Michael D Higgins

BackScrub

So it's been 3 months since Michael D. was made President.

Michael promised us a presidency based on inclusive citizenship, social justice, participation, equality and respect. Of course he also trotted out the two most overused but hollow words in election campaigns - "Fairness and Equality".

All I've seen so far is a couple of good nights out at the rugby and the IFTA's.

I don't expect him to have changed the world but has he made any meaningful utterance or contribution to Irish life since he was elected?

Shouldn't this guy's role be reviewed so there can be some measurement of it's usefulness?

Will we ever learn not to listen to the nonsense these freeloaders spew to us when they want something?

Neil3030

Piss off, Gallagher.

Sore loser.

Dravokivich

BackScrub wrote: »

Shouldn't this guy's role be reviewed so there can be some measurement of it's usefulness?

That's always gonna be a tall order for a short man.

Seachmall

I once, in a very drunken state, told him he'd be the best man to get those foreigners out.

He shook my hand, smiled and said "Yes, Yes, of course".

He has yet to get those foreigners out.

The Internet Explorer

Michael D, a great lad.

Fromthetrees

He's a figure head, he doesn't set policy. :rolleyes:

Captain Darling

I saw him in watching a match in the Hole in the Wall pub beside the Phoenix Park a few weeks ago. He said hello to me on the way out. Seems like a very nice man.

What relevance does this have to the thread? None. Deal with it!!!

WoollyRedHat

He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy!

* Secret diary of a call girl*

sbsquarepants

This guy?
Seems handy to have about the house:D

swimming in a sea

he impressed me at the rugby match, laughing and joking with the players not like that stuck up bitch that was there before him.

as for him doing something, the president can't do **** and anybody who believed any of the election waffle should get a grip.

Napper Hawkins

I, for one, am proud that Ireland has progressed so far that even a hobbit can become president.

BackScrub

Fromthetrees wrote: »

He's a figure head, he doesn't set policy. :rolleyes:

I'm aware of that, no need for the smart alec smiley.

I listed the qualities HE said his presidency would be about. Have YOU seen or heard him portray those qualities in any way?

Neil3030

I have never been more proud of my country than the day we elected a president who once called Michael Graham a wanker. Michael D can spend the next seven years on a beach in the Costa del Sol for all I care.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOxKnsT-XZg

DjFlin

3 months into a 7 year term and we're already bitching that he hasn't changed the world.

token101

BackScrub wrote: »

So it's been 3 months since Michael D. was made President.

Michael promised us a presidency based on inclusive citizenship, social justice, participation, equality and respect. Of course he also trotted out the two most overused but hollow words in election campaigns - "Fairness and Equality".

All I've seen so far is a couple of good nights out at the rugby and the IFTA's.

I don't expect him to have changed the world but has he made any meaningful utterance or contribution to Irish life since he was elected?

Shouldn't this guy's role be reviewed so there can be some measurement of it's usefulness?

Will we ever learn not to listen to the nonsense these freeloaders spew to us when they want something?

Is Michael D on the dole now?

Morlar

Fromthetrees wrote: »

He's a figure head, he doesn't set policy. :rolleyes:

~He is a shiny head is what he is.

foxyboxer

Sorry to disappoint the OP I am.
Do better in future I will.

Seachmall

BackScrub wrote: »

I'm aware of that, no need for the smart alec smiley.

On AH that smiley is actually used to indicate the poster doesn't want to appear offensive or condescending when correcting someone. It's more of a courtesy than anything else.

:rolleyes:

Riamfada

DjFlin wrote: »

3 months into a 7 year term and we're already bitching that he hasn't changed the world.

hes never going to change anything. Hes the president. Anyone who believed he would is an idiot

Iwannahurl

BackScrub wrote: »

So it's been 3 months since Michael D. was made President.

Michael promised us a presidency based on inclusive citizenship, social justice, participation, equality and respect. Of course he also trotted out the two most overused but hollow words in election campaigns - "Fairness and Equality".

All I've seen so far is a couple of good nights out at the rugby and the IFTA's.

I don't expect him to have changed the world but has he made any meaningful utterance or contribution to Irish life since he was elected?

Shouldn't this guy's role be reviewed so there can be some measurement of it's usefulness?

Will we ever learn not to listen to the nonsense these freeloaders spew to us when they want something?

Did you vote for him, OP?

BackScrub

Iwannahurl wrote: »

Did you vote for him, OP?

I didn't vote for any of them. I wanted to but I just couldn't pick one candidate who I thought suitable for the job.

It was a farce of a campaign from day one and not one of them rose above that farce well enough. Michael essentially won because he was the one with the least to say.

He behaved the most 'presidential' of the candidates throughout, but now that he's had some time in the job, he's had nothing to offer so far. Of course, I expected very little from him or anyone else, but I would like to see people who run campaigns on promises at least attempt to demonstrate some of them at some point.

I guess my problem is accountability. We vote people into offices over and over again and simply never have them justify their position. I'm tired of seeing them getting away with it but we're the suckers who fall for their nonsense every few years.

If we don't question the role of the President now, we sure as hell won't question it in come the next election.

KeithAFC

I think it was one of the greatest things that could happen to the Irish Republic when Michael got elected. Not only does he come across well but he stopped possibly the two worst candidates to have ever run in any election in Irish history winning. He deserves respect for that.

Einhard

He's made a few thought provoking speeches recently on the choices facing this country in the future, and how we need to match our desire for economic growth with a concomitant push for more cultural, intellectual, and social vibrancy. At the very least, he's asking the right questions and raising important issues that might otherwise be sidelined by a media obsessed with the economy.

It's not really his fault OH if you don't pay enough attention to current affairs to have picked up on these fairly prominent speeches.

Captain Graphite

KeithAFC wrote: »

I think it was one of the greatest things that could happen to the Irish Republic when Michael got elected. Not only does he come across well but he stopped possibly the two worst candidates to have ever run in any election in Irish history winning. He deserves respect for that.

Dana and Gay Mitchell were shocking alright. But even without Michael D neither of them would have won. A great man like Martin McGuinness would have stopped them! :pac:

Nodin

BackScrub wrote: »

So it's been 3 months since Michael D. was made President.

Michael promised us a presidency based on inclusive citizenship, social justice, participation, equality and respect. Of course he also trotted out the two most overused but hollow words in election campaigns - "Fairness and Equality".

All I've seen so far is a couple of good nights out at the rugby and the IFTA's.

I don't expect him to have changed the world but has he made any meaningful utterance or contribution to Irish life since he was elected?

Shouldn't this guy's role be reviewed so there can be some measurement of it's usefulness?

Will we ever learn not to listen to the nonsense these freeloaders spew to us when they want something?

....you did know about how little the president could do before ye got all emotionally invested, didn't ye?

BackScrub

Einhard wrote: »

He's made a few thought provoking speeches recently on the choices facing this country in the future, and how we need to match our desire for economic growth with a concomitant push for more cultural, intellectual, and social vibrancy. At the very least, he's asking the right questions and raising important issues that might otherwise be sidelined by a media obsessed with the economy.

It's not really his fault OH if you don't pay enough attention to current affairs to have picked up on these fairly prominent speeches.

Speeches made at the Trinity Economic Forum are hardly prominent. By definition, they are railing against a presidency of inclusion. Hard to get much more exclusive than that audience.

Einhard

BackScrub wrote: »

Speeches made at the Trinity Economic Forum are hardly prominent. By definition, they are railing against a presidency of inclusion. Hard to get much more exclusive than that audience.

I would have thought it was the perfect audience for the message contained in the speech.

There have been other speeches too. the excellent one he gave to the heads of universities on accepting the Honoroary Doctorate from NUI is another example.

As I said, he's asking the right questions and raising some important issues that would otherwise be sidelined.

I don't know what you were expecting really, but given the limitations inherent in his position, I think he's doing a good job.

I seriously doubt, for example, that Seanie Gallagher would be raising the same issues in such a passionate, eloquent way.

KeithAFC

Captain Graphite wrote: »

Dana and Gay Mitchell were shocking alright. But even without Michael D neither of them would have won. A great man like Martin McGuinness would have stopped them! :pac:

Shows you how bad the politicians in the Republic are. Gay Mitchell was an absolute hero when standing up to Martin Mcguinness and getting his view across. Same with Miriam O'Callaghan.

BackScrub

Nodin wrote: »

....you did know about how little the president could do before ye got all emotionally invested, didn't ye?

I made no emotional investment in the role or the manifesto which got him there.
I'm rather unemotionally questioning the role and why we elect people with meaningless statements and then don't hold them to account.

dvpower

BackScrub wrote: »

All I've seen so far is a couple of good nights out at the rugby and the IFTA's.

What research have you done? Fro example, have you been following his schedule of engagements?

Seachmall

KeithAFC wrote: »

Gay Mitchell was an absolute hero

Gay Mitchell is anything and everything but a hero.

BackScrub

Einhard wrote: »

I would have thought it was the perfect audience for the message contained in the speech........

Those venues have pretty exclusive audiences. Hardly a presidency of the people now is it?

Nodin

Beware, let yet another thread be hijacked by The Keith Show.

dvpower

BackScrub wrote: »

Those venues have pretty exclusive audiences. Hardly a presidency of the people now is it?

Last week he did:

• the IFTAs
• the Irish Pen Awards for Literature
• the European Year for Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations
• the Ballyfermot Traveller Action Project Development Education Group
• the Moate Business College
• received a student group from UCD
• Coláiste Eoin on the occasion of their International Cultural Week
• met service users from Cara Cheshire House, Chapelizod

I'm not getting how the ballyfermot travelers are an exclusive group. Is it that they limit their membership to travelers in Ballyfermot?

Sindri

Seachmall wrote: »

On AH that smiley is actually used to indicate the poster doesn't want to appear offensive or condescending when correcting someone. It's more of a courtesy than anything else.

:rolleyes:

Fook off.:rolleyes:

BackScrub

dvpower wrote: »

I'm not getting how the ballyfermot travelers are an exclusive group. Is it that they limit their membership to travelers in Ballyfermot?

Did he invite them along to the Trinity Economic Forum then? That's inclusion.

Sindri

KeithAFC wrote: »

I think it was one of the greatest things that could happen to the Irish Republic when Michael got elected. Not only does he come across well but he stopped possibly the two worst candidates to have ever run in any election in Irish history winning. He deserves respect for that.

KeithAFC wrote: »

Shows you how bad the politicians in the Republic are. Gay Mitchell was an absolute hero when standing up to Martin Mcguinness and getting his view across. Same with Miriam O'Callaghan.

You seem to base your reasoning on the predication that anything anti SF or Republican, in whatever way, is commendable and should be celebrated.

dvpower

BackScrub wrote: »

Did he invite them along to the Trinity Economic Forum then? That's inclusion.

Everyone is invited along to the Trinity Economic Forum (tickets are just €5)

He doesn't run it btw, he just opened it.

MJ23

We have a Leprechaun now as president. The Americans must love it.

Einhard

BackScrub wrote: »

Those venues have pretty exclusive audiences. Hardly a presidency of the people now is it?

So you're stating that he should only make speeches to certain elements of society?

If you looked at his schedule you'd have seen that he has quite a diverse series of engagements since he became president. When he spoke to what you might call the "elites", he challenged them in his speech. he put it up to them to strive for a more inclusive society.

So yes, I do think that illustrates a determination to be a presidency for all. Your conception of that appears to be someone who goes around opening community centres and nothing else. Ironically, you complain about Higgins' limitations and yet seek to constrict his activities and poetential impact even further by attacking him for attending a broad spectrum of functions, and criticising his worth attempts to "speak truth to power" as it were.

Sindri

Einhard wrote: »

Higgins' limitations

Can't reach the flusher on the jacks

Einhard wrote: »

his activities

Sneaking into Mordor.

Einhard

BackScrub wrote: »

Did he invite them along to the Trinity Economic Forum then? That's inclusion.

You're just snatching at straws now. As another poster pointed out, the Ballyfermot travellers were welcome to attend the Trinity forum.

Your idea of "inclusivity" seems to be one that ostracises whole groups of society. Higgins' seems willing to engage with, and if necessary challenge, all groups within society. I think your vision appears to be the most exclusive.

Einhard

Sindri wrote: »

Can't reach the flusher on the jacks



Sneaking into Mordor.

KeithAFC

Sindri wrote: »

You seem to base your reasoning on the predication that anything anti SF or Republican, in whatever way, is commendable and should be celebrated.

Nope. I thought it was good that a range of different views were shown. Same with Sean Gallagher. Some people didn't like him but he was entitled to run and give his views.

I think Gay Mitchell was just put forward to stop Martin Mcguinness. So it was perhaps the best outcome that Michael D Higgins won.