So Michael D IS running again!

jm08 · 16-09-2018 6:03pm

Edgware wrote: »

Would you say that about a male or is minding kids a Mammy job?

Funnily enough, Ming Flanagan (along with Brian Crowley) had the worst voting record in 2014. Brian Crowley was in hospital a lot and Ming's wife just had a baby!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/two-irish-meps-have-worst-voting-record-in-parliament-1.2037668

In that summery of voting records in 2014 - all Irish MEPs seem to have been around 80%.

brightspark · 16-09-2018 6:08pm

I think if there was only one opposing candidate Higgins would be a lot less likely to get re-elected, however with so many on the ballot paper the anti-Higgins vote will now be divided between the various candidates, even if one of the opposing candidates was to become popular for some unknown reason.

brightspark · 16-09-2018 6:15pm

jm08 wrote: »

Funnily enough, Ming Flanagan (along with Brian Crowley) had the worst voting record in 2014. Brian Crowley was in hospital a lot and Ming's wife just had a baby!

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/two-irish-meps-have-worst-voting-record-in-parliament-1.2037668

In that summery of voting records in 2014 - all Irish MEPs seem to have been around 80%.

Ming's attendance has improved slightly, but it appears that none of our MEP's think it's important to be there. No doubt attendance at the Dail is even worse if the empty seats frequently seen on tv are anything to go by.
Brian Crowley should really consider resigning if his health is that bad and allow someone else to take the seat instead (At this stage he has probably entitled to a pension so it's not as if he will be destitute).

16-09-2018 6:22pm

brightspark wrote: »

Brian Crowley should really consider resigning if his health is that bad and allow someone else to take the seat instead (At this stage he has probably entitled to a pension so it's not as if he will be destitute).

Crowley has already reached the pension limit of 70% of the mep salary (his pension will be paid at €67,200 per annum, but he currently earns €96,000 as an MEP)

Capt'n Midnight · 16-09-2018 6:23pm

brightspark wrote: »

Liadh Ní Riada promises to bring 'enthusiasm, energy and commitment' if elected president.

https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/09/16/liadh-ni-riada-announced-as-sinn-fein-presidential-candidate/

One, as David points out Michael D is a hugely popular even with SF voters. It will be a struggle to get even them to switch. Two, the party refused to let the press ask any questions at the launch event, in a clear attempt to avoid questions on the Cahill case.

Suspect that evasion will now follow her throughout the campaign.

Presidential debates will be interesting seeing as Michael has no reason to do them,
and Seanie is using that as an excuse to avoid questions on the five grand or what he's done over the last seven years,
and now Liada looks set to dodge them too.

At best this is whataboutery, but the merest whiff of support for the IRA means a lot more half the electorate will reject out of hand.
https://www.hotpress.com/opinion/hot-press-interview-with-sinn-fein-mep-liadh-ni-riada-sparks-row-with-dup-20381283

The Sinn Féin MEP also said that she disagreed with describing IRA atrocities such as Bloody Friday, Warrington or the Birmingham pub bombings as terrorist attacks. “It was a terrible time of conflict,” she said. “But there is no conflict without a reason.”

Larbre34 · 16-09-2018 6:24pm

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Looks like Mickey D is in again .

Many a slip twixt cup and lip

Capt'n Midnight · 16-09-2018 6:35pm

More comments from
https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/09/16/liadh-ni-riada-announced-as-sinn-fein-presidential-candidate/

Looks a very good candidate. Ireland has done a very good line female presidents

Unfortunately for her the boul Mickey will romp it so probably anything in the mid twenties or above, percent wise, will be respectable.

...
Agree. The wee garden gnome promised only one term the last time. He realised it was a cushy job. People should be mindful of that.

...
He was of course the official 'austerity' president, with all sorts of savings made due to his diminutive stature.

As a rich nation again we can now afford someone taller.

:pac:

Who leads to a different question , who would look after the business empires of the dragons ?

expectationlost · 16-09-2018 6:41pm

brightspark wrote: »

Ming's attendance has improved slightly, but it appears that none of our MEP's think it's important to be there. No doubt attendance at the Dail is even worse if the empty seats frequently seen on tv are anything to go by.
Brian Crowley should really consider resigning if his health is that bad and allow someone else to take the seat instead (At this stage he has probably entitled to a pension so it's not as if he will be destitute).

ming moved his family to brussels he's now at 94.65% https://www.votewatch.eu/en/term8-luke-ming-flanagan-2.html

pixelburp · 16-09-2018 6:50pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

More comments from
https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/09/16/liadh-ni-riada-announced-as-sinn-fein-presidential-candidate/ :pac:

Who leads to a different question , who would look after the business empires of the dragons ?

That's a fair question I and some friends were wondering; obviously with a businessman in the hotseat in the US, the question of a blind trust was pertinent after 2016, but presumably with fewer potential legislative issues, the Irish president isn't required to step away. Seems like an important set of questions for the Dragons and whether they intend stepping away from their ventures while President.

jimwallace197 · 16-09-2018 6:54pm

I think Michael D makes a good president. Diplomatic most of the time, patriotic and I'm pretty confident that he is not corrupt. Eloquent aswell

The same cannot be said of the rest of his rivals.

An Ciarraioch · 16-09-2018 7:52pm

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

brightspark wrote: »

Liadh Ní Riada promises to bring 'enthusiasm, energy and commitment' if elected president.

https://sluggerotoole.com/2018/09/16/liadh-ni-riada-announced-as-sinn-fein-presidential-candidate/

One, as David points out Michael D is a hugely popular even with SF voters. It will be a struggle to get even them to switch. Two, the party refused to let the press ask any questions at the launch event, in a clear attempt to avoid questions on the Cahill case.

Suspect that evasion will now follow her throughout the campaign.

Presidential debates will be interesting seeing as Michael has no reason to do them,
and Seanie is using that as an excuse to avoid questions on the five grand or what he's done over the last seven years,
and now Liada looks set to dodge them too.

At best this is whataboutery, but the merest whiff of support for the IRA means a lot more half the electorate will reject out of hand.
https://www.hotpress.com/opinion/hot-press-interview-with-sinn-fein-mep-liadh-ni-riada-sparks-row-with-dup-20381283

The Sinn Féin MEP also said that she disagreed with describing IRA atrocities such as Bloody Friday, Warrington or the Birmingham pub bombings as terrorist attacks. “It was a terrible time of conflict,” she said. “But there is no conflict without a reason.”

An interesting question to ponder is when does the presidential right to speak on pertinent issues of the day overstep into the territory of Government departments? She can discuss a united Ireland in terms of building bridges across the Border and engaging with unionism, but at what point of detail does such discussion become the preserve of Foreign Affairs and the two governments?

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 8:16pm

brightspark wrote: »

Ming's attendance has improved slightly, but it appears that none of our MEP's think it's important to be there. No doubt attendance at the Dail is even worse if the empty seats frequently seen on tv are anything to go by.
Brian Crowley should really consider resigning if his health is that bad and allow someone else to take the seat instead (At this stage he has probably entitled to a pension so it's not as if he will be destitute).

Crowley has been ill for years now and while I'd have the greatest of sympathy for his personal circumstances, we need to have representatives in there who have the capacity to do their jobs - same for Ming. I know his wife was poorly, but this is not just some job where someone else can just pick up the slack.

Both of them should have resigned a long time ago but unfortunately we still seem to think the role of MEP as a prize and not as an important function.

Henryhill2 · 16-09-2018 8:16pm

jimwallace197 wrote: »

I think Michael D makes a good president. Diplomatic most of the time, patriotic and I'm pretty confident that he is not corrupt. Eloquent aswell

The same cannot be said of the rest of his rivals.

I think that's a common and reasonable view

Duffy and Gallagher would be seen as bluffers by a lot of people

Hard to see a vote for change here

Ash.J.Williams · 16-09-2018 8:19pm

this election is both a farce and a waste of money.

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 8:22pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

this election is both a farce and a waste of money.

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

marieholmfan · 16-09-2018 8:26pm

Phoebas wrote: »

Crowley has been ill for years now and while I'd have the greatest of sympathy for his personal circumstances, we need to have representatives in there who have the capacity to do their jobs

He is Flor Crowley's son. Why should he work for a living? FF aristocracy. The trash that vote for him believe (correctly) that he is better than them. Why are you bothered about it?

Ash.J.Williams · 16-09-2018 8:26pm

Phoebas wrote: »

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

gallagher did well the last time but is he a president?

expectationlost · 16-09-2018 8:26pm

I wonder what having the blasphemy referendum on the same day will do (for the not atheist Higgins, despite the myth), not much.

I wonder what effect having the womens' place in the home ref on the would have had, a bigger turn out atleast.

marieholmfan · 16-09-2018 8:27pm

Phoebas wrote: »

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

I am sure Princess Leia could arrange to have him very badly beaten indeed.

expectationlost · 16-09-2018 8:27pm

Phoebas wrote: »

Crowley has been ill for years now and while I'd have the greatest of sympathy for his personal circumstances, we need to have representatives in there who have the capacity to do their jobs - same for Ming. I know his wife was poorly, but this is not just some job where someone else can just pick up the slack.

Both of them should have resigned a long time ago but unfortunately we still seem to think the role of MEP as a prize and not as an important function.

Luke Flanagan Participation in roll-call votes:
94.65% https://www.votewatch.eu/en/term8-luke-ming-flanagan-2.html

brightspark · 16-09-2018 8:28pm

Phoebas wrote: »

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

Not even all of them together according the most recent poll

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/president-michael-d-higgins-heading-for-landslide-re-election-poll-shows-869327.html

but it's too early yet

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 8:39pm

Ash.J.Williams wrote: »

gallagher did well the last time but is he a president?

Personally I think his time has come and gone.
He never stuck me as presidential material, but then , noone has since maybe Robinson.

I just can't see any of them unseating Michael D. But political compitions can be funny like that.

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 8:42pm

brightspark wrote: »

Not even all of them together according the most recent poll

https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/president-michael-d-higgins-heading-for-landslide-re-election-poll-shows-869327.html

but it's too early yet

That's quite a gap.
I like Michael D, but I'd love if there was someone out there who could capture the imagination. But I'm not seeing it in the current crop.

Loafing Oaf · 16-09-2018 8:45pm

Phoebas wrote: »

I haven't seen any polling on it, but is there ANY chance that any of this crop can beat Michael D?

Water John · 16-09-2018 8:50pm

Richiepurgas, as someone down her neck of the woods remarked, 'the first time Liadh Ni Riada acknowledged his existence was when she came looking for a vote'

Brian Crowley hasn't been in Parliament due to illness. The sad fact is that is nearly still better than having his nominated replacement there.

goat2 · 16-09-2018 8:57pm

There seem to be a lot interested, It will cost them a lot , Michael D did a great job,

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 8:59pm

expectationlost wrote: »

Luke Flanagan Participation in roll-call votes:
94.65% https://www.votewatch.eu/en/term8-luke-ming-flanagan-2.html

I'm glad to see he's improved from his 16pct record. We had for a while the embarrassing situation where he and Crowley shared the two bottom participation slots.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/two-irish-meps-have-worst-voting-record-in-parliament-1.2037668?mode=amp

Water John · 16-09-2018 9:00pm

I honestly think a few should look at the polls and bow out early. Stop wasting time and money. Be a bit honest with themselves. Like some of the candidates in the early Primaries of the US election. If your not getting traction, opt out.

Annasopra · 16-09-2018 9:01pm

expectationlost wrote: »

I wonder what having the blasphemy referendum on the same day will do (for the not atheist Higgins, despite the myth), not much.

I wonder what effect having the womens' place in the home ref on the would have had, a bigger turn out atleast.

Bigger vote for MDH given his history in the 80s on the 8th probably

Phoebas · 16-09-2018 9:03pm

goat2 wrote: »

There seem to be a lot interested, It will cost them a lot , Michael D did a great job,

They ALL do a great job.
It's almost built in.

Can anyone think of a president who did a bad job.

So Michael D IS running again!

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