theory against her.

Gemma actually believes Jimmy is definetely covering up the murder of his sister.