Why bother electing a president

Allinall

rivegauche wrote: »

she knew it was unconstituional and she bottled it when Ireland needed her to be strong.

https://www.mcgarrsolicitors.ie/2010/12/23/the-credit-institutions-stabilisation-bill/

And yet not one person or group, as far as I am aware has challenged the bill in court.

I wonder why?

rivegauche

They became owned by the State. They can't challenge it. The E.U./ECB wanted it so it won't be challenged by them and mere mortals couldn't pay a retainer large enough to a legal team to challenge it who didn't want want to be hired by the Government ever again after they went up against them on this Bill

Royal Legend

Why bother electing a president

Because little people deserve a chance too

Atoms for Peace

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

If you were to try to assassinate a king, sir, the — how shall I say it? — the aura of royalty would cause you to miss. But, a president— <chuckles> I mean, why not shoot a president?

Allinall

rivegauche wrote: »

They became owned by the State. They can't challenge it. The E.U./ECB wanted it so it won't be challenged by them and mere mortals couldn't pay a retainer large enough to a legal team to challenge it who didn't want want to be hired by the Government ever again after they went up against them on this Bill

Who is “they”?

Peregrinus

rivegauche wrote: »

Are you Chief Justice? If not then stop attempting to talk down to me.

No, but I have read the Constitution, which apparently gives me the edge over you in this discussion.

rivegauche wrote: »

She had SOLE DISCRETION to refer the bill to the Supreme Court. She and she alone.
Instead, she convened a Council of State which was stacked to the gills with Fianna Fail politicians who had previously guillotined discussion of the Bill in the Oireachtas down to four hours and had a vested interest in getting it signed in to law. You won't get a non-political viewpoint from a Council of State such as that.

If she hadn't the power to direct it to the Supreme Court she wouldn't have even bothered with a Council of State.

She doesn't have "sole discretion" to refer the Bill. On the contrary, she must consult the Council of State before referring a Bill to the Supreme Court. Article 26 says so in as many words, as you would know if you had bothered to read it.

rivegauche wrote: »

This Credit Institution Stabilisation Act was what allowed the NPRF to be frittered away. If that doesn't meet the definition of repugnant I don't know what is.

That doesn't meet the definition of "repugnant to the Constitution". You're right, you evidently don't know what does.

rivegauche wrote: »

she knew it was unconstituional and she bottled it when Ireland needed her to be strong.

You keep asserting ever more vehemently that the Bill was unconstitutional, but unless you can be bothered to construct a reasoned argument in support of the assertion nobody is going to be persuaded.

blazard

Pretzeluck wrote: »

Seriously, his power are almost nonexistent. Is it to give a false sense of democracy and keep everyone thinking that their vote does something?

his/her power is in Not using his/her power

keffiyeh

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

blazard

yeah, that would be a podcast to listen to

blanch152

rivegauche wrote: »

The common good is not a political construct. The "common good" is not tightly definable and as such the President who is entrusted with the task of safeguarding the common good has huge freedom to use the very limited powers that he or she has been given.

Where is the President entrusted with the task of safeguarding the common good?

Arghus

Someone has to eat all those dinners in the name of Ireland.

blazard

num,num

Loafing Oaf

keffiyeh wrote: »

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

Very rude to call the guy that. Could he not have used a term an American would understand like jerkoff?:P

keffiyeh

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

keffiyeh wrote: »

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

https://youtu.be/eZFR0NWpjio

Very rude to call the guy that. Could he not have used a term an American would understand like jerkoff?

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

keffiyeh wrote: »

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

https://youtu.be/eZFR0NWpjio

Very rude to call the guy that. Could he not have used a term an American would understand like jerkoff?

#MyPresident. Fair play to him. Trying a little hard though.

Loafing Oaf

keffiyeh wrote: »

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

keffiyeh wrote: »

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

https://youtu.be/eZFR0NWpjio

Very rude to call the guy that. Could he not have used a term an American would understand like jerkoff?

Loafing Oaf wrote: »

keffiyeh wrote: »

flookdgates wrote: »

Yeah it does seem pointless and a shameful waste of our money. I don't understand why Midget Parasite Higgins is popular or what he has achieved during his presidency? It seems like a big meme being forced by the journal and similar clickbait sites that he is the nation's harmless old grandad with the Michael "Tea" Higgins tea cozy etc. In reality he is a short-statured and short-tempered little commie afraid of having a to get a real job, aggressively calling others wanker on radio when losing the debate.

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

https://youtu.be/eZFR0NWpjio

Very rude to call the guy that. Could he not have used a term an American would understand like jerkoff?

#MyPresident. Fair play to him. Trying a little hard though.

Tbh if that the worst bit of dirt the prez’s critics have to throw at him the campaign shouldn’t hold too many fears for him...

seamus

keffiyeh wrote: »

Did he actually call someone a wanker on the radio because that would be hilarious.

Michael Graham is a wanker though. So he was just stating the truth.

Graham is a typical US right-wing troll, so being able to say that a country's future President called him a wanker on air is a badge of honour for him. Something to proudly tell the grandkids.

rivegauche

Peregrinus wrote: »

No, but I have read the Constitution, which apparently gives me the edge over you in this discussion.


She doesn't have "sole discretion" to refer the Bill. On the contrary, she must consult the Council of State before referring a Bill to the Supreme Court. Article 26 says so in as many words, as you would know if you had bothered to read it.


That doesn't meet the definition of "repugnant to the Constitution". You're right, you evidently don't know what does.


You keep asserting ever more vehemently that the Bill was unconstitutional, but unless you can be bothered to construct a reasoned argument in support of the assertion nobody is going to be persuaded.

I have read the constitution and it is available to download to anyone who cares to read it.
I referenced it when I requested by letter that the President direct the Bill to the Supreme Court.
She could have disregard the advice of vested interests within the Council who happened to include the people who had guillotined the bill without fair hearing in the Oireachtas. There is only one place that this bill should have gone and that was to Court.If you don't think that using a pension fund intended to support people in their old age to support bank balance sheets is repugnant then your value system is completely distorted and there is no point arguing with you and by the same measure you wouldn't be able to make a fair assessment of what the common good is or should be.
You continue to be overbearing and arrogant but I will never agree with you so that strategy will not work.
Signing the Credit Institution Bill in to law was the defining moment in her presidency as Ireland stopped being a representative democracy in practice and caved in to pressure from vested and outside forces at the expense of the Citizens of Ireland.

realitykeeper

"President" Michael D Higgins can hardly be considered a legitimate President after his shambolic, ineffective and cringeworthy first term because of the farce on RTE involving fake tweets, sabotage and so on, all culminating in our true President, President Gallagher being handsomely compensated in court. If Michael D Higgins and indeed the office of the President (and the licence funded public broadcaster) are to gain any semblance of credibility in future, then surely a presidential election (done properly this time), is the only way for those things to get it.

I doubt Gavin Duffy will make a very good President but if he is nominated, I will certainly vote for him rather than Michael D Higgins. Other nominees will no doubt be placed above both Gavin and Higgins in my order of preference but one thing is certain, whoever gets nominated, Michael D Higgins will be bottom of my list of preferences.

For the sake of the country, lets vote for a President who will lead trade missions to upcoming economic powers like India and not go on junkets to irrelevant socialist backwaters in South America. Michael D Higgins by virtue of his squeaky voice and small stature, is just fuel for the leprechaun image of Ireland. No wonder the Brits loved him so much they put on a big party an exhibited him to the world on our behalf. Will Ireland ever live that one down?

Taytoland

feargale wrote: »

Taytoland wrote: »

Waste of time. Electing someone to a position which has no power is pointless. It should be abolished.

Where does that leave the British monarchy, albeit not elected?

You appear to be utterly ignorant of the President's functions.

The Queen is not elected but is a marvelous representative, Higgins is elected but holds no power whatsoever, it's entirely different. It should be abolished and Her Majesty the Queen made head of state and rejoin the commonwealth.

ohnonotgmail

Taytoland wrote: »

The Queen is not elected but is a marvelous representative, Higgins is elected but holds no power whatsoever, it's entirely different. It should be abolished and Her Majesty the Queen made head of state and rejoin the commonwealth.

Obvious troll is obvious.

animaal

Taytoland wrote: »

The Queen is not elected but is a marvelous representative, Higgins is elected but holds no power whatsoever, it's entirely different. It should be abolished and Her Majesty the Queen made head of state and rejoin the commonwealth.

I think we could do better. Every can of Dutch Gold sold could come with a raffle ticket. At the end of each year, a draw is made to find a new Glorious Leader for the country.

El Tarangu

realitykeeper wrote: »

... all culminating in our true President, President Gallagher being handsomely compensated in court...

Oh my...

Billy86

ohnonotgmail wrote: »

Taytoland wrote: »

The Queen is not elected but is a marvelous representative, Higgins is elected but holds no power whatsoever, it's entirely different. It should be abolished and Her Majesty the Queen made head of state and rejoin the commonwealth.

Obvious troll is obvious.

This account is coming to the end of its life cycle, so.

feargale

Taytoland wrote: »

The Queen is not elected but is a marvelous representative, Higgins is elected but holds no power whatsoever, it's entirely different. It should be abolished and Her Majesty the Queen made head of state and rejoin the commonwealth.

You haven't a clue as to the powers and functions of the President. A fine advertisement you are for the Commonwealth. Isn't the Empire your preferred choice as per previous posts?

PopePalpatine

I had no idea Tayto were trialling a gammon flavour.