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Genuine question on the abolition of the Seanad

lcrcboy · 2013-10-05 21:38:44

I voted no in favor of keeping, the Seanad, because I have been told and come to the conclusion that without it we as a nation are loosing part of are democracy. So my question is this to the people on here that fully understand how the Irish government works and how other democracies work. Without the Seanad would it be…

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#92 08-10-2013 8:56pm
johnnyskeleton

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mango salsa wrote: »

It's not that I think it is elitist. It is elitist - that is an undeniable fact.

Your definition of elitist:

1. The belief that certain persons or members of certain classes or groups deserve favored treatment by virtue of their perceived superiority, as in intellect, social status, or financial resources.

The emphasis is mine.

So you define elitist as a belief, and then say that it is not just a belief, it is a fact.

That is both a tautology (a self-perpetuating assertion) and a logical fallacy (that just because a belief can be a fact, that your belief must be a fact) at the same time.

You have also ignored the substantial point that I made earlier that the Seanad is not meant to be a representative institution but one of technical expertise, and the manner of selecting 6 of those experts is chosen by the Universities. This is called a straw man fallacy, where you ignore the substance of what is said against you and focus on a narrow and unfair view of the topic and repeat it in an attempt to discredit what other people are saying.

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