Should we Abolish the Presidency now

silverstrand

Should we abolish the role of President now as it has become defunct and past sell by date. The role was to safe guard the constitution and the sovereignty of the nation (soon to be past tense). It was emphatically designed to protect it from collapse by attack. The attack considered at the time was rebellious or foreign but fundamentally attack meant action that would destroy Ireland or threaten Ireland as a nation. As the role now seems to be tourist representative in the most subservient sense without any sense of initiative its basically just waving and cutting grass.

Calling a meeting between the Army all the opposition and the government and forcing a collective solution in the best interests of the nation. As serious questions on wrongdoing emerged no not at all, which just might require a collective interim governance while such are investigated. Decision and a judgement is then required where such circumstances occur. Such as forcing an election or putting an appointed government until the mess is properly attended to and election date put down. In the interest of protecting the state. No not at all.

Is it 28th Sept when the President will go down in History in the most ridiculous fashion?. If the rest of the world is as lethargic as the Irish then dolphins will clearly take over the world or penguins. Where is the opposition? Anyone seen them marching on the Park or some square demanding stand down. Ah sure it's all grand in the canteen at the House and the money is good and sure its just politics, or silly tit for tat arguments in the face of glaring mis management, that demand division and contempt and anger. Not at all sure it's just peoples lives, identities and generations to come future. etc etc etc. End of the day elected paid to do job opposition required to show leadership rebellious civilized leadership collectively. Force the President to dissolve as it currently charades

Japer

silverstrand wrote: »

Should we abolish the role of President now as it has become defunct and past sell by date.

The pay and pensions of same should at least be drastically reduced, along with the dozens of hangers on. Given the state of our public finances, we cannot go on continuing to borrow money at over 6% interest - to be paid by our grandchildren - to pay useless old presidents, ex-presidents, advisors, staff, car drivers etc more than the president of the USA. Shame on the Mary's with their first class travel for all their friends and families. Our current Mary has been to the Vatican six times in the past six years alone.

Iwasfrozen

Brian Cowen, is that you?

Lenny Lovett

I would be of the Michael O'Leary thinking. Sack 'em all! President, Politicians the lot!

Coillte_Bhoy

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

I would be of the Michael O'Leary thinking. Sack 'em all! President, Politicians the lot!

And how would you do that? Have you nothing constructive to contribute?

Lenny Lovett

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

And how would you do that? Have you nothing constructive to contribute?

Ok. So maybe I'm being a bit flippant but the truth is that we have little to inspire positivity just now from the entire occupancy of Leinster House and Aras an Uachtaran. I feel that the best voting strategy for the next election would be to vote in as many Independents as possible and try and create a more open and less partisan form of Government. Being Independent they would not be forced to tow a part line and we could actually make some good positive decisions for our future.


There... How's that for an off the cuff attempt at a constructive response?

Coillte_Bhoy

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

Ok. So maybe I'm being a bit flippant but the truth is that we have little to inspire positivity just now from the entire occupancy of Leinster House and Aras an Uachtaran. I feel that the best voting strategy for the next election would be to vote in as many Independents as possible and try and create a more open and less partisan form of Government. Being Independent they would not be forced to tow a part line and we could actually make some good positive decisions for our future.


There... How's that for an off the cuff attempt at a constructive response?

I agree with you mainly but just saying 'sack em all' will solve nothing

A majority of Independents?? A recipe for disaster. can you imagine it? A new hospital in every constituency and that would only be the start

FlutterinBantam

Presidency is a load of bulldust, given the calibre of the two labour potentials.

Both of them want a nice little wedge to see them out and waffle ad nauseum about nebulous academic issues, such as Gaza or something,whilst jetting around the globe at the expense of

John Q. Taxpayer.

Nobody who is semi-literate would be fooled by those two gimp's agenda.

What have they done up to now??


Hello!! Hello!!!!


Is that an echo I hear

Gaseous windbags are a dime a dozen folks, candidates of substance are a tad more difficult to unearth.


Don't be fooled;)

Coillte_Bhoy

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

Presidency is a load of bulldust, given the calibre of the two labour potentials.

Both of them want a nice little wedge to see them out and waffle ad nauseum about nebulous academic issues, such as Gaza or something,whilst jetting around the globe at the expense of

John Q. Taxpayer.

Nobody who is semi-literate would be fooled by those two gimp's agenda.

What have they done up to now??


Hello!! Hello!!!!


Is that an echo I hear

Gaseous windbags are a dime a dozen folks, candidates of substance are a tad more difficult to unearth.


Don't be fooled;)

The open air prison that is Gaza is a nebulous academic issue? okaaaay

You really dont thin Michael D or Fergus Finlay have done anthing of note do you?

mathepac

FlutterinBantam wrote: »

... Nobody who is semi-literate would be fooled by those two gimp's agenda. ...

They've got you fairly bamboozled so.

jimmycrackcorm

Having a president is not a bad thing per se but it should be done on the cheap.

Lenny Lovett

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

You really dont thin Michael D or Fergus Finlay have done anthing of note do you?

I think he was talking about Michael D Higgins and David Norris. And in my opinion, apart from talking sh1te to one another and all their friends in that great tax payer sponsored debating society known as the Seanad then No, they haven't done much of note. And I agree with the assertion that all they want is somewhere nice to see out their days at vast expense to us!

problemchimp

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

I think he was talking about Michael D Higgins and David Norris. And in my opinion, apart from talking sh1te to one another and all their friends in that great tax payer sponsored debating society known as the Seanad then No, they haven't done much of note. And I agree with the assertion that all they want is somewhere nice to see out their days at vast expense to us!

If they were Fianna Failers or Gaelers I would agree with you but I believe these two really want the job for the right reasons. My own opinion is keep the Presidency but without pay. Let them have the gaff in the park and use of the government jet for important business, a bit like a non-executive board member working for patriotic reasons rather than financial. Lets face it, anybody who becomes president has their money made already.

Coillte_Bhoy

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

I think he was talking about Michael D Higgins and David Norris.

He said the two Labour nominees. Thought you might be right as he doesnt seem that clued up on politics.

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

And in my opinion, apart from talking sh1te to one another and all their friends in that great tax payer sponsored debating society known as the Seanad then No, they haven't done much of note. And I agree with the assertion that all they want is somewhere nice to see out their days at vast expense to us!

Why, other than a lazy 'they're all the same' outlook do you think they only want to 'see out their days at vast expense'?? What evidence do you have to back up this populist nonsense? Also Michael D is not a senator, i thought you would at least know his position seeing as you ridicule him.

As for not doing anything of note he has among other things served as a councillor, senator, TD, Mayor of Galway. he has had careers as apoet, academic, broadcaster, writer. He is involved with Galway Utd football club and is their current president. He has been involved with numerous human rights campigns around the world and has worked tirelessly for peace and justice. As a Minister his two main achievments were the establishment of TG4 and the removal of Section 31.

Now you may not like the man or his politics but to dismiss him as someone who has done nothing of note is typical of the type of uneducated, ill informed populist nonsense that passes for political debate in this country and morer recently on this forum.

Lenny Lovett

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

He said the two Labour nominees. Thought you might be right as he doesnt seem that clued up on politics.

Or maybe he was just mistaken?

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Why, other than a lazy 'they're all the same' outlook do you think they only want to 'see out their days at vast expense'?? What evidence do you have to back up this populist nonsense? Also Michael D is not a senator, i thought you would at least know his position seeing as you ridicule him.

Granted he's not a Senator now but he was over the years.

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

As for not doing anything of note he has among other things served as a councillor, senator, TD, Mayor of Galway.

Well those achievements qualify most of the current TD's and Senators and I can't think of any I'd like to support through my taxes for seven years in the park.

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

he has had careers as apoet, academic, broadcaster, writer.

A career as a Poet? Broadcaster? Who employed him and for how long?

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

He is involved with Galway Utd football club and is their current president. He has been involved with numerous human rights campigns around the world and has worked tirelessly for peace and justice. As a Minister his two main achievments were the establishment of TG4 and the removal of Section 31.

Now you may not like the man or his politics but to dismiss him as someone who has done nothing of note is typical of the type of uneducated, ill informed populist nonsense that passes for political debate in this country and morer recently on this forum.

I would applaud him for campaigning against section 31 but as for the rest. Hmm. Well... And as for dismissing me as uneducated? That's a bit arrogant, considering you nothing about me.

silverstrand

As the President is 'like' an Air Hostess paid to do a job and cant sit down fold arms and say well I am not getting involved when a crazed passenger jumps up and wants to take a stroll out the door, as she and we know because the plain would end up crashing. Suppose Churchill get's into power 1946 and decides to focus on agriculture and carrots!!! He would be away with the fairies. Thank God he wasn't.

That is the problem we are in.

TG4 or wanting to sow Irish Lilly's in Calcutta and the like have absolutely nothing to do with the role. They are stuff on par with the new colour scheme.


As the 28th of September that is the day which the passenger door will open and while all our money goes out the door the plane and Ireland Inc. goes into Freefall.

That is it,the President was the one that had a serious role, in such a crises but sat down air hostess and pout not doing anything. And us well we are on our way down!. Literally. no ah sure be gorra we're always going down. Serious down. Why because when a time frame to do something like knock the passenger out or do what every is needed every possible night and day as Churchill did. Our esteemed President, did nothing absolutely Nothing. Wonderful person etc etc But the job had a role
So now in light of the Role being in real terms downgraded to kids game.

What is the point ? Paying grown up kids to play roles. Sound a bit away with the Fairies doesn't it? Seems it has no point left.

Lockstep

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

Or maybe he was just mistaken?
Granted he's not a Senator now but he was over the years.

It's really not a good comparison to compare senators and TDs. One has a role in the legislative shaping of Ireland (as well as constituency work) whereas the other is a member of a talking shop.

David Norris is Independent (which I would have thought to be common knowledge to anyone with even a passing interest in politics)

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

Well those achievements qualify most of the current TD's and Senators and I can't think of any I'd like to support through my taxes for seven years in the park.

Massive difference between a Senator and a TD, as outlined above.

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

A career as a Poet? Broadcaster? Who employed him and for how long?

You don't get 'employed' as a poet. He wrote his own poems and the money comes from royalties. He's also had a fair bit of his non-poetry published.
Ditto for his broadcasting/writing.

Lenny Lovett wrote: »

I would applaud him for campaigning against section 31 but as for the rest. Hmm. Well... And as for dismissing me as uneducated? That's a bit arrogant, considering you nothing about me.

First of all, you assumed a reference to a Labour candidate involved David Norris. Both Michael D and Fergus Finlay's seeking the nomination have been broadcast numerous times over the news recently. I'm baffled as to how you could not know this. Let alone thinking that David Norris was a Labour nominee. So you can surely understand why someone would assume you're uneducated on political matters.

Secondly, I'm a constituent of Michale D, and I can safely say he's extremely well regarded here (and not even that he's involved with pothole politics, given that Labour are rarely in government)

Thirdly, you don't care that the man is the president and actively involved with a local football team? A human rights activist/award winner? The establishment of TG4? Your only response is 'hmm'?

Weird.

Lockstep

Also OP, most of your post is bogus. I'll address it in the morning, I've been working all day and am currently jaded.

silverstrand

What is the point of the finer attributes of Michael D or anyone else to the role? Or its decline in its primary relevance?

silverstrand

I suppose it really is a theme park after all!

Not at all a serious role and hugely important element of our governance and democracy. All that serious stuff anyway, so boring.



Heavens and why can't a ship go down without so much as peep from a captain, a captain is just a captain after all, even if the passengers are dazed and the crew running a muck throwing everything overboard.



Current Status Theme Park then I presume. Well thats agreed.

We could invent Tri-President would be good idea. If someone wants to go away with bowls of shamarooney some else would at least be there for the weekends. No?

Michael D gets the left wing, to design an Arts studio/open air theater, Sen Norris gets the Right wing to create a model old dublin, Bertie gets
current presidents cook books. Who gets the grounds? Perhaps the Dail Bar could have it as a picnic area for, Let your Hair down end of month Fridays. Paint ball, Water fights, relive tension (might help the old alcohol thing ) Would at least be money well spent. It will be great craic, e5 per head in.

No serious stuff just craic. Yes?

Prizes for best picture that sort of thing.

silverstrand

I suppose it really is a theme park after all!

Not at all a serious role and hugely important element of our governance and democracy. All that serious stuff anyway, so boring.



Heavens and why can't a ship go down without so much as peep from a captain, a captain is just a captain after all, even if the passengers are dazed and the crew running a muck throwing everything overboard.



Current Status Theme Park then I presume. Well thats agreed.

We could invent Tri-President would be good idea. If someone wants to go away with bowls of shamarooney some else would at least be there for the weekends. No?

Michael D gets the left wing, to design an Arts studio/open air theater, Sen Norris gets the Right wing to create a model old dublin, Bertie gets
current presidents cook books. Who gets the grounds? Perhaps the Dail Bar could have it as a picnic area for, Let your Hair down end of month Fridays. Paint ball, Water fights, relive tension (might help the old alcohol thing ) Would at least be money well spent. It will be great craic, e5 per head in.

No serious stuff just craic. Yes?

Prizes for best picture that sort of thing.