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Leo's out

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  • 18-01-2015 11:35am
    #1
    ankles
    Registered Users Posts: 1,286 ✭✭✭


    ... and fair play to him


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    #2
    degsie
    Registered Users Posts: 8,740 ✭✭✭degsie


    I'm staying in. Too cold, brrrrrr....


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    #3
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    Someone's sexuality is entirely their own business, and Leo should be commended on his honesty.

    However, I reckon this will seriously hinder him from ever taking the FG leadership reigns. (and it shouldn't)


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    #4
    Chucky the tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    Banjo String wrote: »
    Someone's sexuality is entirely their own business, and Leo should be commended on his honesty.

    However, I reckon this will seriously hinder him from ever taking the FG leadership reigns. (and it shouldn't)



    I very much doubt that.


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    #5
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    Chucky the tree wrote: »
    I very much doubt that.

    And you're entitled to your opinion, but I just get the feeling that we're (as a nation) still a little bit too backwards for a gay man to be elected as Taoiseach.

    We're just not there yet.


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    #6
    wandatowell
    Registered Users Posts: 8,435 ✭✭✭wandatowell


    It would be a opportunity for FG to say to voters "Look, this is a new generation for FG". A fresh beginning etc etc etc


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    #7
    iwillhtfu
    Registered Users Posts: 6,368 ✭✭✭iwillhtfu


    Big deal. Get back to sorting out the healthcare in this country.


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    #8
    jank
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,018 ✭✭✭✭jank


    Banjo String wrote: »
    And you're entitled to your opinion, but I just get the feeling that we're (as a nation) still a little bit too backwards for a gay man to be elected as Taoiseach.

    We're just not there yet.

    We do not directly elect the executive branch. We vote for parties who then vote then form a government. The leader of the largest party then becomes taoiseach.

    If anything this will help him.

    Leo will be the next leader of FG as I said before and this does nothing to change my opinion of that. It is interesting that the most 'socially' conservative party in Ireland have two very prominent gay ministers now. Maybe FG are not as socially conservative as people may want to think.


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    #9
    Sand
    Registered Users Posts: 12,492 ✭✭✭✭Sand


    I cant really think of a nation that has an openly gay leader. I cant think of a political party with an openly gay leader. I agree that Varadkars chances leading FG or Ireland have seriously diminished with the announcement, but I don't think its fair to say Ireland is unusually backward in that regard. Look at Russia (or many, many states in Africa) if you want unusually backward attitudes on homosexuality.


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    #10
    BoJack Horseman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,248 ✭✭✭✭BoJack Horseman


    Sand wrote: »
    I cant really think of a nation that has an openly gay leader. I cant think of a political party with an openly gay leader. I agree that Varadkars chances leading FG or Ireland have seriously diminished with the announcement, but I don't think its fair to say Ireland is unusually backward in that regard. Look at Russia (or many, many states in Africa) if you want unusually backward attitudes on homosexuality.

    Its more frequent than I imagined.

    3 European prime ministers

    http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_the_first_LGBT_holders_of_political_offices

    In fairness to Russia, their attitudes haven't stopped them electing a gay president for the past 2 decades.


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    #11
    Blowfish
    Registered Users Posts: 5,112 ✭✭✭Blowfish


    Banjo String wrote: »
    And you're entitled to your opinion, but I just get the feeling that we're (as a nation) still a little bit too backwards for a gay man to be elected as Taoiseach.

    We're just not there yet.
    What makes you think that? We weren't that far off having an openly gay president.


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    #12
    evolving_doors
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,812 ✭✭✭✭evolving_doors


    Dont forget Bruton and Covney are still contenders.

    Covney will probably have to outgay Leo now. Probably admit to being from cork ...poor fellow.


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    #13
    Chucky the tree
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,341 ✭✭✭✭Chucky the tree


    Banjo String wrote: »
    And you're entitled to your opinion, but I just get the feeling that we're (as a nation) still a little bit too backwards for a gay man to be elected as Taoiseach.

    We're just not there yet.



    The general public don't vote for a Taoiseach though. Do you think it will coming out will alienate enough of his colleagues to not elect him? People might avoid voting for a FG candidate because of this but that number of people will be very small. A lot of people might not be hugely happy with it but it won't stop them voting for their local FG candidate who is best as fixing the pot holes etc.


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    #14
    BoJack Horseman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,248 ✭✭✭✭BoJack Horseman


    Armelodie wrote: »
    Dont forget Bruton and Covney are still contenders.

    Of the 3, I think its a 2 horse race between Convey & Varadkar.

    Leo is more likeable, but Coveny is perhaps more competent.


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    #15
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    jank wrote: »
    We do not directly elect the executive branch. We vote for parties who then vote then form a government. The leader of the largest party then becomes taoiseach.

    no need for the pedantry. I think my post was pretty obvious tbh.
    jank wrote:
    If anything this will help him.

    Leo will be the next leader of FG as I said before and this does nothing to change my opinion of that. It is interesting that the most 'socially' conservative party in Ireland have two very prominent gay ministers now. Maybe FG are not as socially conservative as people may want to think.

    I also have predicted Leo as a successor to Enda Kenny, and have also expressed my admiration for him as a minister, but I just think some of our electorate won't be prepared to give a vote to a political party with a gay leader, for fear of having a gay Taoiseach.


    Of course I could be proven wrong, and something tells me wet both won't have long to wait to find out.


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    #16
    jank
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 13,018 ✭✭✭✭jank


    Banjo String wrote: »
    no need for the pedantry. I think my post was pretty obvious tbh.


    I also have predicted Leo as a successor to Enda Kenny, and have also expressed my admiration for him as a minister, but I just think some of our electorate won't be prepared to give a vote to a political party with a gay leader, for fear of having a gay Taoiseach.


    Of course I could be proven wrong, and something tells me wet both won't have long to wait to find out.

    Lets play a hypothetical game. Realistically looking at it, Enda will be leader going into the next GE. Say FG are the largest party and go into government with FF or some indos, that government lasts 5 years... You have a new FG leader, say its Leo and an election in 2021. FG lose as they have been in government two terms. Meaning the election in 2026 or so will be the one where Leo is Taoiseach, if of course he is leader of FG. That is more than 10 years away. Think about ten years ago and the progress that has been made about Gay rights. In ten years time, people won't give two ****s about it.

    It is interesting though that when Jerry Buttimer came out there was no big deal. When its a more prominent Dublin based minster, people are all talk. It will be talk for a few days, then people won't care, and move onto other things, like the score of the United match or the weather...


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    #17
    loyatemu
    Registered Users Posts: 14,790 ✭✭✭✭loyatemu


    jank wrote: »
    Lets play a hypothetical game. Realistically looking at it, Enda will be leader going into the next GE. Say FG are the largest party and go into government with FF or some indos, that government lasts 5 years... You have a new FG leader, say its Leo and an election in 2021. FG lose as they have been in government two terms. Meaning the election in 2026 or so will be the one where Leo is Taoiseach, if of course he is leader of FG. That is more than 10 years away. Think about ten years ago and the progress that has been made about Gay rights. In ten years time, people won't give two ****s about it.

    It is interesting though that when Jerry Buttimer came out there was no big deal. When its a more prominent Dublin based minster, people are all talk. It will be talk for a few days, then people won't care, and move onto other things, like the score of the United match or the weather...

    I'd be surprised if Enda served another full term - he'll go for the presidency in 2018.

    FG may have a reputation for social conservatism, but they'll be the party that introduces gay marriage, and they were also the only party to in any way liberalise the abortion laws (albeit their hand was somewhat forced there).


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    #18
    Mr.Micro
    Registered Users Posts: 5,336 ✭✭✭Mr.Micro


    wandatowell wrote: »
    It would be a opportunity for FG to say to voters "Look, this is a new generation for FG". A fresh beginning etc etc etc

    Nah. They will be looking to vote in some more politicians to wreck the country. The voters love misery and nostalgia, for the likes of Bertie, Brian and Charlie, ah shure, they were not too bad.


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    #19
    hfallada
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,180 ✭✭✭hfallada


    loyatemu wrote: »
    I'd be surprised if Enda served another full term - he'll go for the presidency in 2018.

    FG may have a reputation for social conservatism, but they'll be the party that introduces gay marriage, and they were also the only party to in any way liberalise the abortion laws (albeit their hand was somewhat forced there).

    Look at the rest of the World. Most European countries have made efforts to legalize same-sex marriage or legalised civil unions in the last 5 years. If FG didnt do it, FF or SF were going to do it anyway. Western Societies values have changed so much in the last 10 years. Having Gay characters in Will & Grace was considered ground breaking. Having a gay character in a TV show is the norm now. The West is more accepting of people who are different now.


    People are demanding that abortion laws be liberalized. They were bounded to be changed in the next few years. Younger people in Ireland think its disgraceful how restrictive our abortion laws are. In 10-15 years we probably will have on demand abortion, as our values are changing so much in Ireland.

    In 1997 we barely passed the divorce referendum. If the same referendum was passed tomorrow, how many people would in favor of it? Most of the country would be. As our values have changed so much


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    #20
    Loafing Oaf
    Registered Users Posts: 16,058 ✭✭✭✭Loafing Oaf


    jank wrote: »
    It is interesting that the most 'socially' conservative party in Ireland have two very prominent gay ministers now.

    Two?:confused:

    If number two is who I think, he's not actually 'out' AFAIK...


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    #21
    Dannyboy83
    Registered Users Posts: 4,236 ✭✭✭Dannyboy83


    I don't think it's going to matter too much in the grand scheme.
    If he can manage to turn health around, he is in with a serious shot no matter what.

    I think in the current economic climate, people are more likely to categorize as competent/incompetent.
    And more likely to overlook aspects which they may feel negatively about such as
    -gay,
    -former leader of a paramilitary group & linked to numerous sex scandals,
    - served in the FF government that caused the meltdown and had questionable funding deposited into wife's bank account . etc.


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    #22
    gerry adams
    Site Banned Posts: 5 ✭gerry adams


    God almighty,the only one I had any respect for.Is the whole world full of fairys?


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    #23
    BoJack Horseman
    Registered Users Posts: 12,248 ✭✭✭✭BoJack Horseman


    gerry adams wrote: »
    God almighty,the only one I had any respect for.Is the whole world full of fairys?

    3 posts.

    All a tour de force.


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    #24
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    gerry adams wrote: »
    God almighty,the only one I had any respect for.Is the whole world full of fairys?

    To clarify, are You saying you will no longer respect him because he's gay :confused:

    Why does his sexual persuasion matter one iota?


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    #25
    gerry adams
    Site Banned Posts: 5 ✭gerry adams


    Cause he is a Queer!!!


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    #26
    Banjo String
    Closed Accounts Posts: 14,380 ✭✭✭✭Banjo String


    Ah ok.

    I took the bait.

    Silly me :o


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    #27
    PopePalpatine
    Registered Users Posts: 11,844 ✭✭✭✭PopePalpatine


    Oh dear, is he subjecting you to the sounds of sodomy within Leinster House? :rolleyes:


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    #28
    gerry adams
    Site Banned Posts: 5 ✭gerry adams


    Thats what i hate about them,yet its seen as normal,dirty huers


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    #29
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,226 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    gerry adams wrote: »
    God almighty,the only one I had any respect for.Is the whole world full of fairys?
    gerry adams wrote: »
    Cause he is a Queer!!!
    gerry adams wrote: »
    Thats what i hate about them,yet its seen as normal,dirty huers

    MOD: Permanently banned from Politics.


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    #30
    Black Swan
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 47,226 CMod ✭✭✭✭Black Swan


    ankles wrote: »
    Leo's out... and fair play to him

    MOD: Thread LOCKED. Why? This is the Politics main forum. It has standards for posting. If you want to chat about a topic like this in a more relaxed way, then please consider starting it in the Politics Cafe, not here. See Politics main forum Charter:
    Dr Galen wrote:
    This is a Politics forum, not Liveline.

    Certain standards of debate are expected, and will be enforced. There's been a serious decrease in the signal to noise ratio in the forum recently, and that trend requires reversal.

    If your OP consists of nothing more than a two-line thought that just popped into your head, don't start a thread.


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