Love Letters straight from the Sunday Business Post?

Tuars

I just noticed this letter in last Sunday's Business Post:

Once again Vincent Browne chooses to use his column (SBP 26/09/04) for a highly personalised and vindictive rant against the Progressive Democrats, and in particular Mary Harney.

According to Mr Browne, the appointment of Mary Harney as minister for health would be "a disaster for the country'' because there is "no basis to Harney's conviction that she can run anything''.

This ludicrous statement does not stand up to any reasonable analysis.

As a highly effective Tánaiste and minister for enterprise, trade and employment, Harney has shown a dynamic so sadly absent from most areas of Irish public life.
The introduction of the minimum wage, the establishment of the Office of Corporate Enforcement and a strong pro-consumer stance against the insurance industry are all examples of the positive 'can-do' approach that is so badly needed in government.

Harney's commitment to the low-tax, pro-worker economic model has contributed to the economic miracle that is the Irish economy. By ignoring these achievements, Vincent Browne shows a remarkably blasé attitude to the wellbeing of the Irish labour market.

Mr Browne claims that Harney is unlikely to challenge the hospital consultants because she is "representative of their social ilk''. This is nonsense. Progressive Democrat policies do not favour any one specific demographic. All sectors of society have benefited from Harney's economic reforms.

I for one look forward to Mary Harney's tenure as Minister for Health.

Undoubtedly, the post requires serious political backbone, but based on previous evidence, there could be no better candidate.

Vincent Browne is welcome to his own political agenda, but personal bias is no substitute for real appraisal and analysis.

Brian Geoghegan, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

Is this the Brian Geoghegan I think it is? It couldn't be...

flogen

I doubt it tbh.
I'd say its someone either taking the piss, or with an unfortunately co-incidental name given the topic!

flogen

sceptre

May or may not be the same Brian Geoghegan but this is the second letter in the last month he's written to the SBP attacking Browne for attacking Harney

Here's the first (link)

Attacking Harney
Sunday, September 05, 2004
Vincent Browne's attack on Mary Harney (SBP 22/08/04) chooses to overlook the social and economic progress established as a result of the low-tax, pro-worker taxation principles espoused by the very same Ms Harney.To suggest that these economic principles have not contributed to a more equitable Irish society is akin to suggesting that Alex Ferguson has not contributed to the Old Trafford trophy cabinet.

Vincent Browne shows his ignorance of basic taxation and accountancy by ignoring the fact that any assets left to a spouse or child will already have been taxed in the donor's lifetime.

Surely he doesn't advocate double taxation?

Again, Browne appears to have a problem with the concept of a meritocracy. Any equitable society must allow for those who work and prosper to be rewarded accordingly.

Without those who work and prosper, who will pay the taxes needed to maintain a civilised and cohesive society?

Previous to the citizenship referendum, Browne called for an electoral boycott of the Progressive Democrats. The fact that the referendum was carried with a huge majority illustrates exactly how out of touch Vincent Browne is with the average voter.

Before Browne hurls anymore abuse at Mary Harney, perhaps he may reflect upon the economic climate before the low-tax model introduced by the PDs.

Does he really favour the days of unemployment, high taxes and emigration?

And finally, what bizarre political ideology does Browne possess that allows him to show such a contempt for the most successful Tanaiste ever, while describing the deplorable Beverley Flynn as "excellent''?

Brian Geoghegan, Walkinstown, Dublin 12

Unlike Mr Geoghegan from Walkinstown, I've no idea how one might measure the "most successful Tanaiste ever". If anyone has any ideas on how to do this, I'd be interested in hearing them, even if it's just using the Buzz Aldrin "best ever second man on the moon" measurement or the Margaret Thatcher "lasted so long before pushed" ruler.

Either way Brian Geoghegan is apparently in love with Mary Harney while Vincent Browne doesn't like her at all at all. In another star-crossed universe, the names might be the same.

Those Geoghegans pop up everywhere (they're worse than the Ryans) - the real™ Brian Geoghegan's sister was running for the PDs as a councillor in my local Limerick ward in the local elections. She came last so I suppose that evil Browne man partly got his way in his wish for a boycott of the PDs in the local elections (for some reason judging by the above letter the real or fake™ Brian Geoghegan thought when Browne wrote "election" he meant "referendum").

Victor

Now remember she did give him a nice plump job as head of FÁS (when it was the trade unions turn!) so he has to pay her back.

ReefBreak

sceptre wrote:

Unlike Mr Geoghegan from Walkinstown, I've no idea how one might measure the "most successful Tanaiste ever". If anyone has any ideas on how to do this, I'd be interested in hearing them, even if it's just using the Buzz Aldrin "best ever second man on the moon" measurement or the Margaret Thatcher "lasted so long before pushed" ruler.

I'm glad you asked that question. Today's Indo reports:

IRELAND has the second lowest unemployment rate in the developed world.
Latest figures show the Republic has not only the second lowest unemployment rate in Europe, but also beats the US and Japan.

With that record, I think we can safely assume that Mary Harney has been our best Enterprise & Employment Minister ever. It must really gall Vincent Browne (a guy that was foaming at the mouth throughout the 1980s over the unemployment rate in this country) that it was the PD's liberal economic policies helped create this resounding success.

The best Vincent Browne can do is to sneer at this success by publishing ridiculous articles as what appeared in the Sunday anti-Business Post.

[Edit]If it wasn't Mary Harney, then who was the best we ever had? Perhaps it was the Minister in charge of Employment during the last Fine Gael/Labour government? I'm being sarcastic by the way.

sceptre

ReefBreak wrote:

With that record, I think we can safely assume that Mary Harney has been our best Enterprise & Employment Minister ever.

And this makes her the best Tanaiste ever because?

My post wasn't an anti-Harney one. I'm just unsure how you measure the success of a job done as Tanaiste when that job officially consists of being promoted from deputy king to chief king when the king is away for longer than a trip to the toilet.

Victor

Maybe Brian Geoghegan is starting a comdey routine?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=191742

segadreamcast

Nevertheless, nobody sees the underlying flaw in handing the post of Minister for Health over to a woman with a clear obesity problem? No? Just me then? Fair enough...

BuffyBot

Nevertheless, nobody sees the underlying flaw in handing the post of Minister for Health over to a woman with a clear obesity problem? No? Just me then? Fair enough...

There are so many things wrong with that statement, I'm not sure where I would begin. I think the first thing would be to establish whether it was serious, or just facetious..

Cork

NoelRock wrote:

Nevertheless, nobody sees the underlying flaw in handing the post of Minister for Health over to a woman with a clear obesity problem? No? Just me then? Fair enough...

I wish Mary Harney taking on the consultants on issues like contracts and insurance.

frodi

NoelRock wrote:

Nevertheless, nobody sees the underlying flaw in handing the post of Minister for Health over to a woman with a clear obesity problem? No? Just me then? Fair enough...

I'm not a fan of the PD's but i would prefer to judge her on her performance and results rather than on her own her private health issues. I seem to remember that Churchill had alcohol problems and depression but this did not take away from his ability as prime minister.

segadreamcast

frodi wrote:

I'm not a fan of the PD's but i would prefer to judge her on her performance and results rather than on her own her private health issues. I seem to remember that Churchill had alcohol problems and depression but this did not take away from his ability as prime minister.

Indeed - but Churchill never claimed to be minister for exuberance. Mary Harney is the Minister for Health at a time when obesity is one of the biggest health issues we have; she'll be expected to launch drives to trim the waistlines of the children (and adults) in this country. However, I wonder will anybody take heed.

Naturally, women have taken great offence to the comment and have come out in force to give me negative rep - this isn't about 'how all women should be slim' though, this is a matter of integrity and about having a minister who won't look like a damn hypocrite when talking about how we have an obesity crisis that's costing the country which is costing the country millions per year.

Perhaps sceptre was right in saying it should be 'do as I say, not do as I do' - still though, nobody appreciates being led by a hypocrite.

BuffyBot

Naturally, women have taken great offence to the comment and have come out in force to give me negative rep

You're really rolling out the condesending statements in this thread, aren't you?

Judge a politician on their politics, not their looks/body shape/hair colour etc.

If we follow your line of logic, what's next?

"Oh sorry, you're gay. You can't be Minister for Health and Children as you can't have children, and pfft, we all know gays all have weird diseases. What kind of example would that be?"

P.S. Last time I checked, I was a man.

segadreamcast

There's a distinct difference. You seem to be missing my point - she is the minister for health, yet is clearly unhealthy.

It is, admittedly, a judgement based on physical makeup - but in this context I believe it is relevant.

"Judge a politician on their politics, not their looks"

Ooooooooh...so THAT'S why Bertie spent over 140k on makeup? Silly me, I forgot that people don't judge others on their looks.

It's about time you got in touch with the real world of politics - obviously policies are of primary importance, but physical complexion still plays a role.

"P.S. Last time I checked, I was a man."

Sorry, what? Did I say you were a woman?

Sleepy

I have to say I agree with NoelRock on this one. To my mind, Harney's taking the role of health is merely a shrewd political move. With the state the Health Service is in, it's not like she can do it any more damage and will be able to take the credit if she can manage to improve it at all...

An obese person lecturing the country on obesity is pure hypocrisy and to be honest, unless I see her going into some American style fat farm bootcamp (maybe she could get sponsored to do this and use the money to pay for some more nurses?) I wouldn't be able to take her seriously in her position.

To my mind it'd be like having a minister for finance who'd gone bankrupt in his own business dealings or a minister for justice with a criminal record. It's about being credible in your positions and politics and an obese person telling others to exercise and eat healthily just isn't credible.

Redleslie2

Sleepy wrote:

To my mind it'd be like having a minister for finance who'd gone bankrupt in his own business dealings or a minister for justice with a criminal record.

Or even a minister for justice and equality who doesn't believe in justice and says inequality is an incentive.

I expect Harney to deliver a statement soon saying that overconsumption stimulates the economy and all this healthy lifestyle malarkey is a mug's game that costs jobs.

Sleepy

Redleslie2 wrote:

Or even a minister for justice and equality who doesn't believe in justice and says inequality is an incentive.

I expect Harney to deliver a statement soon saying that overconsumption stimulates the economy and all this healthy lifestyle malarkey is a mug's game that costs jobs.

I must've missed in in the papers, when did McDowell say that "inequality is an incentive"?

Or are you one of those raving SWP'ers as is suggested by the "Red" in your username?

Redleslie2

Sleepy wrote:

I must've missed in in the papers, when did McDowell say that "inequality is an incentive"?

Here.

Or are you one of those raving SWP'ers as is suggested by the "Red" in your username?

Emm, no. It's cos I'm a Liverpool fan actually. Wait! Their strip is red, they're called the Reds, they must be sekrit communists! You're a genius.

Sleepy

Sorry Redleslie2, at times it seems that there are only FF'ers, SF'ers and SWP's here on the Politics board and I thought it safe to assume you weren't one of the former.

To be fair, it sounds like what McDowell was going on about there was merely an unfortunate choice of wording given the context of Portmarnack Golf Course. If an organisation is private and is using privately paid for resources, to my mind they're entitled to be exclusionist. Whether they're a gentlemen's drinking club, the ICA, Dublin Asylum Seekers Assoiciation or Miss Harper's Finishing School for Girls. It's when public assets are used to exlude someone based on their Race, Creed or Sex that it annoys me. E.G. Monkstown Pool & Fitness Centre having Women-Only nights when they're a publicly financed resource (lame example but one that afffects me personally).

BuffyBot

It's about being credible in your positions and politics and an obese person telling others to exercise and eat healthily just isn't credible.

Yes...because that's the only thing the they do in that department...

Sleepy

BuffyBot wrote:

Yes...because that's the only thing the they do in that department...

No it's not but given the current situation where obesity is one of the main things the country is trying to tackle, it's certainly a large amount of the positions' work.

daveirl

This post has been deleted.

Boggle

...Harney was a great minister for trade and employment...

No offence lads but ye dont seem to have any concept of whats really going on! Dunno where ye got all these good stories about the woman but unfortunately she was a pig-ignorant lazy bitch who had no more interest in developing home-grown business than she has of going on a diet.

She was in clonmel a few years back for the opening of a business park in which my father (among others) had just recently started his business. Harney came down for the photo op and basically took off the minute the shots were taken. Not one iota of interest did she take in any of those businesses (which are still surviving to this day) and not one offering of help did she even offer! To make things worse, she was incompetent as she was incapable of managing the various enterprise boards and much of the money is known to have been .... lost?!?!