President Michael D Higgins’ €3,000 a night hotel stays

RobertKK

mattser wrote: »

Really looking forward to his re-election. Has done the country proud.

He will probably be elected as one should never underestimate how gullible people can be. He lied about being a one term president, then his supporters accept lies by making excuses for him.

mattser

RobertKK wrote: »

He will probably be elected as one should never underestimate how gullible people can be. He lied about being a one term president, then his supporters accept lies by making excuses for him.

It's democracy. Cut the gullible stuff, you're just digging a deeper hole.

Grayson

RobertKK wrote: »

While still costing the state far more than what he cost the state at the start of his 7 year term.

You can say that about every single politician on the planet. None of them were getting paid before they got elected.

Wanderer78

mattser wrote:

Any chance you might explain what you mean here ?

Ah I know a few people, very much younger than him, that were lucky enough to spend the day with him and his wife at the Aras last year. It seemed like he very much enjoyed himself, laughing and joking with his company, and very much interested in what they had to say, he's a sharp guy

mattser

Wanderer78 wrote: »

Ah I know a few people, very much younger than him, that were lucky enough to spend the day with him and his wife at the Aras last year. It seemed like he very much enjoyed himself, laughing and joking with his company, and very much interested in what they had to say, he's a sharp guy

I'm sure he'd be as much at home in any company, regardless of age.

Wanderer78

mattser wrote:

I'm sure he'd be as much at home in any company, regardless of age.

Probably, but I do think he's a very intelligent man that is very much interested in young minds

RobertKK

mattser wrote: »

It's democracy. Cut the gullible stuff, you're just digging a deeper hole.

His colleague in the Labour party Pat Rabbitte admitted that they lie in elections to get elected. That is because politicians know people are gullible.

Wanderer78

RobertKK wrote: »

His colleague in the Labour party Pat Rabbitte admitted that they lie in elections to get elected. That is because politicians know people are gullible.

all humans lie, particularly if theres a possible gain to be made

boardise

Why would people be surprised at Higgins swanning around in luxury ? It's what hypocritical socialists do.
Higgins one of the best examples of why this ludicrous office should be scrapped.

Wanderer78

boardise wrote: »

Why would people be surprised at Higgins swanning around in luxury ? It's what hypocritical socialists do.
Higgins one of the best examples of why this ludicrous office should be scrapped.

should we just scrap all other political departments?

Hitman3000

Wanderer78 wrote:

should we just scrap all other political departments?

Only the ones there is no justification for. His role serves no purpose. What little power the position holds can be transferred to the council of state.

Wanderer78

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Only the ones there is no justification for. His role serves no purpose. What little power the position holds can be transferred to the council of state.

i disagree, but my own bias-ism is more than likely causing that judgement, if our president was someone i hated, id probably think differently. if people feel so passionately about such things, maybe lobby for such a thing is the way to go

Yer Da sells Avon

RobertKK wrote: »

He will probably be elected as one should never underestimate how gullible people can be. He lied about being a one term president, then his supporters accept lies by making excuses for him.

He'll be re-elected if people are, based on his conduct over the last seven years, happy for him to continue as president. That's not gullibility - it's looking at the evidence and saying "yes, he's done us proud and I'd like him to continue". Those who think badly of him for changing his mind (which is completely different to lying) about seeking a second term are invariably miserable right-wingers who wouldn't have voted for a life-long social justice campaigner in the first place.

Hitman3000

Wanderer78 wrote:

i disagree, but my own bias-ism is more than likely causing that judgement, if our president was someone i hated, id probably think differently. if people feel so passionately about such things, maybe lobby for such a thing is the way to go

I have no strong personal feelings on him one way or another. The office however I feel is a waste of money and completely pointless.

Wanderer78

Hitman3000 wrote: »

I have no strong personal feelings on him one way or another. The office however I feel is a waste of money and completely pointless.

thats fair enough i guess, id imagine theres a good few people who think similarly to you to

Hitman3000

Wanderer78 wrote:

thats fair enough i guess, id imagine theres a good few people who think similarly to you to

There is, but I doubt a referendum will ever be offered on the abolition of the office.

RobertKK

Wanderer78 wrote: »

all humans lie, particularly if theres a possible gain to be made

Yes, like 'I will be a one term president'...people who voted for him based on that being one of the reasons were openly lied to and people now defend the lies because it it is twee Michael D.

Remember Michael D said in 2016 he didn't know that Castro committed human rights abuses including death to rivals, after he called him a giant among global leaders.
Not to mention the close relationship with Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua, a man who operates death squads. A man Michael D Higgins has met many times and even hosted him here in Ireland, but sure who cares this man is one of his friends...
The media cover it up and Michael D won't be telling the truth to voters about the company he keeps.




https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jul/30/blood-on-the-streets-in-ortegas-corrupt-nicaragua

Paramilitaries controlled by President Ortega are responsible for most of the killings, says Jon Cloke, and Keith Willcock says people are living under a vicious dictatorship

Paper saying Higgins gave the Ortegas a homely welcome in Galway

WinnyThePoo

I honestly didn't know people weren't allowed to change their mind.

For Forks Sake

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

I honestly didn't know people weren't allowed to change their mind.

Yeah it was outlawed in the Glorious Imaginary Revolution of 2015.

RobertKK

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

I honestly didn't know people weren't allowed to change their mind.

It is a bit different from changing one's mind from deciding on tea instead of coffee, compared to telling people 'vote for me, I promise I will be a one term president'.
Tolerating lies is not a good thing to be in the habit of doing. Ah sure they said they would do this but didn't, sure it's fine...it is this attitude that allows lies and corruption to become part of the system and we know that is a problem in this country.

ArchXStanton

Wanderer78 wrote: »

should we just scrap all other political departments?

Restructure... At the moment with such high salaries and perks it attracts charlatan, career politicans

WinnyThePoo

Again I honestly didn't know people weren't allowed to cahnge their mind.

You don't have to vote for Higgins.

If he does get reelected , it would be democratically. Just like the same-sex and abortion referendums:pac::D

RobertKK

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

Again I honestly didn't know people weren't allowed to cahnge their mind.

You don't have to vote for Higgins.

If he does get reelected , it would be democratically. Just like the same-sex and abortion referendums:pac::D

Unlike Michael D's dictator friends who operate death squads.
You can tell alot about a person by the company they keep.
More from that Guardian article about Michael D's friend in Nicaragua...

I will support democracy by not voting for Daniel Ortega's Irish friend who currently lives the high life in the Aras.

The numbers of dead in Nicaragua since the violence began are disputed: on 16 June the government reported only 34 dead, but the Nicaraguan Centre for Human Rights reported 170; by 27 July Bloomberg reported 448. What is not in dispute is that of the true total most were shot dead by paramilitary/death squad activity controlled by the Ortega dictatorship.

Student protest in Nicaragua is a long-hallowed tradition, but now – as during the Somoza dictatorship – they are being murdered by squads of organised, well-armed, masked men.

Ortega claims his is a legitimate government – if you leave aside rigging the supreme judicial and supreme electoral courts to shut out rival parties, the creation of extra FSLN (Sandinista National Liberation Front) deputies in the national assembly to change the constitution to make the presidency Ortega family property, and countless other attacks on democracy.

Our president even has the cheek to post a picture of himself with Ortega as part of his '"Michael D Higgins: Through the years" on the official president of Ireland website.
http://www.president.ie/en/media-library/photos/michael-d.-higgins-through-the-years

The guy is an embarrassment to Ireland. He needs to disown Daniel Ortega instead he is promoted on the official website for the President of Ireland.

WinnyThePoo

So he's allowed to change is his mind or not Robert?.

Hitman3000

WinnyThePoo wrote:

So he's allowed to change is his mind or not Robert?.

So 'the say anything to get elected strategy' is ok?

WinnyThePoo

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So 'the say anything to get elected strategy' is ok?

Your saying people voted for him only because he said he do one term
?

We live in a democracy lads. There will be other candidates.

PlaneSpeeking

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

Hitman3000 wrote: »

So 'the say anything to get elected strategy' is ok?

Your saying people voted for him only because he said he do one term
?

We live in a democracy lads. There will be other candidates.

I actually didn't vote for him first time round but I'd likely vote that way this time.

RobertKK

WinnyThePoo wrote: »

So he's allowed to change is his mind or not Robert?.

I don't believe it is democratic when politicians lie to the voters, then have apologists condoning the lies, as they don't see the damage this does to democracy when politicians continuously lie to voters to get elected - it leads to 'sure they are all the same'.
So he should have kept his word if he truly believed in democracy, but then he sees his friends in places like Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela and sure a lot of them have issues with democracy too...
So it is fine for him to change his mind, it just confirmed, not that is needing confirming that telling the truth and upholding democracy by doing what one says they will do as not something that was important. Then people are stupid enough to fall for it and make excuses for it and failing to see how damaging it is. It is still a lie, no matter how one tries to spin it.

Hitman3000

WinnyThePoo wrote:

Your saying people voted for him only because he said he do one term ?

I can't answer for other people. He did however make a point of saying he was only seeking one term during his election campaign some may have voted for him on this basis. Bottom line is MD is no different than any other politician we have here. Willing to lie to get what he wants.

WinnyThePoo

Your on a record as being a fan of trump on here Robert. I take your outrage as a pinch of salt.

He is allowed to change his mind.