General Election TV debates

gmisk

Calhoun wrote: »

Nice bit of Americanised politics right their, I suppose it trends well with the twitter crowd.

I simply linked for photo

McMurphy

MLMD on Newstalk now.

Sir Oxman

Junkyard Tom wrote: »

Good God the partitionists/separatists/pro-Brit faction must be absolutely horrified at the recent turn of events, Britain trashes its reputation all over again after decades of the Irish media trying to rehabilitate it, Brexit puts a border in the Irish Sea ensuring the further stitching-together of Ireland economically and socially, SF top the polls in the south of the country.

Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant.

I have to admit I am enjoying the pearl clutching immensely.:D

Edgware

Muahahaha wrote: »

I was just waiting for her to come out and cry that we have stolen her childhood :rolleyes:



Ive seen all the Dobbo interviews. From memory the ones with Leo and Catherine Murphy were particularly soft. He gave Michael Martin a rough ride at times. But one thing was consistent with the rest of them in that the candidates were allowed to answer their questions without immediate interruption. His interview with Mary Lou was a different proposition, she barely had half a sentence out of her mouth and he fired out the next question. It was a pointless interview, learnt absolutely nothing of importance about their manifesto and policies.

It's all about Dobbo. Probably lining up the Government Press Officer for F.G. when it's their "turn" again to run the show

Edgware

Sir Oxman wrote: »

I have to admit I am enjoying the pearl clutching

immensely.:D

I saw our local F.G. man at the railway station last night. The film "Dead Man Walking" crossed my mind

is_that_so

shenanagans wrote: »

The diesels are on the roads due to govt policy. Again we won't change our behaviour unless we are made to. The next govt will have to make huge changes....incentives for people to change. Just ban plastic FFS, offer big grants to retrofit....etc.

It will be like the smoking ban......big issue and lots of unhappy people....then people just got used of it....now it's the norm.

Green policy actually. Bertie was happy to let them run with it. Any chance you could put a price tag on that? You know "costed" and all that. Now, is that on top of the €11-18bn they all want to spend?

Suckit

I must say I am looking forward to tonight. Not sure what I am expecting tbh. Mary Lou only needs to stand there and say nothing and she won't do any harm to herself. Don't respond to the inevitable digs and scoffing.
I am curious as to who will be the first to bring up the IRA ties and all that goes with it. It's not as if the public don't already know those ties exist, so it says a lot when it seems to be the only stick they have to beat SF with, it's a big one, but has been repeated for years now and no mention of why their policies should be better.
If MM and LV go after her at that angle, she will 100% be ready and probably should use it to talk about SF policies.
I am guessing she won't be standing in the middle between the other two.

Roll on 9:35

thequarefellow

Suckit wrote: »

I must say I am looking forward to tonight.

Yes, should be interesting. And the sound of Miriam O'Callaghan's voice will actually make Mary Lou's all the more bearable in comparison.

ps. count how many times Meehawl says 'in terms of'

Calhoun

gmisk wrote: »

I simply linked for photo

Sorry was not intended as a response to you but the guy on twitter, same tactic you see in America all the time designed to discount anyones opinions we don't agree with.

Its almost like you are not allot opposing views, or your not allow to have an opinion on something and grow from it based upon what the electorate wants. Your simply branded anti-woman and must be punished forever by the twitter police.

FrancieBrady

Suckit wrote: »

I must say I am looking forward to tonight. Not sure what I am expecting tbh. Mary Lou only needs to stand there and say nothing and she won't do any harm to herself. Don't respond to the inevitable digs and scoffing.
I am curious as to who will be the first to bring up the IRA ties and all that goes with it. It's not as if the public don't already know those ties exist, so it says a lot when it seems to be the only stick they have to beat SF with, it's a big one, but has been repeated for years now and no mention of why their policies should be better.
If MM and LV go after her at that angle, she will 100% be ready and probably should use it to talk about SF policies.
I am guessing she won't be standing in the middle between the other two.

Roll on 9:35

If it is allowed to descend into Attack Mary Hour then SF will take all 42 seats.

The public have shown they are sick of that as a political policy or strategy. Michael Martin hasn't achieved anything by doing it and is two points behind SF.

His first question should be, 'What would SF offer to a coalition with FF?'Or maybe Leo should put the cat among the pigeons and ask it.

Muahahaha

Suckit wrote: »

I must say I am looking forward to tonight. Not sure what I am expecting tbh. Mary Lou only needs to stand there and say nothing and she won't do any harm to herself. Don't respond to the inevitable digs and scoffing.
I am curious as to who will be the first to bring up the IRA ties and all that goes with it. It's not as if the public don't already know those ties exist, so it says a lot when it seems to be the only stick they have to beat SF with, it's a big one, but has been repeated for years now and no mention of why their policies should be better.
If MM and LV go after her at that angle, she will 100% be ready and probably should use it to talk about SF policies.
I am guessing she won't be standing in the middle between the other two.

Roll on 9:35

Id say it is odds on that the first person to bring up the IRA tonight wont be Leo or Michael, it will be Miriam o'Callaghan.

thequarefellow

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Michael Martin hasn't achieved anything by doing it and is two points behind SF.

His first question should be, 'What would SF offer to a coalition with FF?'Or maybe Leo should put the cat among the pigeons and ask it.

That would actually be a very clever move by either of them.

James Brown

Muahahaha wrote: »

Id say it is odds on that the first person to bring up the IRA tonight wont be Leo or Michael, it will be Miriam o'Callaghan.

I hope they all do, it's helping ML I think. She just has to counter with the crises affecting the electorate.

Edgware

Calhoun wrote: »

Its like a just good enough approach, be happy what you have because the sky is going to fall out tomorrow.

When you have special need kids who need early intervention waiting 4-5 years until they get treatment or old people going up the north ect to have eye surgery you really wonder why you should bother paying tax.

Things are slow moving i get that but the level of entitled smugness about what they have done is unreal.

I have no difficulty with people availing of medical services either side of the border. That is good use of scarce resources and an example of benefits of an all islan economy

Calhoun

Just watched the start of Clare Byrne the cringe from the two Greta's, seems par from the course from the usual condescending ****e that RTE puts out "we are acting like adults while the government are acting like children".

Might back fire on them considering the messaging for the greens is not really resonating and they are looking more and more like the tax everything party.

If anything RTE are nearly becoming a hindrance to the political process because of their own bias.

James Brown

Are they related to anyone in RTE? I can see the Montrose set wanting to get the kids in on it.

Calhoun

Edgware wrote: »

I have no difficulty with people availing of medical services either side of the border. That is good use of scarce resources and an example of benefits of an all islan economy

If it was a joint up coherent plan it would make sense but people are being left to themselves to go abroad for treatment that should be offered a hell of allot sooner.

There was a case last year where a serving nurse had to go to Belgium ( I believe) to get a hip operation before her condition became so serious that it would have a life long impact and she wouldn't be able to work.

These are only some operations, what about care that is needed on an on-going basis? You cannot go up the North weekly.

RandomViewer

Idbatterim wrote: »

you are right, only 1180 premature deaths related to air pollution here last year...

http://www.dublinpeople.com/news/southside/articles/2020/01/20/4184582-concerns-raised-over-air-quality-affected-by-cars-on-the-school-run/

keep on paying a fortune for the stuff that really matters though, E100 month on tv broadband, expensive smart phone contract, and all the other essential areas!

Pollution or chain smoking, seems ever one keeps ignoring the elephant in the room.

James Brown

TBF RE: climate change. It's like littering, claiming your little pile is inconsequential, therefore throw your Fat Frog wrapper anywhere you like isn't helping. It might not make too much difference but why make things a little worse? We can all only do so much, may as well make it a positive.
Vote Quimby!

Calhoun

Its not a case of making it worse but its making it better in a sustainable way that does not leave people behind.

It needs serious consideration rather than just slapping taxes on it. I am more comfortable with a party that is not focused on a single issue driving the conversation.

For me last night it was telling that Eoin O'Broin's message on climate change resonated a hell of allot more than the actual green member talking.

I am saying all of this knowing personally that i am well insulated from a good bit of it. My house is near passive, external insulation, PV cells on the roof but the only thing im missing is the heatpump due to the cost at the time.

Quote i have gotten to upgrade the system run in the region of 14K, thats not pocket change you just happen to have behind the couch and for allot of people they would also have to factor improved insulation and cosmetic finishes to the house so it doesnt look like a building site.

Idbatterim

in terms of sustainability, by far the easiest solution I would have thought is massively improving public transport and cycle, pedestrian facilities. After that with massive capacity, maybe even make it free off peak or even peak. That offers a number of benefits. Its potentially far better value, than paying a fortune to retrofit homes... and you would get everyone on board with that, its not divisive...

Calhoun

Idbatterim wrote: »

in terms of sustainability, by far the easiest solution I would have thought is massively improving public transport and cycle, pedestrian facilities. After that with massive capacity, maybe even make it free off peak or even peak. That offers a number of benefits. Its potentially far better value, than paying a fortune to retrofit homes... and you would get everyone on board with that, its not divisive...

That is a start but we have to eventually look at the housing stock, a term used by many a politician because its true is fuel poverty. The only way to get out of that poverty is to retrofit.

Public transport investment is critical, the bus network plan should be deployed as was intended (this was fairly divisive). I would also say they need to invest in a transport police or a branch of the existing AGS and make sure there is no crap that puts people off of it today.

Edgware

RandomViewer wrote: »

Pollution or chain smoking, seems ever one keeps ignoring the elephant in the room.

I never realised that so many people kept elephants as domestic pets

Muahahaha

Varadkar & Martin Appeal To Sinn Féin To Bring Back Gerry Adams

VISIBLY sweating and relentlessly pulling on their shirt collars in an apparent attempt to breath more freely, Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil leaders Leo Varadkar and Micheál Martin have appealed to Sinn Féin to bring back Gerry Adams as leader after catching sight of their rival’s upward trajectory in the polls.

Fondly recalling the days when the average voter couldn’t for a second consider ever voting for a party with a was-he-in-the-IRA-or-not-did-he-order-killings-that-sort-of-thing figure as a leader, the leaders of Ireland two biggest parties in decline asked Sinn Féin once more to consider putting Adams out in front for everyone to see and be revulsed by.

“C’mon we all miss Gerry don’t we? What do you say? Bring him back for the last week?” Varadkar and Martin pleaded, constantly averting their eyes from the latest polls, “IRA connections, claims of facilitating IRA kangaroo courts on sexual abuse, the Disappeared, having the worst memory in history, what’s not to like?”

The leaders lamented the fact that without Adams in charge, calling Sinn Féin’s tax policies a ‘time bomb’ doesn’t have the same ‘oomph’ and ‘negative brand association’ with Mary Lou McDonald.

“People seemed a lot less keen to vote for a party that wants to tax everything and everyone when old Gerry was in charge. You could use zingers like ‘you can’t spell IRA without Gerry Adams’. Or ‘hey, have you seen the length of this lad’s ‘dodgy ****’ section on Wikipedia? It’s longer than ****ing Ulysses.”

In an effort to help the panicking leaders find alternative ways to combat the rise of rival parties, some political experts have asked Varadkar and Martin if they had considered trying to become competent leaders.

:pac:
https://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2020/02/03/varadkar-martin-appeal-to-sinn-fein-to-bring-back-gerry-adams/

boardise

Calhoun wrote: »

FF i don't think they will be too alarmed, they have been trying to right the ship for the past 8-9 years. Remember If Martin doesn't make Taoiseach he will be the only leader in FF History not do. He will do a deal with the devil himself if it meant he could lead even if it was for a short term, the leader of a lame duck government is still a leader.

Leo and FG however, they thought they could hang their hat on Brexit and the economic recovery but forgot that not everyone fully recovered. The general apathy when it comes to both health and housing is sickening.

A semantic point if I may .
I did not agree with the media concocted line that the FG slogan in 2016
'keep the recovery going' was inappropriate. The whole point about the process of 'recovery' is that it is gradual. To be 'recovering' means that one is on a journey to a 'status quo ante' but is not yet at the desired end state.
Anyone looking at the period 2011-2016 would see that the years 2011 ,2012 and 2013 were marked by huge job losses and falling house prices.
The direction changed from 2014 .About 2 1/2 years of slow but steady retrieval had been in train by 2016 with jobs coming on stream and house prices climbing back -relieving those in negative equity.
FG simply said -we're on the right track -help us keep things going. They were rewarded with a large seat loss and bound into a messy C&SA. Huge debts , little money, reduced credit rating and hamstrung politically . Did people think they were miracle workers or what ?

Itssoeasy

Big night for MLMD and Sinn Fein. Let's see if she can land a few blows.

Zetor19

Hopefully Mary Lou is ready for tonight’s snakey d4/rte attack .

SEPT 23 1989

I am no fan of Sinn Fein but what's going to happen here tonight by the non elected state mouthpiece RTE will be a disgrace

Galwayguy35

Why was that weird hysterical yank on an Irish election debate show last night.

FrancieBrady

Well able for them.

RTE cannot be seen to be ganging up on her or facilitating it. Difficult one to play for Leo and Michael.
Mary Lou just has to do what she does.