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Elaine Byrne and the thee political morons

February 10, 2010 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government, Labour Party, The State by Anthony | 1 comment

Journalist and political scientist, Elaine Byrne, had her work cut out for her on last night’s Late Debate.

Lined up against her were three moronic dinosaurs representing the current corrupt political system that has destroyed this country.

George Lee’s resignation was the topic of discussion but the underlying discussion was about the Irish political system and the need for reform of that system.

Elaine Byrne was saying the system is broken and, of course, she’s absolutely right but the dinosaurs are so far stuck up their own political rectums that they hadn’t the slightest inkling of what she was trying to tell them.

The political dinosaurs were Senator Regan of Fine Gael, Niall Collins TD of Fianna Fail and Joe Costello TD of Labour.

But before I deal with these morons I want to first quote the daddy of all political morons, Eoghan Harris where he rants on about the need for politicians to serve a political apprenticeship before they get too opinionated.

When reading this quote keep in mind that Harris never did a days political work in his life, he was appointed to the Senate solely for his unassailable ability of licking Bertie Ahern’s rear end

What’s been really concerning and worrying in the last few days is the way the discourse on the George Lee issue has become a general rejection of the notion that there should be no apprenticeship of any sort in politics.

The apprenticeship in politics is a very important preparation in terms of character. Listening to people who are annoying you, boring you, actually cranky people is a test of character and stamina and teaches people how to deal with the public.

I mean at the end of the day politics is about the rule of states and peoples and it starts with human beings, it’s not an abstract issue. I know there’s a delusion among college students and certain sections of the younger sections of the pol course (?) not the old guard I notice.

There is this delusion that all you have to do is assemble people with first class honours degrees and put them into politics and the country will be a land flowing with milk and honey. That is not how the real world works.

Incredibly, this idiot, who pontificates from the benches of that useless organisation, Seanad Eireann, claims to know how the real world works.

This moronic talk about political apprenticeships reminds me of Martin Mansergh’s (a prime example of an intellectual fool) idiotic idea that newly elected TDs shouldn’t address or criticise a Taoiseach until they’ve served for a number of years.

Not surprisingly, the political morons on the panel all agreed with Harris.

Costello (Lab)

I agree with Harris in terms of apprenticeship. I thinks it’s very important that people have to spend some time there learning…Elaine is missing the point she says the system is broken. We all agree that reforms have to take place…it’s not the political system that has failed the country, it’s the government that has failed the country and the two are totally different.

Collins (FF)

There’s an attempted circling of the wagons by the establishment around all the political parties and anyone who’s associated with politics saying the system is wrong. The system needs tweeking in particular areas, nobody’s disputing that, we all accept we have to try and better ourselves but this notion that Dail TDs and senators shouldn’t be available to the public who elects us on any level I think it’s farcical and the people who are making those comments don’t understand the work of public representatives in this country as far as I’m concerned.

Collins went on to give an example of how Irish political representatives work which sounded like a sketch straight out of Ballymagash.

We had a debate in our parliamentary party this evening about the dog breeding legislation. I met three groups of my constituents who are involved in dog breeding, that’s all part of it, we get out and about.

Byrne was completely stumped.

Dog breeding, you talk to them about dog breeding?

At this stage I lost the run of the discussion after falling to the floor in convulsions of contemptible laughter.

Collins wasn’t laughing though, he was, again, attacking Byrne because she’s an academic, what would her type know about the plain people of Ireland?

But Byrne is more tuned into the brutal reality of Irish politics than any of these morons.

It’s about politics, it’s about Ireland. We should have citizen assemblies where the citizens take ownership of the reform process where people can go into a room and say what needs reform.

I agree completely but would go much further. These political dinosaurs and all their fellow representatives from all parties have lost their right to govern or represent the people of Ireland.

The system they represent and defend so strongly is corrupt and beyond redemption, beyond reform.

We should indeed have citizen assemblies, the people should indeed take ownership, not of the reform process, but of the political system itself. The first step in taking that ownership is to destroy the current rotten system.

George Lee’s resignation

February 8, 2010 in Fine Gael by Anthony | 2 comments

Last May I wrote about the passion of George Lee after listening to him savage the wasters that inhabit that useless institution; Seanad Eireann.

If every politician or even a significant number of them felt and acted with such passionate anger and honesty Ireland would indeed be a country of happy enlightenment.

I was not, however, optimistic about Lee’s chances of successfully integrating into the corrupt Irish political system.

Sadly, it is not to be. It’s only a matter of time before George is hauled down into the dark, damp pit of Irish politics where all new arrivals on the political scene are strapped into a seat, have a very bright light shone in their faces and are ruthlessly indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life.

George’s unexpected resignation has saved him from making the choice of either challenging the corrupt political system or becoming a fully paid up member like the Progressive Democrats and Greens.

Still, it’s disappointing that he has decided to leave politics altogether. He could have remained on as an independent and used his insider position to expose corruption within the system.

Enda Kenny: Principles are conditional

November 16, 2009 in Fine Gael by Anthony | 2 comments

Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny was asked a very simple question by Marian Finucane recently (7th November).

The question concerned the disgraceful deal negotiated by Dr. James Reilly while president of the Irish Medical Organisation which saw doctors receive €640 for every patient over the age of 70. Now, as Fine Gael spokesman on health, Dr. Reilly is arguing against the deal.

Marian Finucane: Do you find it in any way bizarre that the man who negotiated the deal for the over 70s is now arguing against the deal

Enda Kenny: Well, James Reilly knows his medical politics and he knows his political politics

MF: So is there no such thing as principle

EK: Of course there’s principle, Dr. Reilly did his job well when he was speaking for the GPs

MF: So principle doesn’t come into it

EK: He’s now doing his job well as Fine Gael spokesman, principle does come into it when you do the job you have to do. I appointed him to this job to do a job for us…

MF: And you don’t think principle matters

EK: Principle matters

MF: You don’t think that if you are representing the GPs you might say to yourself – I’ll get a good deal but not a savagely good deal because there is a responsibility here, it’s people’s health.

EK: When I appointed Dr. Reilly as spokesperson on health I said to him – James this is not an appointment for GPs you are now speaking for people all over the country not just doctors

MF: They still existed when he was doing that deal

EK: Yes they did and he fought his case when he was elected to speak for the doctors as he should, he’s now elected to speak for the people and that’s what he’s doing

This exchange tells us a very simple fact about practically all Irish politicians – Principles are conditional.

If you’re negotiating an obnoxiously greedy deal for doctors, principles can be discarded. If you’re health spokesman for Fine Gael the discarded principles can be cynically re-instated to pursue a political objective.

For Irish politicians principles are merely a means to an end, they are not an end in themselves. They are there to be manipulated and abused for political and/or monetary advantage

Kenny’s response also indicates a serious lack of political savvy. If he and Dr. Reilly were to simply admit that the deal was wrong and apologise they would receive praise and the matter would be over and done with.

By continuing to defend the indefensible they are merely confirming that Fine Gael remains comfortable operating within the corrupt Irish political system.

Copy to:
Enda Kenny
Dr. James Reilly

O’Donoghue: The political class still don’t get it

October 9, 2009 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Government by Anthony | 2 comments

Willie O’Dea’s reaction to John O’Donoghue’s forced resignation was exactly what we have come to expect from this hypocritical Fianna Fail backwoodsman.

I detest people who talk out of both sides of their mouths.

Fianna Fail Senator Ned O’Sullivan was no better. He predictably attacked the media for their ‘lurid’ reporting on O’Donoghue and called on politicians, who are now living in fear of the media, to fight back (Today with Pat Kenny, Thursday).

Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar also attacked the media and petulantly reminded the nation that he could have made more money by remaining in medicine (Prime Time).

Varadkar’s comments are a reminder that the expenses scam involves all political parties.

Brian Lenihan angrily attacked Eamon Gilmore for his unacceptable actions in bringing down the Ceann Combhairle.

I don’t think it was a good day for Irish politics.

What all these politicians have in common is arrogance and denial. The expenses scam that they put in place results in millions being robbed from taxpayer’s every year either through legal corruption or legal fraud.

The Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 permits TDs to legally defraud the State. An accountant quoted in the Irish Independent gives the following example of how this scam might operate.

A politician can take a train from, say, the Ceann Comhairle’s constituency of South Kerry that costs €72 and make an unvouched claim for three one-way road journeys to Dublin and collect €531, leaving a tax-free profit of €441.

I wonder does Minister Lenihan think that it was a good day for Irish politics when this banana republic legislation was introduced by his party?

Kenny outflanked by the real leader of the Opposition

October 7, 2009 in Fine Gael, Labour Party by Anthony | 2 comments

Once again Enda Kenny has been outflanked by Eamon Gilmore.

From a purely political point of view Gilmore’s reading of the situation and his timing were perfect.

Kenny was forced to fall in behind the Labour leader and his demand that O’Donoghue resign immediately instead of next week is a pathetic attempt to appear strong and decisive.

Fine Gael backbenchers should start sharpening their knives.

Leo Varadkar – Not a happy clown

September 18, 2009 in Fine Gael by Anthony | No comments

Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar got very upset at Sinn Fein’s disruptive but perfectly legitimate strategy of interrupting proceedings during the first day of the Dail debate on NAMA.

Nobody in this modern era is impressed by that sort of behaviour but believe it or not some people are.

Varadkar was asked if he was ever thrown out of the Dail.

No, I don’t do that. Unfortunately, the way the media and our system works you will get more attention for that childish schoolboy carry on than you’ll get for making a serious contribution.

He became even more upset after Sinn Fein interrupted proceedings for a second time.

I hope people at home watching this see what a bunch of clowns Sinn Fein are. They don’t attend the House of Commons even though they draw their salaries and I’m sorry they come to the Dail because there’s nobody in the Dail wants this display of circus type behaviour.

Clowns? Circus type behaviour? Childish schoolboy carry on? Sounds to me like a routine day in our national parliament.

Lee – Now part of the system

August 28, 2009 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, The State by Anthony | 2 comments

On 19th May last I wrote about the passion and honesty of Fine Gael’s new TD George Lee after he suggested Seanad Eireann should be abolished.

Keeping in mind that Fine Gael, in common with all political parties, sees the Senate as a very rich gravy train I warned that it was only a matter of time before George was taken to one side and indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life. Here’s some of what I wrote:

It’s only a matter of time before George is hauled down into the dark, damp pit of Irish politics where all new arrivals on the political scene are strapped into a seat, have a very bright light shone in their faces and ruthlessly indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life.

And judging from a report on Newstalk 106 it seems that George has had his first session in the pit. He has denied that he called for the Seanad to be scrapped saying he meant it needed reform.

We can see from Lee’s response to the O’Donoghue expenses scandal (Irish Independent) that he is by now almost totally integrated into the mostly corrupt Irish political system.

After first expressing the usual but meaningless outrage Lee goes on to mouth the standard waffle we have come to expect from politicians who want to give the impression that action is about to be taken on an issue.

I’m going to raise a parliamentary question about this matter, it’s unacceptable behaviour in the present climate, it’s time to tighten up on the rules and I’ll be asking if there are any reforms planned in this area. This is all pure truth avoiding, playing for time waffle – Express outrage, promise reform and hope that, in time, people will forget.

According to the report in the Irish Independent:

Mr Lee said he was more interested in finding out if there had been a culture of over-spending by ministers during the reign of former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern rather than pursuing an explanatory statement from Mr O’Donoghue.

This is the usual cynical strategy, put the focus on the past and restrict your comments to a narrow range of politicians, ministers in this case from a previous Fianna Fail administration.

This sly strategy allows politicians to avoid mentioning the elephant in the room – that practically all parties, including George Lee’s party, have been for decades, feeding out of the same expenses trough at huge cost to the taxpayer. Much of this greedy and unregulated feeding is nothing less than straightforward theft.

Lee has his first session in dark pit of Irish politics

May 19, 2009 in Fine Gael, The State by Anthony | 2 comments

It really is refreshing to witness George Lee talk with passion and honesty about political issues.

For example, on The Week in Politics last Sunday he was asked about reports that Seanad Eireann closed down last week to allow the Senators attend a golf outing.

“I can’t believe that they met for 40 days for the first couple of months of the year.

During that period, the first four months up to April, 93,000 people went on the dole while they met for 40 days, while they took all that money from the taxpayer and they sat there planning their golf outing.

It’s an absolute outrage, I tell you they would all want to consider their positions, they need to go.”

On being asked – Should the Senate be shut down?

“Would we care? 93,000 people is what it’s about and the fact that unemployment is heading towards 600,000 while they’re there lining their pockets, claiming their expenses and doing not an awful lot for the people. I really couldn’t be bothered whether they were shut down, it’s a disgrace.”

If every politician or even a significant number of them felt and acted with such passionate anger and honesty Ireland would indeed be a country of happy enlightenment.

Sadly, it is not to be. It’s only a matter of time before George is hauled down into the dark, damp pit of Irish politics where all new arrivals on the political scene are strapped into a seat, have a very bright light shone in their faces and ruthlessly indoctrinated into the realities of Irish political life.

And judging from a report on Newstalk 106 it seems that George has had his first session in the pit. He has denied that he called for the Seanad to be scrapped saying he meant it needed reform.

“All of my party colleagues have been pushing the issue of Seanad reform for a long period of time, much longer than my last two weeks in politics; I’m beating the same drum. They all want to make that contribution, they know it’s very important institution of state and they know it has to be modernised.”

Yes, we know George. Irish politicians have been calling for and promising reform of the Senate for decades but never actually act on the matter. They don’t act because they are greedy, dishonest and arrogant.

How many sessions in the cellar George before you are a fully signed up member of the corrupt Irish political system?

Ruling (mafia) families

May 9, 2009 in Fianna Fail, Fine Gael, Labour Party, The State by Anthony | 2 comments

There are 166 TDs in Dail Eireann.

Shockingly, over 25% (42) of them are direct relatives of former or current TDs. According to a Drivetime report during the week nothing like this exists in any other Western democracy. Here’s some further breakdown.

A massive 28 of the 42 are Fianna Fail TDs followed by Fine Gael with 12 and 2 from Labour.

24 are sons or daughters of TDs – 15 Fianna Fail, 8 Fine Gael and 1 Labour.

There are three TDs in the Fianna Fail Kitt family as was their father before them.

Fianna Fail TD, Mary O’Rourke is the daughter of a TD and sits in the Dail with her brother Brian Lenihan and two nephews Brian and Conor.

The three most senior people in government, Brian Cowen, Mary Coughlin and Brian Lenihan all inherited their seats from their father.

And people wonder why Ireland is run like a mafia.

Lee goes political

May 5, 2009 in Fine Gael by Anthony | 1 comment

Great to see that RTEs Economics Editor George Lee has decided to seek the Fine Gael nomination in the upcoming Dublin South bye election.

Lee has always been passionate in his beliefs and that passion has, in recent times, spilled over into deep anger at how this country is governed.

There is no doubt that the Irish political system is sorely in need of an injection of genuine passion and anger.

See here for his first (robust) interview

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