So Michael D IS running again!

Hotblack Desiato

From the Galway City forum during the 2016 count:

Borders no.2 wrote: »

Poor Patrick Feeney with only 22 votes. You have to give credit to some of the independent candidates who have no real financial backing behind them for putting themselves forward. It seems foolish to risk such a public humiliation looking on from a distance but fair play to them for giving it a go.

Not content with failing abysmally to run a campaign in a single constituency, he now wants to run a nationwide one:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/presidential-hopefuls-set-out-their-stalls-in-waterford-1.3582376

Retired Aer Lingus employee Patrick Feeney, from Galway, who secured 22 votes when he ran in the 2016 general election as an Independent, said he wants to be “the innovation president of Ireland” and wants a nomination for the presidential election “as a challenge for democracy against what’s going on at the moment around politics”.

Also, I doubt 1.4 million Yes voters will be too impressed with this guff:

Ms Freeman was asked by Fianna Fail councillor Adam Wyse if, as a “No” voter in the recent abortion referendum, she would sign the resultant legislation into law, and said that while she did vote No, she would “absolutely respect the vote” of the people and sign the act into law. “I voted No, but I didn’t vote No for religious reasons, I voted No because I spend all my adult life trying to conserve life.”

eastwest

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

From the Galway City forum during the 2016 count:



Not content with failing abysmally to run a campaign in a single constituency, he now wants to run a nationwide one:

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/presidential-hopefuls-set-out-their-stalls-in-waterford-1.3582376
:

You need one hopeless case who can't put two words together in every campaign.
Remember the guy, TJ (?) From cavan who ran last time? About as far removed from presidential material as it's possible to be, but he really believed he could do it and around a hundred voters thought likewise. He and his supporters decided for some reason to picket the count in castlebar but they picketed the town hall instead for a couple of hours before they realised that the count was being held in the TF hotel!
Don't you just love democracy!

Hotblack Desiato

Wikipedia wrote:

The seven candidates were Mary Davis, Sean Gallagher, Michael D. Higgins, Martin McGuinness, Gay Mitchell, David Norris and Dana Rosemary Scallon.

TJ from Cavan how would the likes of him get nominated?

blanch152

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

TJ from Cavan how would the likes of him get nominated?

We already have the space for the conspiracy theory nut taken by the anti-vaxxer from SF:

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/sf-mep-in-line-for-run-at-ras-ruled-out-hpv-vaccination-for-her-daughter-37166082.html

blazard

realdanbreen wrote: »

So when Michael D was campaigning for president and said it would be a one off term he was lying?
Many voted for him because he was only going for one term and wasn't trying to hog the job for 14 years.

he wasnt lying, he changed his mind at the time


i do think he will regret the upcoming debate,however

eastwest

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Wikipedia wrote:

The seven candidates were Mary Davis, Sean Gallagher, Michael D. Higgins, Martin McGuinness, Gay Mitchell, David Norris and Dana Rosemary Scallon.

TJ from Cavan how would the likes of him get nominated?

My mistake, I was thinking of the last European elections and the TV debate for that. There were a couple of candidates there who didn't get a hundred votes between them.

AGC

blazard wrote: »

he wasnt lying, he changed his mind at the time


i do think he will regret the upcoming debate,however

He will regret it how?

realdanbreen

blazard wrote: »

he wasnt lying, he changed his mind at the time


i do think he will regret the upcoming debate,however

, Gotya, It's a bit like when a bishop was caught lying one time he said he wasn't lying instead he 'had a mental reservation'

realdanbreen

AGC wrote: »

He will regret it how?

Well if he is quizzed properly we will see that despite all the 'Ochóns and grá mo chrois and reciting poetry and talking in riddles, he has not done or attempted to do anything constructive for this country. And before it's pointed out that his role is mainly ceremonial there is nothing to prevent him from speaking out in plain English about the inequality that is there for all to see.

AGC

realdanbreen wrote: »

Well if he is quizzed properly we will see that despite all the 'Ochóns and grá mo chrois and reciting poetry and talking in riddles, he has not done or attempted to do anything constructive for this country. And before it's pointed out that his role is mainly ceremonial there is nothing to prevent him from speaking out in plain English about the inequality that is there for all to see.

Have you listened to many of his speeches or remarks where he has gone beyond his ‘remit’ and made comments on various matters?

Don’t think you could ever question the president on equality issues.

Hotblack Desiato

eastwest wrote: »

My mistake, I was thinking of the last European elections and the TV debate for that. There were a couple of candidates there who didn't get a hundred votes between them.

Party|Candidate|% 1st Pref|Count 1
Direct Democracy|Ben Gilroy|1.2|7,683
Independent|Mark Fitzsimons|0.4|2,424
Independent|T. J. Fay|0.3|2,002
Fis Nua|Cordelia Nic Fhearraigh|0.3|1,829


Given the quota was 129,000 these guys are down in the statistical noise

You'd have to wonder why they bothered, or did they actually campaign at all.

dulpit

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Party|Candidate|% 1st Pref|Count 1
Direct Democracy|Ben Gilroy|1.2|7,683
Independent|Mark Fitzsimons|0.4|2,424
Independent|T. J. Fay|0.3|2,002
FNua|Cordelia NFhearraigh|0.3|1,829


Given the quota was 129,000 these guys are down in the statistical noise

You'd have to wonder why they bothered, or did they actually campaign at all.

Ah Ben Gilroy... Hangs out with fellas like this:

realdanbreen

AGC wrote: »

Have you listened to many of his speeches or remarks where he has gone beyond his ‘remit’ and made comments on various matters?

Don’t think you could ever question the president on equality issues.

I've listened to loads of them down the years even before he was president and (and of course he's not alone among politicians in this) I never heard him being forceful enough to lay blame squarely where it should be laid. That's why when he backtracked/lied/ call it what you like about his promise to run for one term only I just noted that this guy who puts himself out there as a man of the people is just another shyster.

AGC

realdanbreen wrote: »

I've listened to loads of them down the years even before he was president and (and of course he's not alone among politicians in this) I never heard him being forceful enough to lay blame squarely where it should be laid. That's why when he backtracked/lied/ call it what you like about his promise to run for one term only I just noted that this guy who puts himself out there as a man of the people is just another shyster.

Just to go back on 1 point you made earlier, him saying he was running for 1 term would not have changed the election result in 2011, you also just have to listen to the majority of people who are now happy that he has changed his mind and is running again.

IMO he has done an excellent job and him changing his mind is not an issue for me and their now being an election will allow the people to decide and I’m sure he will be re-elected.

On your above comment you only have to read or listen to remarks on women’s rights to see he is very outspoken and has firmly laid the blame at the states door, on housing he has also been outspoken and has certainly laid the blame at the door of various groups.

Zubeneschamali

AGC wrote: »

I’m sure he will be re-elected.

Last time Higgins (Labour), Gallagher (Not FF Honestly) and McGuinness (SF) were the only ones to better 12.5% and get their expenses back.



This time FF, FG and Labour are all backing Higgins, SF have said they'll run someone - anyone else might as well set fire to the money.

dulpit

What's the deposit for a presidential election?

eagle eye

realdanbreen wrote:

I just noted that this guy who puts himself out there as a man of the people is just another shyster.

Michael d was touted as a man of the people by many for all the great work he did to help the people of countries under oppressive leadership.
He criticed Reagan's foreign policy when many in this country were raving about how great the man was.
He is a great man and will be remembered as one. He is loved by the people of a lot of nations because of all his great work. This work didn't help him get elected as a TD, he wasn't going around saying 'I did this', he was just passionate about the plight of people in bad situations.

James Brown

eagle eye wrote: »

Michael d was touted as a man of the people by many for all the great work he did to help the people of countries under oppressive leadership.
He criticed Reagan's foreign policy when many in this country were raving about how great the man was.
He is a great man and will be remembered as one. He is loved by the people of a lot of nations because of all his great work. This work didn't help him get elected as a TD, he wasn't going around saying 'I did this', he was just passionate about the plight of people in bad situations.

Spot on. He ripped into a tea party lad many years ago. The recording was doing the rounds.

Hotblack Desiato

dulpit wrote: »

Ah Ben Gilroy... Hangs out with fellas like this:

Excuse me! That's Ben of the family Gilroy™ to you!

realdanbreen

AGC wrote: »

Just to go back on 1 point you made earlier, him saying he was running for 1 term would not have changed the election result in 2011,

I never said it would, although some voted for him because he said he was staying for one term only and not trying to keep his snout in the trough for 14 years.

Zubeneschamali

dulpit wrote: »

What's the deposit for a presidential election?

Deposits are not really a thing in Ireland anymore. No-one nominated by a party has to pay one, and you just need 30 signatures from your constituency to avoid paying one, and it's only €500 in a GE anyhow.

The big deal in the Presidential election is your Campaign Expenses. All those Legally Blonde posters of Mary Davis? She spent more than €400,000 on that campaign, came last, and didn't get a cent back. Gay Mitchell spent (and lost) even more, over €500,000, but he had FG backing.

Anyone running against Higgins will not get anything like that sort of backing because they have a) no large party behind them and b) no chance.

Hotblack Desiato

Apart from the SF candidate (backing, I mean. Still no chance)

AGC

realdanbreen wrote: »

I never said it would, although some voted for him because he said he was staying for one term only and not trying to keep his snout in the trough for 14 years.

So if he kept his ‘snout’ shut he wouldn’t have got your vote?

He was by far and away the best candidate and he is still by far and away the best candidate.

Loafing Oaf

Any sign of any of the bookies offering odds on this election. Usually the solidest indication of where the land lies in any political contest...

eagle eye

Loafing Oaf wrote:

Any sign of any of the bookies offering odds on this election. Usually the solidest indication of where the land lies in any political contest...

They got Brexit wrong and the last US presidential election.

AGC

eagle eye wrote: »

They got Brexit wrong and the last US presidential election.

At present it’s a non contest. You’ll probably get better odds on Bertie then any on the current challengers

Loafing Oaf

AGC wrote: »

At present it’s a non contest. You’ll probably get better odds on Bertie then any on the current challengers

So they're not opening a book because it's a foregone conclusion? But you can still get odds on Dublin to win the Leinster Championship every year...

alaimacerc

Zubeneschamali wrote: »

Deposits are not really a thing in Ireland anymore. No-one nominated by a party has to pay one, and you just need 30 signatures from your constituency to avoid paying one, and it's only €500 in a GE anyhow.

The big deal in the Presidential election is your Campaign Expenses.

The system for Dáil elections is broadly similar, though: there's an expenses cap, and a lower reimbursement level, subject to getting the quarter-quota threshold.

Obviously the big difference is that the presidential election is one vote on a national scale, so "saving your expenses" is both a larger total amount, and happens on an all-or-nothing basis.

James Brown

realdanbreen wrote: »

I never said it would, although some voted for him because he said he was staying for one term only and not trying to keep his snout in the trough for 14 years.

How many? Personally whether or not somebody runs again in the election after the current would have no bearing.
What was/is the problem running again anyway, don't vote for him.

realdanbreen

AGC wrote: »

So if he kept his ‘snout’ shut he wouldn’t have got your vote?

He was by far and away the best candidate and he is still by far and away the best candidate.

Why do you keep making a point about him being a good candidate? That has nothing to do with the topic which is about him lying/ being economical with the truth or what ever you want to call it.