USI Congress

PHB

McGuirk lost, again

Passport

excellent.

Jesus tapdancing christ. You can disagree with a person's politics, and not like them as a person, but the man put himself forward for elections. That itself requires guts. He fought the good fight and didn't resort to becoming petty, unlike other candidates for the SU elections last year and in the end he lost.

Did he do something to you personally that you're willing to openly criticise him, and put him down like this? If not, why the **** are you putting him down?

I commend John for being an active Eastern Area Officer this year and for the fact that he has always been helpful and responsive to any of the times I've been in contact with him. In relation to the election for USI President, I've worked with Richie and I wish him well in that position.

Myth

Myth wrote:

Jesus tapdancing christ. You can disagree with a person's politics, and not like them as a person, but the man put himself forward for elections. That itself requires guts. He fought the good fight and didn't resort to becoming petty, unlike other candidates for the SU elections last year and in the end he lost.

Did he do something to you personally that you're willing to openly criticise him, and put him down like this? If not, why the **** are you putting him down?

I commend John for being an active Eastern Area Officer this year and for the fact that he has always been helpful and responsive to any of the times I've been in contact with him. In relation to the election for USI President, I've worked with Richie and I wish him well in that position.

I had a similar discussion withsome about religion...

The answer appears to be no..

Time Magazine

Hard luck, John.

xebec

That's disappointing, was hoping he'd get that position, I think it would have been good for USI.

Best of luck to Richie.

ilovemybrick

Myth wrote:

Jesus tapdancing christ.

i love the idea of a tapdancing jesus. but would he be a blacked up tapdancer or not. silliness aside.

firstly i have absolutely nothing against john on a personal level and i think he actually would have done a good except for one thing.
i do however understand why some people would disagree but the fact that lots of people jump on the anti-john train without any good reason is just silly.

the thing i would have said against his presidency (and this is not a personal reflection on him at all) is what happens if the government we get after the election (general not USI) doesn't take to kindly to some of his past endeavours. its not his fault but his supposed banning from one of the major political parties after some alleged wrongdoings (details have always been thin on the ground) would not be a positive thing when it comes time for USI to play politics.

Agent Smith

ilovemybrick wrote:

the thing i would have said against his presidency (and this is not a personal reflection on him at all) is what happens if the government we get after the election (general not USI) doesn't take to kindly to some of his past endeavours. its not his fault but his supposed banning from one of the major political parties after some alleged wrongdoings (details have always been thin on the ground) would not be a positive thing when it comes time for USI to play politics.

FYI: The un-named "major political party" never banned him for his alleged wrongdoings, he was invited to rejoin, which he delcined, after which he Joined another major political party.
tbh john himself is on boards, and he's be the best Qualified to answer questions regarding himself.

Regarding the Jumping onto bandwaggons, I find it amusing that so-many people think of john with disgust.The man is entitled to his own opinion on things, Just like you or I am, I dont agree with alot of johns opinions, but the bottem line is that he is entitled to them.

As someone who has worked with John, i am perhaps biased, take of this what you will, but This is my opinion.
joe

ilovemybrick

agent smith wrote:

FYI: The un-named "major political party" never banned him for his alleged wrongdoings, he was invited to rejoin, which he delcined, after which he Joined another major political party.

not sure on the accuracy of the word banned in my case but in either situation, im not sure how it would have affected john's usi presidency. i just don't think it is something that would have benefited the USI as a union.

mizz.yelof!!!

gutted, only reading now he didnt get it, im afraid i dont no who this richie person is, who is he?

Present UCCSU President, ex UCCSU Education Officer & ex-Education Officer of USI (for half of last year)

Andrew 83

I have always got on well with John on a personal level but always disagreed with him on any political or college issues I can recollect us discussing. I'm sure he would reciprocate these views.

I know nothing about the winner of the election or their views.

PHB

Jesus tapdancing christ. You can disagree with a person's politics, and not like them as a person, but the man put himself forward for elections. That itself requires guts. He fought the good fight and didn't resort to becoming petty, unlike other candidates for the SU elections last year and in the end he lost.

Did he do something to you personally that you're willing to openly criticise him, and put him down like this? If not, why the **** are you putting him down?

I'd openly criticise him till the Cows come home. Aside from being a horrible person, whose acts are so despecible some of them wouldn't even be mentioned, the only reason he was running for USI president was because he is desperate to stay in student politics.

You see, because of his previous actions, he has alienated himself from FF and FG. Because of his political views, he can never really get involved with the Greens or Labour at any sort of level. Because of this, and because he desperately wants to get involved in politics for his own personal gain, he wants to stay in student politics, because once he leaves them, he has nothing to do. You see, actions have consequences, and all of his actions, had left him in this situation.

For this, and many other reasons, many of which are indeed personal, and I'm happy he lost. Also I hope he loses every single election he ever runs in, and I will do everything I can, just as I did in this election, to make sure people know who exactly he is and what he has done.

John's politics is not my problem, hell I'm as right wing as he is in some cases, my problem is with his motivations, which are to put it kindly, Machiavellian, to put it more bluntly, the personfication of evil.

I'd be more blunt, but theres a rule against personal abuse.

Crash

Right folks, there is to be no libellous comments made about anyone on this thread. If you're not sure of the facts, DON'T SAY IT.

On the topic, I was disappointed that John lost.

shay_562

First off, I have to kinda agree with every word PHB said, with added emphasis on the "personification of evil" part. I can't express my exact reasons for my utter hatred of the man on boards due to a mixture of the "no personal abuse" thing and the libel worries. Suffice to say that yes, I do have good personal reason to dislike the guy and yes, I was rooting against him. I'm very, very glad he lost.

Agent Smith

shay_562 wrote:

First off, I have to kinda agree with every word PHB said, with added emphasis on the "personification of evil" part. I can't express my exact reasons for my utter hatred of the man on boards due to a mixture of the "no personal abuse" thing and the libel worries. Suffice to say that yes, I do have good personal reason to dislike the guy and yes, I was rooting against him. I'm very, very glad he lost.

Because Cathel McCann Said So?


Dispite his Past, i would have thought John would have made a Good USI President, My respect For him Jumped Sky high when he Argued on Behalf of TCD Last year at USI in Ennis Regarding abortion, Dispite his Personal Views being the exact opposite.

Back on topic, Who was elected to the Other Positions In USI?

agent smith

agent smith wrote:

Back on topic, Who was elected to the Other Positions In USI?

According to UCDSU.net...

Equality Officer Candidate Steven Conlon: 156

Equality Officer Candidate Damien Mackin: 30

RON: 7



Education Officer Candidate Hamidreza Khodabakhsi: 177

RON: 15



Welfare Officer Candidate Peadar Hayes:183

RON: 10



Presidential Candidate John McGuirk:(First Count) 62

Presidential Candidate Richard Morrisroe:(First Count) 85

RON: 46

Presidential Candidate John McGuirk:+4=66

Presidential Candidate Richard Morrisroe:+33=118

xebec

Might wanna fix your unhappy faces there Myth, I don't think they were on purpose

shay_562

Because Cathel McCann Said So?

Bite me, Joe. Believe it or not, I'm actually capable of forming opinions separate to, and even directly opposed to, those of the Hist. In fact, given the number of friends and fans he still has around there, this is probably one of them.

dajaffa

Ah it was slim pickings for Pres this year, both had some clear flaws, frankly I'm in UCD and I think if we'd (class reps) had time to properly weigh up our options we probably should have given RON more serious consideration and well if we'd voted for RON he would have been in with a shout.... cue 2 months later we'd probably have the same decision again!

Oirthir

A less than flattering article in this week's phoenix on Mr McGuirk.

gilroyb

Any chance you can post a link? Or select quotes?

Oirthir

Bit busy at the moment, but when the opening paragraph contains lines like

"McGuirk, a former member of right-wing think-tank the Freedom Institue who now provides election advice for a Green Party Dáil candidate, has made a career of flip-flopping, changing course, and causing havoc wherever he goes."

You can imagine the position the rest of the article takes.

I'll upload the rest whenever I get a chance.

Moorsy

From the article it seem McGuirk has been quite a talking point in the Phoenix for a while. Articles from 29/08/03 up to 22/03/07 have been written on him. Its a full page description of his wobbling political machinations over the years.

I do ask myself would I would be proud of the fact the phoenix has devoted a whole page to me or would I be ashamed of the material written about me there within?..

Agent Smith

Depends on the person tbh

interesting reading, Just got a copy earlier

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Normally only half a page on 'young turks', but they gave him a full-page. He has obviously done something incredibly right or incredibly wrong. I gather he is quite highly regarded in fine gael by the people he works with (rather than other people in that organisation), so it can't be all bad stuff.

/probably just needs to be banned from emailing people...

Andrew 83

Slightly bizarre that he's involved in a Green Party candidate's campaign if he's so highly regarded in FG.

Oirthir

Article

Hitchhiker's Guide to...

Andrew 83 wrote:

Slightly bizarre that he's involved in a Green Party candidate's campaign if he's so highly regarded in FG.

a 'rainbow coalition' builder?

PHB

Actually, he's ****ed up in Fine Gael, because, well, he's John.

Also, afaik, his advice to a green party member consists of polling information, very very limited polling information, that McGuirk has just blown out of all proportion.

He's pretty much screwed himself wherever he goes, it's pretty amusing really. Gee, if I sent them the apology email I would would they print it, hmm, choices choices choices :P

xebec

Oirthir wrote:

Article

Interesting perspective on his "career", thanks for posting the article.

mcguirkj

Jeez, anybody'd think they didn't like me.

For the record, my role with the Green Party is fairly simple, - I provide limited advice on electoral and demographic trends, as well as messaging, to some of their candidates, in constituencies where they are not competing with FG for a seat.

As regards Fine Gael, the mere idea that I a) have been kicked out, b) remain a member but am being firmly kept "on the outside", or c) care what certain members of YFG think of me, is rather ludicrous, and demeans anybody who really believes it.

As regards the article itself, I find it a mixture of flattering and bemusing that they consider me worthy of a "young bloods" profile, however skewed and inaccurate it may be. I also find it flattering that a bunch of people I barely know have nothing better to do in the run in to exam season than natter on about me on an Internet message board, but howandever.

Oirthir

mcguirkj wrote:

I also find it flattering that a bunch of people I barely know have nothing better to do in the run in to exam season than natter on about me on an Internet message board, but howandever.

I can't speak to the rest of the posters, but I discuss this article because I contribute to your wages and you have allegedly misused the email account provided to you by USI. (In my opinion anyway).

mcguirkj

You're welcome to drop down to USI and investigate that "fact". It's a phoenix "fact", you see, - i.e., totally untrue. Get your SU President to ask about it at the next National Council. The USI President has my email records and is satisfied totally that that allegation, along with a lot else in the article, is untrue.

Oirthir

Oh I know it's a "phoenix fact", which is why I used the word allegedly.

So, just so i'm clear, you've never used your USI email address for any non-USI related party political stuff?

mcguirkj

Never. I've emailed friends who happen to have roles in FG on poersonal matters, but never for any official communication, and certainly never a Press release. The idea that I'd jeopardise my job, or treat USI that way, is laughable.

Oirthir

mcguirkj wrote:

Never. I've emailed friends who happen to have roles in FG on poersonal matters, but never for any official communication, and certainly never a Press release. The idea that I'd jeopardise my job, or treat USI that way, is laughable.

Fair enough, if that's your assertion, i'll take it at face value.

PHB

I also find it flattering that a bunch of people I barely know have nothing better to do in the run in to exam season than natter on about me on an Internet message board, but howandever.

Ah now John, should you really be giving people advice on how to study for their exams?

dermot_sheehan

Now, now, no need to be nasty!

John if the phoenix libeled you do what ever self respecting politico does and take them to the cleaners in court.

If you chose not to, you can not disagree with us assuming allegations they made are true.

I always wondered what the phoenix's fascination with you was, 3 articles at this stage??!?

Andrew 83

I just think it's all a bit of craic John

King.Penguin

they secretly all like you

shay_562

mcguirkj wrote:

I also find it flattering that a bunch of people I barely know have nothing better to do in the run in to exam season than natter on about me on an Internet message board, but howandever.

Yet another advantage of exemptions - while I certainly have better things that I could be doing, I have enough free time right now that I can afford to squander some of it.

Phoenix wrote:

Trinity History Society

Close, and yet...no. The HS, to the best of my knowledge, have never been on the recieving end of McGuirk's anonymous e-mails.

On which note, when can we expect comment from Veritas on all of this?

PHB wrote:

Gee, if I sent them the apology email I would would they print it, hmm, choices choices choices :P

Do it! Do it!

mcguirkj

I always wondered what the phoenix's fascination with you was, 3 articles at this stage??!?

9, actually.

Ah now John, should you really be giving people advice on how to study for their exams?

Me, more than anyone, I would think.

ApeXaviour

PHB wrote:

Ah now John, should you really be giving people advice on how to study for their exams?

PHB, I'll please ask you to keep it civil. This is a warning.