Enda Kenny...do you like or loathe him?

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

I still view Enda and Fine Gael as similar to Cowen and Fianna Fail. No real differences in their policies. Had the roles been reversed, we'd be in the same mess right now, and with the opposing party suggesting the same 'solutions'. The comments from Enda, to me, were made when the overwhelming position from the public on the recent revelations couldn't be ignored, and so Enda made a statement to appeal to public sentiment. It's populist stuff (although having said that, it's good that - finally - something like this was said by our taoiseach directly to the Vatican state and not the bishops of Ireland).

But there's no other option, it seems. When Fine Gael are spent, we'll have Fianna Fail back again. And vice-versa. For eternity.

My own political persuasion would be socialist has been ever since I started voting, so I don't agree with many of his policies. I suppose I'm surprised by Enda so anything he does that is in some way positive, I'm pleasantly surprised by. I suppose the last shower were so bad, anything looks good in comparison. As you say, his policies are pretty much the same as his predecessor but I don't dislike the guy as much as I thought I would I'd go as far as saying I don't dislike him at all.

Yes, his speech today was appealing to the public sentiment but at the end of the day, regardless of his ulterior motives (i.e. gain popularity with us), it WAS said and the message will be heard by those in power within the Vatican. Politicians are supposed to represent us and if he made the speech because of public pressure, then surely that's a good thing? It feels like we're being listened to for a change.

I suppose I don't expect much from ANY politician and it's a case of being thrown a scrap of bread when you're starving. Sad that it has to be a case of "better than nothing" when it comes to politics but that's the way of the world, unfortunately. They're all bastards but some less than others.

Zebra3 wrote: »

Eve,

Are you really a socialist?

Kenny is a collaborator in overseeing the shifting of €100,000,000,000 of private debt onto the taxpayer resulting in cutbacks that will kill working class people and destroy their lives.

Our country is now under EU/IMF occupation which he supported in opposition and which he now, as our Taoiseach, proudly endorses as a modern day Quisling.

I think you have to reread what I wrote CAREFULLY.

Toby Take a Bow wrote: »

I'd vote socialist too, so whoever's in power is never really going to appeal with me, so yeah, what was said was a good thing to be said, but I'd never really trust someone who issues a statement like that only after the fact. I'd prefer Kenny to stick by his right-wing ideas so that we know what to expect, rather than someone who will wait for what he thinks is popular sentiment and go with that. That he did this in this case is fantastic, and yes, I believe it will change things for the better. I'd be worried, however, that this appealing to perceived popular sentiment would be followed in other areas that would be detrimental to society and so on.

What he said HAD to be said and I personally don't care WHY he said it. How do we know what he said wasn't genuine and not just appealing to popular sentiment? I know what you're trying to say but isn't it nice that someone IS trying to appeal to the sentiment of the people that voted him in for a change? We've been essentially ignored for years and this is a breath of fresh air.

It's more than I expected from a conservative leader. Just because I agree with this move, doesn't mean I agree with him on everything he does because I don't. I don't agree with the man's politics generally, I just thought I'd dislike him more than I do (that's not to say I like or trust him).