Mock election

klong

Myself and my mate are planning on holding a mock election in our school. As part of it, wer'e planning to invite local ploiticians from all the major parties to speak at assembly in the morning. My mate has major misgivings about a Sinn Fein candidate/rep
coming along. Would it be a good idea to invite one or not, given their record and involvement with IRA?

Biffa Bacon

Yes I'd invite them, even though I'm totally opposed to their politics. There will quite possibly be people in your school who'd support them so I think it would be wrong just to ignore them.

Xterminator

Regardless of what you views on SF candidates may be, their mandate is as valid as any other, ie those voters who vote for them have a right for their voice to be heard.

Mind you if i were in the audience, Id have a few tough questions lined up on vigalanteism etc.

X

klong

That was my opinion- they're running for election and deserve to get their views heard, regardless of what they are

gandalf

klong I reckon you should check with the powers that be in the school as well if you decide to invite a rep from Sinn Fein.

If they're cool with it get them in front of you and ask them some difficult questions about the IRA & their vigilante activities.

Gandalf.

klong

The headmaster agrees with the idea of the mock election and getting the reps in- publicity and all that- and yep, thats a good idea as they will all have the option of going arounf the classrooms. We're a small school so it won't take long

manonthemoon

How do you ask a 'Tough' question to a SFer on vigilantism. I dont think they will get anywhere

Q - "Sinn Fein are involved in vigilantism, i.e. going around giving people hidings"

A - "Oh no we're not. Where is your proof?"


Does anyone know any questions or maybe ways of putting a question which might catch them out?

Meh

Ask them whether people with information on the Omagh bombing should tell the police. That'll show them in their true colours...
Gerry Adams refused to encourage people to come forward with information:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/northern_ireland/newsid_1784000/1784104.stm

He said people would make their own judgment on whether information should be passed onto the police and that many would see it as "a moral issue".

I don't think you'll be able to catch them out on the vigilante issue though -- they'll just deny it point blank.

klong

Me: "So, how do you propose to deal with the vigilante problem in Kerry, if you're so concerned with law and order? How did it begin? Who's behind it?"
Them: "Well, obviously...."

The textbook answer

manonthemoon

"If you would allow me to answer your question, each one at a time. Obviously, vigilantism and other such activities are totally acceptable. Law and Order is a main concern for Sinn Fein. Also, Maturally we support the Garda to investigate these issues through the proper channels and these people who are carrying out these acts of violence can be brought to justice"

As who is behind it and when did it start, the simple answer is a just dont know"


I'll tell ye this. Being a republican is a piece of p***. Esay

klong

Nothing like good ol' political waffle-speak.
Do they think we're stupid or something/ We're the voters of the future, its about time they got their act together.

Boston

well ill put it this way, sf politics are very different to ff or fg, they will appeal to many just for this reason.

the operate on the local level, its often someone you know or lives in locality that's comes knocking at your door, this mean that they often know exactly what the major issues for you are.

Sinn Fein didn't come banging at my door about health reforms(ff) or the budget (FG) or free medical cards(labor) they came about bin charges and crime in my area, things that actually have people pissing themselves were I am. it doesn't help when the government sends at a mass letter saying they will arrest people for not paying bin charges but cants seem to stop a string of burglaries in broad day light in the last few weeks.

Maybe they would screw the country up if they got in power, but its hard to imagine they would do it anymore then the showers that have already tried. at least you know they aren't bought, after all view people would risk associating with them or having those kinds of connections.

I have to say im not to crazy about the whole united Ireland thing, but id vote for them since they are the only ones that seem to give a damn about local issues, they aren't promising the world, just small things that any competent government should be able to provide.

klong

I agree, they deal mostly with local issues and that's how they get their support. No mention of a national policy much of the time.

Victor

So should they be kept in local government and kept out of national government?

Boston

ands who would do the keeping out, and what right would they have.

Victor

Originally posted by Boston
ands who would do the keeping out, and what right would they have.

Eh, the electorate (I think their right is established).

Boston

well the electorate doesnt seem pushed about not allowing them into the national goverment in fact some seem trilled at the idea

pugwall

Gerry Adams did a tour of the Universities in Dublin a few weeks ago. He answered questions concerning the 'occupied six counties' with expertese. On the other hand he failed to answer questions put to him on issues such as health, budget, education etc with any conviction at all.
Sinn Feins forthcoming election campaign will be dominated by trivial local issues. Their candidates will cling on to local issues as Sinn Féin continue in their failure to come up with workable policies on the major issues such as health, education, finance, ....

Boston

Originally posted by pugwall
trivial local issues

not so trival if they effect you. and these issues have to be dealt with.

also jsut because the likes of ff and fg put more bull**** in front of you and more spin on things, dont persume they can do any better a job.

i find it funny you mention healt: more strikes in the last few years in health departments then ive ever know, education: are you forgetting the several strikes we had and the current work the rules, and finance, didnt the current goverment make 3 billion just disappear.

these are the issue you thing your should be electing people on?

pugwall

Im of the opinion that these 'trivial local' issues should be dealt with by the councellors in the local authorities. TDs should really only be accountable as legislators and on the larger issues as mentioned such as health, education, finance.....

I know im going off the point of the thread here, but in reply to Boston:
I think that there are too many TD's. Alot more power should be transferred to the elected officials on the authorities. This is where the trivialities of local issues can be thrashed out. This is the place for Nicki kehoe to deal with the problems of his community. The present system as a whole is wrong and isn't working. Individuals getting elected to the Dail on the back of these local issues is a absurd.

Boston

well we dont deal with how things should be but how they are, its the TD's that can effect things liek this on the local level councellors have little or no power in reguards to things that happen due to goverment policy,

pugwall

i find it funny you mention healt: more strikes in the last few years in health departments then ive ever know, education: are you forgetting the several strikes we had and the current work the rules, and finance, didnt the current goverment make 3 billion just disappear. these are the issue you think your should be electing people on?

YES. Do something about it; Vote for an alternative to the current Government.
These are important issues (Dont you think?)
Without proper health and education services, society would crumble. These are national issues, they concern all citizens, not just individual constituencies or certain areas within constituencies.

gurramok

Originally posted by pugwall
Sinn Feins forthcoming election campaign will be dominated by trivial local issues. Their candidates will cling on to local issues as Sinn Féin continue in their failure to come up with workable policies on the major issues such as health, education, finance, ....

Crime is a major issue to me not a trivial local issue as you put it.
How many sleepless nights have you had ?. Have you ever had your car stolen and burnt out ? Have you or any of the adults/children in your area being offered drugs on a regular basis ? Does your house get regular stonings ? Is it even safe for you to go down to the polling station to vote ? When i go home from work this evening, how will i be safe in the knowledge that the house has not been broken into ?

In my area, it is not even safe to walk at night, not a garda in sight anytime. When the the local garda station is rang about ongoing crime/anti-social problems, you would be lucky to see a garda within the hour.
All of the above is the MAJOR and top issue affecting all residents where i live.
Until the time comes when there is zero-tolerance policing i will continue to vote for SF....it will be 2nd time for me at next election, first at a general. I dont care what happens up north, what affects me is what goes on in daily life down here.

Boston

on good thing about sinn fein is they know how to handle scum bags break into homes.

i think sinn fein have people he are quite able to handle all issues you raised, even more so then the current exceptable ones.

crime is a huge problem in our cities and towns, and its being dumbed down by all but one party as far as i can see

davros

Ask them if Marxism has been thoroughly discredited. They were using the language of the loony left only a few years ago, wanting to establish a Marxist state in Ireland. They have toned down the rhetoric recently but I'd like to know, if SF were in power alone, what kind of a State would we have?

pugwall

Crime is a major issue to me and to the major political parties. It appears to me that Sinn Fein consider themselves to be a law upon themselves ie take the law into their own hands. The major political parties in this state do take this issue seriously. Vigilantism is a scumbags game.

billy the squid

I would have conserns about youngsters voting Sinn Fein " for a laugh" and distorting the results of this mock election

I would however be interested in the results

would like to wish you luck with it. Its an interesting project to undertake

Kappar

Sinn Fein are involved in vigilantism, i.e. going around giving people hidings

So are the garda, There Last week I was , like me or my friends are most weeks, Taken down to the Garda station and beaten and kicked by 2 garda for what seemed like hours and locked in a cell for 2 hours and might i add i am only 17, then sent out on to the street at to walk home gushing blood.
now i know whatsomeones going to say "you must be doing something" well yes drinking underage but when has this become a capital offince in Ireland

Now so its not only Sinnfeiners (If at all) it's also the present government invloved in such discusting acts by not cleaning up the garda and not imploying a proper complent board are ombudsman. But even more than that is needed because if i was to complain i would need proof and when my mamcalled the sation they had no record of me being in the station and even if there was they just say that you fell the said that to loads of my mates' mam before.

*i think i'll create a new thread on this topic.*

Meh

Originally posted by Kappar


So are the garda, There Last week I was , like me or my friends are most weeks, Taken down to the Garda station and beaten and kicked by 2 garda for what seemed like hours and locked in a cell for 2 hours and might i add i am only 17, then sent out on to the street at to walk home gushing blood.

I don't doubt your story, but why are you telling it to us? You should be telling it to these people.

Kappar

Originally posted by Meh
I don't doubt your story, but why are you telling it to us? You should be telling it to these people.

Cntd @ http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46411