Joe Higgins - total chancer?

NIMAN

I am just watching this joker on TV trying to argue with Pat Rabitte.

Every single answer he gives is just a generic, anti everything one. Quoting figures and how the common man is downtrodden and suffering.

When he was asked the one difficult question, about 5 times about where the money would come from to run the country, he avoided it like a pro. Avoided it 5 times. When pushed on it, he started 'wait a min, let me finish ....' and of course never came back to it.

Are they coached in avoiding questions ? At least Rabitte answered the difficult questions, as painful as the answers had to be.

For me, the weakness here is with the interviewer, he should have been pushed until he answered. Ask him over and over, a la Paxman, and embarrass the tube.

dixiefly

I didnt see it but I agree with what you say about Higgins and the same applies to Sinn Fein.

Shane Ross is anti-treaty, I have no problem listening and giving credence to his arguments.

Colm McCarthy was on Marion Finucane earlier - he made a strong argiment for the yes side, I would like to see him debate with Adams or Higgins - he would have them for his breakfast.

SMASH THE UNIONS

Not only is he a chancer, he is a hypocritical parasite happy to collect his generous state wages while pretending to be an ordinary working class joe. A champagne socialist. Joe Stalin Higgins is the only elected TD from the insignificant Socialist party, which is sure to wiped out when Joe is kicked out on his arse after the next general election. The man is a joke, cowering on the back benches in his cheap Dunnes Stores suit. His debating skills are terrible and he usually serves only to provide comic relief during political panel discussions. He has spent his life advocating failed ideology. Therefore the man is a failure, who has achieved nothing and will be forgotten in time.

I'd love to see him in the hotseat with Paxman or any other competent interviewer, other than the RTE-Pravda puppets.

darkman2

Higgins is the best asset the yes side has.

christmas2012

didnt he lay off a whole load of workers in manchester? so much for the 'ordinary working joe' line he often spouts..

Opticom

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Not only is he a chancer, he is a hypocritical parasite happy to collect his generous state wages while pretending to be an ordinary working class joe. A champagne socialist. Joe Stalin Higgins is the only elected TD from the insignificant Socialist party, which is sure to wiped out when Joe is kicked out on his arse after the next general election. The man is a joke, cowering on the back benches in his cheap Dunnes Stores suit. His debating skills are terrible and he usually serves only to provide comic relief during political panel discussions. He has spent his life advocating failed ideology. Therefore the man is a failure, who has achieved nothing and will be forgotten in time.

I'd love to see him in the hotseat with Paxman or any other competent interviewer, other than the RTE-Pravda puppets.

But what do you think of Joe Higgins ?

guitarzero

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

...cowering on the back benches in his cheap Dunnes Stores suit.

Well ooh laddy f*cking dah. Look at him there with his tattered blazer and cheapo shoes... look at him!!

Bullseye1

When it comes to Economics both he and SF are total spoofers when it comes to economic policy.

But in fairness so too are FG and Labour. Since they have come to power they have done nothing to improve the domestic economy and threaten to push us into a deeper recession.

The standard of professional politicians and high ranking civil servants is poor.

christmas2012

theres too many civil servants to begin with

Bullseye1

Didn't Michael Noonon say our economy will take off like a rocket? And Creighton say that if the EU/US opened up free trade we'd create 500,000 jobs. And the latest from Enda that voting Yes will send a strong message......to who? Veradker stated not a cent more into Anglo. Gilmore Labours Way etc. Every single one of them are spoofers. Wait till you hear the promises of jobs etc when they come knocking at your door.

Dannyboy83

Any time he has been on Vincent Browne's show, VB has given him an unrivalled stage to air his views and opinions, and never questioned him on any of them.
The interviewer is most definitely at fault, but I actually think this does Joe no favours at all.
Give a fool enough rope.........

I listen to the arguments people make, and make a decision.
The thing with Joe, is that he appeals to a certain type of people who won't change their mind anyway.
They want to be angry and there is nothing anyone can really do about it.

Farmer Pudsey

Dannyboy83 wrote: »

Any time he has been on Vincent Browne's show, VB has given him an unrivalled stage to air his views and opinions, and never questioned him on any of them.
The interviewer is most definitely at fault, but I actually think this does Joe no favours at all.
Give a fool enough rope.........

I listen to the arguments people make, and make a decision.
The thing with Joe, is that he appeals to a certain type of people who won't change their mind anyway.
They want to be angry and there is nothing anyone can really do about it.

I always find this if you are on one side of an argument/view you always think the person on the opposing side is spoofing From the tone of this I see a lot of posters on this post are taking up the line of the yes side of playing the man not the ball.

Coming accross a lot of this in people that are on the yes side, ''how can you side with Declan Ganley/Gerry Adams/ sinn Fein''. Now they have widened it to Joe Higgins an honest a Kerry man as ever wore shoeleather. I mean we could say see the lot the yes camp have thrown in with Finna Fail some ex PD and the remments of the Green Party that wrecked the country.

So Joe avoided a question at least he is not like Enda avoiding the whole debate'

Jaysoose

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

I always find this if you are on one side of an argument/view you always think the person on the opposing side is spoofing From the tone of this I see a lot of posters on this post are taking up the line of the yes side of playing the man not the ball.

Coming accross a lot of this in people that are on the yes side, ''how can you side with Declan Ganley/Gerry Adams/ sinn Fein''. Now they have widened it to Joe Higgins an honest a Kerry man as ever wore shoeleather. I mean we could say see the lot the yes camp have thrown in with Finna Fail some ex PD and the remments of the Green Party that wrecked the country.

So Joe avoided a question at least he is not like Enda avoiding the whole debate'

I think the main point is he doesnt actually know the answer but is trying to cod people on that he has some in depth understanding of the treaty.

At least Shane Ross said he is for a no vote because there isnt enough information..thats a credible answer..higgins just shouts to hear himself talk nonsense.

djpbarry

Bullseye1 wrote: »

The standard of professional politicians and high ranking civil servants is poor.

How do you know that standard of “high-ranking civil servants” is poor?

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Didn't Michael Noonon say our economy will take off like a rocket...

...if the global economy picks up. Considering Ireland’s strong export performance at present, that’s not an unreasonable statement and certainly not without some basis in reality.

djpbarry

Farmer Pudsey wrote: »

So Joe avoided a question at least he is not like Enda avoiding the whole debate'

Joe avoids all the difficult questions. Always has. Let me give you an example.

I used to live in Joe’s constituency in Dublin and he was canvassing for votes outside my building one morning in the run up to an election, claiming to be trying to protect the “working classes” against the assault from Ireland’s “elites”. So, I asked him what these terms meant: “Well I’m not sure you really represent me, Joe – what exactly does working class mean”, I asked. A vague definition followed, which didn’t really answer my question. I explained that, like many Irish people my age, I was from what would probably be considered a working class background but I was university-educated and was, at that time, pursuing a post-graduate qualification – not exactly the classic definition of “working class”. “So where does that leave me, Joe?” I asked again. Another vague definition of “working class” followed, at which point I said thanks very much but you won’t be getting my vote.

The crap that Joe spouts appeals to those who want to hear it. And he knows that. He also knows its limitations – he’s not stupid. He’s well prepared for people like me who push him for answers – he’s well practiced at avoiding those answers. Joe is only too aware of the short-comings of his political doctrine, but as long as he can continue to find enough people who accept what he says without question, he will continue to have a career in politics.

Bits_n_Bobs

Joe stands for (joehiggins.ie)
"I reject so-called solutions to the economic crises based on slashing public expenditure, welfare payments and workers’ pay. Instead I stand for a socialist Ireland based on democratic public ownership and control of the major industries and resources so that social need is prioritised over profit."

He believes that we
1) reject the treaty and
2)re-enter the markets.

Except that the markets are evil. Wayyy more evil than for example a communist state (which was just badly managed last time round).

But the evil bastard conniving capitalist "market" will give us (not lend - give) tucks of dough, which we can spend on nurses and gardai and stuff, just as soon as we take "public ownership and control of major industries", which will happy right after we reject the treaty and let joe and the lads in to run the country.

The worst thing about Joe at the moment is that fool Murphy he gave his MEP to. Going on about Democracy, when he'd be doing well to get 3 votes. Enjoy the paycheck, charlatan.

Pathetic party. "Reject" is right.

Bullseye1

djpbarry wrote: »

How do you know that standard of “high-ranking civil servants” is poor?

The Banking Crisis. CS in the Department of Finance etc. Book keeping errors with billions mysteriously disappearing and then being found. Waste in HSE, waste in local authorities on projects which will never happen but hundreds of millions of euros spent.

djpbarry wrote: »

...if the global economy picks up. Considering Ireland’s strong export performance at present, that’s not an unreasonable statement and certainly not without some basis in reality.

Wow.

djpbarry

Bullseye1 wrote: »

The Banking Crisis.

High-ranking civil servants were responsible for the banking crisis? What?

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Wow.

Indeed. I'll take that as tacit admission that, although you've tried to misrepresent Noonan, what he said was in fact not unreasonable.

Fr Tod Umptious

Back in 2004 there was a a scandal where AIB overcharged customers millions on currency exchange rates/commissions.

Joe was all over the media saying that the banks should be nationalised

Everyone was cracking their holes laughing, 'nationalise the banks, that's crazy.......'

Fr Tod Umptious

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Back in 2004 there was a a scandal where AIB overcharged customers millions on currency exchange rates/commissions.

Joe was all over the media saying that the banks should be nationalised

Everyone was cracking their holes laughing, 'nationalise the banks, that's crazy.......'

A stopped clock? etc

whippet

when I was living in Joe's constituency I had a couple of his 'canvassers' knock on the door. The handed me a copy of his 'newsletter' .. the Socialist Times or something like that.

They started talking to me about bin charges, management fees and some other topical stuff and I challenged their views and actually explained to them my opinion. Then something caught my eye on the 'paper' about Joe advising residents not to pay the management charges etc and I asked the two lads why Joe was giving false advise and forcing other families to have to contribute extra to supplement people who took his advise not to pay?

I was shouted down and accused of being in the 'elite', I had a new car on the driveway and they pointed to it saying that I was typical of the upper echelons who wanted the 'wooooorkers' to pay for my lifestyle.

I hunted them away from my door. I then sent a letter and email to Joe asking for an explanation and for him to clarify some of the claims that his representatives made and I didn't get as much as a automatic reply.

I guess as I am educated, capable of thinking for myself, work hard and try to do my best I am not his target market.

Bullseye1

The central bank regulator had a responsibility for ensuring thr banks acted respnsibly. Thry failed. I didnt say they were alone. So dont misrepresent my comments .What about the other examples like the HSE and local authorities you have decided to ignore? For clarity are you a civil servant?

djpbarry wrote: »

High-ranking civil servants were responsible for the banking crisis? What?
Indeed. I'll take that as tacit admission that, although you've tried to misrepresent Noonan, what he said was in fact not unreasonable.

Noonans comments were pie in the sky. Are you living in Ireland? Have you witnessed that the domestic economy is on its knees? We are years away from economy "sky rocketing". So yes it is spoofing. For a politican who likes to give it straight to the public he does alot of spoofing.

His comments about Greece on Bloomberg were an embarrassment.

Opticom

Ireland's present political parties and independents are just self interest groups.
Honest, intelligent, rational an capable people don't go into Irish politics. Why would they ?
They would not stand a chance.

Ordinary decent hard working people in this country are caught in a nasty poltical triangle of choice between FG/LAB and their right wing agenda of protecting the golden circle billionaires at everyone else’s expense, FF and their agenda of me fein corruption, and SF / ULA etc. with their Trotskyism agenda.

Bullseye1

Bullseye1 wrote: »

The central bank regulator had a responsibility for ensuring thr banks acted respnsibly. Thry failed. I didnt say they were alone. So dont misrepresent my comments .What about the other examples like the HSE and local authorities you have decided to ignore? For clarity are you a civil servant?



Noonans comments were pie in the sky. Are you living in Ireland? Have you witnessed that the domestic economy is on its knees? We are years away from economy "sky rocketing". So yes it is spoofing. For a politican who likes to give it straight to the public he does alot of spoofing.

His comments about Greece on Bloomberg were an embarrassment.

The problem is the accountability factor imho. Would any regulator have turned such a blind eye to our affairs were it a certainty that such ignorance would lead to a proper jail-time punishment? I doubt it.

What this has to do with Higgins, I don't know. One example of a poor choice of words is no match for a man whose entire existence is dedicated to keeping himself and his party faithful in lucrative jobs. Now who does that remind me of? hmmmm

astrofool

Bullseye1 wrote: »

The central bank regulator had a responsibility for ensuring thr banks acted respnsibly. Thry failed. I didnt say they were alone. So dont misrepresent my comments .What about the other examples like the HSE and local authorities you have decided to ignore? For clarity are you a civil servant?



Noonans comments were pie in the sky. Are you living in Ireland? Have you witnessed that the domestic economy is on its knees? We are years away from economy "sky rocketing". So yes it is spoofing. For a politican who likes to give it straight to the public he does alot of spoofing.

His comments about Greece on Bloomberg were an embarrassment.

Ah now, we are an export led economy, that attracts a large amount of FDI, it's not unreasonable to say that if the global economy picks up, that ours will also pick up as a result of that (just that when the global economy tanks, so will ours).

Has he been proven wrong on that assertion?

Bullseye1

astrofool wrote: »

Ah now, we are an export led economy, that attracts a large amount of FDI, it's not unreasonable to say that if the global economy picks up, that ours will also pick up as a result of that (just that when the global economy tanks, so will ours).

Has he been proven wrong on that assertion?

Anyone could come out with the statement as it may happen sometime in the future. But with the US stagnating, Europe at a standstill and the UK in just as bad shape as Ireland (outside London) it will be a long time and maybe towards the end of the current governments 5 years before we know. So if you make a statement which can go either way and take a long time to be verified how else would you describe the statement?

djpbarry

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Noonans comments were pie in the sky.

His comments were perfectly reasonable. I couldn't be bothered getting into this again - there's already a thread on the subject.

Bullseye1

djpbarry wrote: »

His comments were perfectly reasonable. I couldn't be bothered getting into this again - there's already a thread on the subject.

Its also reasonable to say we will walk on Mars. What is unreasonable is to portray the image that we will do it tomorrow or any day soon.

goat2

SMASH THE UNIONS wrote: »

Not only is he a chancer, he is a hypocritical parasite happy to collect his generous state wages while pretending to be an ordinary working class joe. A champagne socialist. Joe Stalin Higgins is the only elected TD from the insignificant Socialist party, which is sure to wiped out when Joe is kicked out on his arse after the next general election. The man is a joke, cowering on the back benches in his cheap Dunnes Stores suit. His debating skills are terrible and he usually serves only to provide comic relief during political panel discussions. He has spent his life advocating failed ideology. Therefore the man is a failure, who has achieved nothing and will be forgotten in time.

I'd love to see him in the hotseat with Paxman or any other competent interviewer, other than the RTE-Pravda puppets.

did you see the st bernard tag on his suit,
are dunnes clothese not good enough to wear,

antoobrien

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Anyone could come out with the statement as it may happen sometime in the future. But with the US stagnating, Europe at a standstill and the UK in just as bad shape as Ireland (outside London) it will be a long time and maybe towards the end of the current governments 5 years before we know. So if you make a statement which can go either way and take a long time to be verified how else would you describe the statement?

Lets see, the BRIC countries account for 4% of our exports. If we successfully target them (say double that proportion) and keep other exports static the rocket will have launched.

granturismo

christmas2012 wrote: »

didnt he lay off a whole load of workers in manchester? so much for the 'ordinary working joe' line he often spouts..

Do you have a link for this? or am I feeding a troll.

paul71

whippet wrote: »

They started talking to me about bin charges, management fees and some other topical stuff and I challenged their views and actually explained to them my opinion. Then something caught my eye on the 'paper' about Joe advising residents not to pay the management charges etc and I asked the two lads why Joe was giving false advise and forcing other families to have to contribute extra to supplement people who took his advise not to pay?

Really? Was that in his rag? Management companies are essentially co-ops of homeowners, if he is advising that he may as well advise people to break into their neighbours house and steal cash as it amounts to the same thing. Typical populist communist rubbish with no thought about what the consequences are.

paddy0090

Liberty Equality Beneifts! Everything for everybody, paid for by everbody else! Long live the revolution comrades!

ElGrunt

Bullseye1 wrote: »

When it comes to Economics both he and SF are total spoofers when it comes to economic policy.

But in fairness so too are FG and Labour. Since they have come to power they have done nothing to improve the domestic economy and threaten to push us into a deeper recession.

The standard of professional politicians and high ranking civil servants is poor.

I suppose creating 1000 jobs a month is doing nothing to improve the domestic economy! Get real! Nation of begrudgers is all we are

paddy0090

ElGrunt wrote: »

I suppose creating 1000 jobs a month is doing nothing to improve the domestic economy! Get real! Nation of begrudgers is all we are

Speak for yourself!

This is a bit off topic but it relates to Joe Higgins being a chancer.

Here's the thing, Governments don't really create jobs, they spend money. The private sector creates jobs, the govt takes a stipend from the profit, then spends/invests it. In fact the govt has done little to cut the actual costs of doing business in Ireland.

The wage cuts have been done in the private sector (I know the public sector have seen there wages cut but their wages are frozen under the CPA)and that's where competitiveness has been restored. This could soon be whittled away by the increased debt burden which will impinge on cost of living. How the govt close the deficit matters. If they make a balls of it our competitiveness will be wiped out. It's debatable as to whether or not they can do this, but that's a nother matter.

The most they can really do to create jobs is see to it that the conditions are good /attractive for entrepeneurs. Personally I don't see that they've actually changed anything in this area. Pr about us not being Greece isn't all that impressive, it doesn't count!

Dob74

Joe Higgins is a Legend.
The only politician who wants to copy Norway, instead of selling our of shore mineral wealth to the best connected boys in Dublin.
Shame on Pat Rabitte for selling us out(FF+FG goes without saying)

whippet

Dob74 wrote: »

Joe Higgins is a Legend.
The only politician who wants to copy Norway, instead of selling our of shore mineral wealth to the best connected boys in Dublin.
Shame on Pat Rabitte for selling us out(FF+FG goes without saying)

Yeah because the Irish state has a couple of billion stashed away to prospect for oil and gas and essentially gamble it on the chance of finding an economically viable method of bringing it on shore.

There is a reason why our western seaboard isnt littered with oil companies as the risk / return potential isn't guaranteed But then again those who listen to the likes of commie Joe wouldn't want to be bothered with facts and reality.

Good loser

Dob74 wrote: »

Joe Higgins is a Legend.
The only politician who wants to copy Norway, instead of selling our of shore mineral wealth to the best connected boys in Dublin.
Shame on Pat Rabitte for selling us out(FF+FG goes without saying)

Joe Higgins speaks more garbage per square minute than any other TD in Dail Eireann - except for Clare Daly.

Yet the media can't get enough of him and he runs rings around most interviewers. He segues every answer into a series of pat monologues. When asked the 'wrong' question he just parks it and embarks on one of his prepared tangents.

His grasp of economics is dire. He mines the (capitalist) press for one liners which he then presents as proof that his oh-so-convoluted theories make sense. An interminable spoofer.

When the boom was raging why didn't he just advise people that house prices were insane and would inevitably collapse. Then he would have truly done the State some service.

whippet

Joe's unelected MEP buddy Murphy was on Vin Browne last night and made a complete tool of himself a credit to the yes side.

All the while the socialists are going on about being controlled by the unelected troika while Paul Murphy is happy to ride the MEP gravy train when never even been elected to anything !!!! He couldn't even win a UCD SU election !!

djpbarry

Good loser wrote: »

His grasp of economics is dire.

I really doubt that Joe doesn't realise current levels of government spending are totally unsustainable.

NIMAN

Good loser wrote: »

Joe Higgins speaks more garbage per square minute than any other TD in Dail Eireann - except for Clare Daly.

Yet the media can't get enough of him and he runs rings around most interviewers. He segues every answer into a series of pat monologues. When asked the 'wrong' question he just parks it and embarks on one of his prepared tangents.

His grasp of economics is dire. He mines the (capitalist) press for one liners which he then presents as proof that his oh-so-convoluted theories make sense. An interminable spoofer.

When the boom was raging why didn't he just advise people that house prices were insane and would inevitably collapse. Then he would have truly done the State some service.

This sums up what I was trying to say about him in the 1st place.

That night in question, he had a mountain of A4 sheets on his lap, like a student. While Rabitte was answering his questions, Joe spent his time rustling through them, no doubt getting the next few generic lines that he had to read out to make himself look intelligent (of course doesn't matter whether it answered the question he was asked or not).

I was very disappointed in Sean O'Rourke that night. Never seen much of him before but I had always heard he was good at his job. For me, he let Joe do what a lot of poor politicians do - dodge the question, say they will come back and answer it, but eventually know that the time on TV is very strict and it'll run out, and they will not have to answer the question.

n97 mini

Good loser wrote: »

Joe Higgins speaks more garbage per square minute than any other TD in Dail Eireann - except for Clare Daly.

Yeah, Clare makes Joe look like a moderate. She has even less of a grasp of economics.

whippet

Claire Daly ... Definition of a brain terrorist

bamboozle

Good loser wrote: »

Joe Higgins speaks more garbage per square minute than any other TD in Dail Eireann - except for Clare Daly.

Yet the media can't get enough of him and he runs rings around most interviewers. He segues every answer into a series of pat monologues. When asked the 'wrong' question he just parks it and embarks on one of his prepared tangents.

His grasp of economics is dire. He mines the (capitalist) press for one liners which he then presents as proof that his oh-so-convoluted theories make sense. An interminable spoofer.

When the boom was raging why didn't he just advise people that house prices were insane and would inevitably collapse. Then he would have truly done the State some service.

Joe Higgins & Claire Daly, remind me of the two lads in Dumb and Dumber, completely isolated from reality

any interview i've seen or heard them interviewed in the last 18 months they blabber on about there being 200 billion of wealth in ireland and we need to introduce a wealth tax of 1%, interviewer firstly queries the 200 billion figure, then points out if it did exist and state received tax of 2 billion there would still be a significant deficit in the state budget.

they havent a breeze and rarely add anything positive to a debate.

Icepick

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Didn't Michael Noonon say our economy will take off like a rocket? And Creighton say that if the EU/US opened up free trade we'd create 500,000 jobs. And the latest from Enda that voting Yes will send a strong message......to who? Veradker stated not a cent more into Anglo. Gilmore Labours Way etc. Every single one of them are spoofers. Wait till you hear the promises of jobs etc when they come knocking at your door.

nice illustration of the socialist debating skills .. non sequiturs, straw men, red herrings

Bullseye1

ElGrunt wrote: »

I suppose creating 1000 jobs a month is doing nothing to improve the domestic economy! Get real! Nation of begrudgers is all we are

The government is not creating these jobs. It's the private sector. But since you brought it up at this rate we should be back to full employment in no time. LOL.

dsmythy

bamboozle wrote: »

Joe Higgins & Claire Daly, remind me of the two lads in Dumb and Dumber, completely isolated from reality

any interview i've seen or heard them interviewed in the last 18 months they blabber on about there being 200 billion of wealth in ireland and we need to introduce a wealth tax of 1%, interviewer firstly queries the 200 billion figure, then points out if it did exist and state received tax of 2 billion there would still be a significant deficit in the state budget.

they havent a breeze and rarely add anything positive to a debate.

They're the far left. That 1% would become 2..3...4.. then slowly but surely the taxes will find their way down the income levels.

Sand

I've no real appreciation for whatever it is that causes people to vote for Joe Higgins, but I remember seeing him on the Vincent Brown show presenting his plan for solving the deficit crisis by taxing the super wealthy in Ireland.

Now, I have a desperate cringe reaction whenever I see car crash TV - I cant really bear to watch people make total fools of themselves. So all those reality shows like Made in Chelsea and Tallafornia are lost on me as I cant watch them for more than a few minutes.

Christ almighty, I felt like calling the Guards whilst watching Vincent Browne pretty much demolish Joe Higgins live on national TV. It was horrific as Higgins was forced into a state of meandering, contradictory ****e - it was like telling a kid there's no such thing as Santa and then televising the reaction. That sort of cruelty. The worst thing was Browne *wanted* to believe Joe that a tax on the super wealthy would solve all the problems but it was just garbage - and the look of hurt and betrayal on Joe Higgins face...

whippet

the reality of Higgins and his brand of politics is that he knows that he will never have to enact any of the proposals he makes, he has no chance of ever being in a position to actually implement policy.

He has forged a long career in politics (along with nice wages, expenses and pension entitlements etc.) by saying the stuff that will keep him in votes with a certain demographic. I would say that the vast majority of his vote comes from people who were outside of the tax net in the last decade and don't like the idea of having to pay any taxes at all.

he feeds the idea that anyone who has actually done well for themselves via business ownership risks, working hard and being smart etc are sitting on crystal toilet bowls wiping their arises with €50 notes and suffering with gout from eating the first born males of their employees.

Opticom

Joe is not a chancer, he's a genuinely naive idealist. Big difference.

Ireland always was a plutocracy and always will be.

Lets face it, we just swapped English aristocracy for an Irish one, and like any aristocracy they will do anything to protect themselves and their wealth, including forcing the state and the ordinary Irish taxpayer to take on their massive private sector debts for them.

Most Irish people are happy to have the wool pulled over their eyes and stick their head in the sand and pretend to themselves they are not really being screwed over.

FG/LAB/FF/SF/ULA/etc. etc. etc. New Irish parties/Independents/All Irish polticians – all the same, self interested liars and bull syhters. You get what you vote for, and as a result honest people, apart from the odd niave ejit like Joe, just don't go into Irish politics. Irish voters don't want honesty, they want local favours like medical cards and potholes done for them, after that they don't care about how the people they vote for swindle the state.