Do we (the public) have the rigth to scrutinize politicians lives? ...

Tippgal93

Jsut a random thought . . .ANy opinions pro or against ? .. Personally I think not .. But its debatable :rolleyes:

redfacedbear

Only at the points where their public and private lives intersect - for example a conservative politician preaching 'family values' while conducting an affair should be exposed, as indeed should a Taoiseach who is receiving living expenses from wealthy 'friends'. It's difficult to know where to draw the line though - a politician who drags his family out on the stump to portray a family man image and subsequently goes through a separation - surely it's newsworthy but it's also a very private matter.

Tippgal93

I agree redfacedbear . . . Whats does everyone else think ? DO we have the right to scrutinze their public lives ? :rolleyes:

Dorcha

Tippgal93 wrote: »

I agree redfacedbear . . . Whats does everyone else think ? DO we have the right to scrutinze their public lives ? :rolleyes:

Well, I certainly think we have the right to scrutinise their public lives ... but I think you meant private lives. No, I think their private lives are their own and no business of ours. We do, however, have the right to scrutinise anything they do which concerns this country and that includes using public money for private reasons, so there may be a grey area there.

ROCKMAN

Yes = their public life
Yes = to their business life , all their transaction should be transparent.

No = private life ie family etc

angelfire9

It depends I think
If for example someone is going through a marriage breakdown it doesn't need to be plastered all over the papers for weeks does it?

BUT

If a politician is convicted in court of drink driving or assault or other criminal offence I think that IS newsworthy

Oscardela

redfacedbear wrote: »

Only at the points where their public and private lives intersect - for example a conservative politician preaching 'family values' while conducting an affair should be exposed, as indeed should a Taoiseach who is receiving living expenses from wealthy 'friends'.

I disagree. So what if a politician is having an affair and also preaching "family values". It's quite possible to consider family values the ideal, but to fall short of it onesself. Having a politicians sex life paraded about in the newspapers is just salacious and makes good copy, but it's of no value to his ability or otherwise to be a good or not good politician.

On the other hand, financial dependence on "friends" is obviously unacceptable to me, but not to the electorate who continue to vote for, and return TD's and politicians, who have been shown to be slippery, and seems to indicate that this is not a concern shared by much of the electorate.

Personally I believe in the fundamental right for everyone to have a personal and professional life, and a right to seperate or integrate them as the person sees fit.

This would mean, in a perfect world, that whatever details of a person's private life revealed would result in a shrug and the continuation of discussion of the person's professional life.

RichieC

Oscardela wrote: »

I disagree. So what if a politician is having an affair and also preaching "family values". It's quite possible to consider family values the ideal, but to fall short of it onesself. Having a politicians sex life paraded about in the newspapers is just salacious and makes good copy, but it's of no value to his ability or otherwise to be a good or not good politician.

People have a right to know if the man or woman they are voting for is a total hypocrite.

Permabear

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