Is this a turning point?

Trotter

I really think this government and more importantly, our nation, is at a turning point now. The drip drip of stories of incompetence and dishonesty has reached the point where A) We are close to a general election, or We show as a nation that this and future governments can do whatever they like to quieten the nation while looking after their pals in high places.

I for one believe that Gormley's letter to the party faithful was a key moment in our futures. He has given the party members a clear road to provide him with an instruction to walk. I hope they take it. If they don't, then I think that we as a society are now so weak that the antics we've seen emerging from our "representatives" is what we can expect from now on and we can take it for granted that there will be an elite that gives us two fingers. There will be two countries within our country.. the one for them, the €1 million pension group, and the one for us, the minions. Our little minion group will be ruled by the rich minority who giggle at our acceptance of the status quo.

I really think the next 6 weeks or so is the turning point.

I'm close to cheering for an announced general election that will give people the ultimate power to say no, we are not your servants. But, I feel equally close to bowing my head and acknowledging that the Ireland we have in our heads; a prosperous, quaint yet busy, caring, persevering, modern country.. is leaving us.

Its A or B, and we'll know by November which it is. If its B, I'm not sure I want to stay.

getcover

I'd love it if it was, but FF are already starting to move back up in the polls, even though it should be clear to a blind martian who has never visited this planet that Cowen, Coughlan and their gang are hopelessly out of their depth and have lost all touch with reality.

me_right_one

Coughlin is the most incompetant human being ever to set foot in Dail Eireann. She's mary harney the second in the making, only this time there's gonna be a whole lot more mary

getcover

me_right_one wrote: »

Coughlin is the most incompetant human being ever to set foot in Dail Eireann.

I think Martin Cullen, Frank Fahy, Dick Roche are just a few that would give her a run for her money for that title.

brianthebard

getcover wrote: »

I'd love it if it was, but FF are already starting to move back up in the polls, even though it should be clear to a blind martian who has never visited this planet that Cowen, Coughlan and their gang are hopelessly out of their depth and have lost all touch with reality.

This might be due to lisbon campaigning and increased visibility. If so its only a temporary increase.

optocynic

brianthebard wrote: »

This might be due to lisbon campaigning and increased visibility. If so its only a temporary increase.

I hope you're right!
I also hope the Green's act with integrity when they vote at their conference..

Dubh Geannain

Also the poll I presume you're referring to was taken before the latest FAS revelations last week.

optocynic

Dubh Geannain wrote: »

Also the poll I presume you're referring to was taken before the latest FAS revelations last week.

I assume it was. But, why do people think any other government wouldn't make equally stupid/dodgy decisions in this country!

With some reading between the lines, I am concluding that Roddy has some dirt on someone in power. Hence the pay-off to go quietly!!

eoinbn

Trotter wrote: »

I really think this government and more importantly, our nation, is at a turning point now. The drip drip of stories of incompetence and dishonesty has reached the point where A) We are close to a general election, or We show as a nation that this and future governments can do whatever they like to quieten the nation while looking after their pals in high places.

I for one believe that Gormley's letter to the party faithful was a key moment in our futures. He has given the party members a clear road to provide him with an instruction to walk.

The vote will be just for show, gormley and the greens already know which way they will vote. Either Gormley believes that this government can get us through this, in which case they will receive a small bounce in the next GE(compared to the local elections), or he believes that the government is destined to fail in which case he will instruction the grass-roots to bring down the government.

optocynic

eoinbn wrote: »

The vote will be just for show, gormley and the greens already know which way they will vote. Either Gormley believes that this government can get us through this, in which case they will receive a small bounce in the next GE(compared to the local elections), or he believes that the government is destined to fail in which case he will instruction the grass-roots to bring down the government.

That is a lot of power for a guy who only drinks herbal teas!

murphaph

optocynic wrote: »

I assume it was. But, why do people think any other government wouldn't make equally stupid/dodgy decisions in this country!

With some reading between the lines, I am concluding that Roddy has some dirt on someone in power. Hence the pay-off to go quietly!!

It's funny that it has taken the greens so long to pull the rug on this government, compared to the numerous government collapses caused by the minority party pulling out over a scandal or other.

If the Harry Whelehan case happened today, would the greens pull out like the PDs'? Can't see it myself.

We need to abolish PRSTV asap and replace it with PR List like here in germany. It's much better and removes a lot of the 'local bullsh!t' from politics. Dail Eireann has been a glorified county council since it opened. The system is not serving the majority of the people well and is at fault for the paralysis in government I believe.

RiverWilde

I can't see anyone reforming the current electoral system as too many vested interests would hop up and down in protest. The system as it stands favours the political/business class that has been in power for the past 20 + years.

I can't see this as a turning point though. It should be but too many citizens in this country are sheep and they'll bleat to whatever tune FF calls. Corruption etc endemic in politics is just a reflection of wider society.

Riv

Overheal

Trotter wrote: »

I really think this government and more importantly, our nation, is at a turning point now. The drip drip of stories of incompetence and dishonesty has reached the point where A) We are close to a general election, or We show as a nation that this and future governments can do whatever they like to quieten the nation while looking after their pals in high places.

I for one believe that Gormley's letter to the party faithful was a key moment in our futures. He has given the party members a clear road to provide him with an instruction to walk. I hope they take it. If they don't, then I think that we as a society are now so weak that the antics we've seen emerging from our "representatives" is what we can expect from now on and we can take it for granted that there will be an elite that gives us two fingers. There will be two countries within our country.. the one for them, the €1 million pension group, and the one for us, the minions. Our little minion group will be ruled by the rich minority who giggle at our acceptance of the status quo.

I really think the next 6 weeks or so is the turning point.

I'm close to cheering for an announced general election that will give people the ultimate power to say no, we are not your servants. But, I feel equally close to bowing my head and acknowledging that the Ireland we have in our heads; a prosperous, quaint yet busy, caring, persevering, modern country.. is leaving us.

Its A or B, and we'll know by November which it is. If its B, I'm not sure I want to stay.

I tried to google up this thread in AH from last year where someone was trying to organize a protest and it fizzled out because nobody could agree on a date because they were too busy working to maintain the status quo :rolleyes: "Poster A: Oh nope that day isnt good for me I have to work" or "Poster B: The weather is going to be crap. screw this."

Anyway as I searched I noticed having still not found the thread, there have been literally hundreds of little and major slights brought about by the current government. just google site:boards.ie protest and have a flip through the results. Many of them very recent, from overspending to hospital closures to A&E ward arguments and taxing absurdities and QQ nanny state.