Is this treason?

Kev_ps3

I'll ask you a simple question, if the government is prepared to destroy this country and sell our economic Independence for the sake of paying back foreign banks and bondholders who gave money to private banks. Would you consider this treason?
Personally, I have never come across a situation where the word better describes what is going on.

Revolution9

Remember, remember this dark November
Treason, gunpowder and plot
I see no reason why the IMF bailout should ever be forgot!

Revolution9

Our constitution states

"treason shall consist only in levying war against the State, or assisting any State or person or inciting or conspiring with any person to levy war against the State, or attempting by force of arms or other violent means to overthrow the organs of government established by the Constitution, or taking part or being concerned in or inciting or conspiring with any person to make or to take part or be concerned in any such attempt."

The penalty for treason was execution.

Following the Criminal Justice Act of 1990 it's now the punishment of life imprisonment, with parole in not less than forty years.

CrankyCod

Treason is usually defined as betrayal during war or on behalf of a foreign government, so technically the two Brians are not guilty of treason in that sense. However the rash, unmandated, unconditional support given to the banks has undermined the viability of the state, so they are certainly guilty of treachery in that they put the intersts of private investors over the interests of the sovereign state. I imagine in other countries they would swing for it.

Kev_ps3

Revolution9 wrote: »

Our constitution states



The penalty for treason was execution.

Following the Criminal Justice Act of 1990 it's now the punishment of life imprisonment, with parole in not less than forty years.

Dont mind that BS definition of treason. If trying to defraud the state of its wealth is not treason then I dont know what is.

KeithAFC

Why is it treason?

charlemont

its treason in my book

PeterIanStaker

Treason as it may be, the people who committed it will go unpunished and retire on three large pensions.

Kev_ps3

KeithAFC wrote: »

Why is it treason?

treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of betrayal of one's sovereign or nation.

Take a wild guess.

Revolution9

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

Dont mind that BS definition of treason. If trying to defraud the state of its wealth is not treason then I dont know what is.

Bullsh!t it may be, but it's in the constitution so it has power over you, me and the pair of Brians.

mike65

I'm not sure Kev_ps3 holds too much store in the "free states" constitution.

bladespin

Not necessarily, might be actually doing something right for the country - forcing the EU to bail us in their interest at very low rates.

However lying in the Dail certainly is treason in my book, whatever about protecting people and the economy but out and out barefaced lying to other TDs during questioning, wonder how BC could bull his way out of that one, it'll never happen though, the next government will be just as spineless, a little less corrupt and self important that the FF green crew though.

Permabear

This post has been deleted.

Kev_ps3

If treason is being committed on this country, do we not have a responsibility to act?

Revolution9

Dan Boyle from the Greens apparently said today that he plans to introduce a bill that will define "financial treason."

Some of the bankers could be criminalised if it gets through, which it will most certainly not if the current government remain in power.

mawk

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

Dont mind that BS definition of treason. If trying to defraud the state of its wealth is not treason then I dont know what is.

Surely that's more fraud..or maybe at worst, idiocy? Neither of which are treason.
If they started a war with france and intentionally passed secrets to them, that would be treason.

Revolution9

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

If treason is being committed on this country, do we not have a responsibility to act?

The problem is, by our own constitution which defines our law, no one has committed treason. So there's nothing to act on.

Revolution9

cloakanddagger wrote: »

funny thing about all of this is,there are some barristers still sitting pretty in the dail..

Barristers, like Brian Lenihan if I'm not mistaken, who know full well that they may be guilty of treason in the context of a few Googled definitions but certainly not guilty of treason going by the only definition that matters, the text in our own constitution.

DeVore

interestingly though, attempting to smash your way past the guards at the Dail is....


DeV.

Greentopia

donegalfella wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

No thank's. Having lived in Sweden (where corruption in politics and business is very low) for 8 years under a Social Democratic Govt. I saw how Social Democracy can work very well in a functioning democracy.
That's the model I'd like for Ireland not some American, yes right-wing, ideology.

As for the topic at hand, no I don't think it's treason by how treason seems to be defined here but I'd call it economic treason.

GarlicBread

Kev_ps3 wrote: »

I'll ask you a simple question, if the government is prepared to destroy this country and sell our economic Independence for the sake of paying back foreign banks and bondholders who gave money to private banks. Would you consider this treason?
Personally, I have never come across a situation where the word better describes what is going on.

The Gardai have already called it treason.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0428/breaking30.html