Leo Varadkar doesn't think referendums are very democratic

Undercover FBI Agent · 30-01-2012 12:44AM #1

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0129/politics.html

Is this guy off his trolley?

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has said he is concerned that a referendum on the planned EU fiscal treaty would focus not on its content but on domestic issues.
Mr Varadkar said he didn't think referendums are "very democratic" and said by-and-large referendum campaigns in the past were never about what they are supposed to be about.
He said he would be concerned that a vote on the EU plan would focus on extraneous issues such as septic tanks, bondholders, the banking crisis or Government cutbacks.
A decision on whether a referendum is needed will be taken after the final text is agreed.
It is expected tomorrow's EU summit will sign off on the text.

jesus_thats_gre · 30-01-2012 12:46AM

Did you read what he said?

Captain Darling · 30-01-2012 12:47AM

News just in: Democracy is not democratic.

The_Minister · 30-01-2012 12:47AM

Read what he said, and not just the title.

It's controversial, but it is not insane, or even that unreasonable.

Undercover FBI Agent · 30-01-2012 12:47AM

Mr Varadkar said he didn't think referendums are "very democratic" and said by-and-large referendum campaigns in the past were never about what they are supposed to be about.

Yes I did

admiralofthefleet · 30-01-2012 12:48AM

maybe not where his oul fella comes from but here in Ireland they are

Richard tea · 30-01-2012 12:49AM

What Leo is really trying to say is..........We (the gov) know whats best for you ( the people ) so just let us handle this one old chaps.

Galwayguy35 · 30-01-2012 12:49AM

Undercover FBI Agent wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0129/politics.html

Is this guy off his trolley?

Nope he is spot on. He knows people will vote it down just to get one over on the Government even if its in the countries best interests to pass it.

kfallon · 30-01-2012 12:49AM

His voice just does my head in :rolleyes:

TheZohanS · 30-01-2012 12:50AM

What did Darth Vader say?

dlofnep · 30-01-2012 12:51AM

He's a clown. Referenda are only undemocratic when they don't go his way. (Ala Lisbon I). He has the audacity to come out with this nonsense, right after breaking the cap for an advisor - upping it to €135,000 a year.

He's a lying scumbag.

The_Minister · 30-01-2012 12:52AM

The relevant context for his remarks is below:

Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar has said he is concerned that a referendum on the planned EU fiscal treaty would focus not on its content but on domestic issues.

Mr Varadkar said he didn't think referendums are "very democratic" and said by-and-large referendum campaigns in the past were never about what they are supposed to be about.

He said he would be concerned that a vote on the EU plan would focus on extraneous issues such as septic tanks, bondholders, the banking crisis or Government cutbacks.

He's right, that is how referendums tend to work in Ireland.

It's not fair to take one line out of context and go ballistic without considering the rest of his remarks, which explain what he said.

Manach · 30-01-2012 12:52AM

That in essence is what the minister stated.
He is partially right in that it would be difficult for people to set aside party loyalities or dis-satisfaction about the economy and vote purely on the issue at hand.

efb · 30-01-2012 12:52AM

He's right, people use referendum's as reason to voice your objection to the current government's policies

Captain Darling · 30-01-2012 12:54AM

Sure the whole Fine Gael party along with the stuffed shirt, massively overpaid Civil Servants at the top think we are a bunch of fcuking idiots. Edna Kenny said as much earlier this week to an international audience.

Nothing to do with the same Civil Servants paying themselves massive wages and totally mismanaging the country over the last fifteen years. Self serving, pompous fcuking assholes.

Simi · 30-01-2012 12:57AM

He's right. Referenda in Ireland are dominated by pressure groups (on both sides) who deliberately feed false information to the public to serve their own agenda.

lugha · 30-01-2012 12:59AM

The_Minister wrote: »

He's right, that is how referendums tend to work in Ireland.

Of course he is right.

If I might misquote Oscar W., the only thing that will provoke more indignation in the people than being lied to by politicians, is being told the truth by politicians.

Expect this thread to run and run.

Captain Darling · 30-01-2012 12:59AM

Whats wrong with having a go at the government? Voting against them in any referendum cant do any more harm on the country then what has been inflicted on us already?

Its not like we are the laughing stock of Europe. :pac:

Chucky the tree · 30-01-2012 01:01AM

Captain Darling wrote: »

Whats wrong with having a go at the government? Voting against them in any referendum cant do any more harm on the country then what has been inflicted on us already?

Its not like we are the laughing stock of Europe. :pac:

Why not simply vote on the basis of the referendum being good for Ireland or bad? Unfortunately lots of Irish people are to dumb and short-sighted for that one though.

My name is URL · 30-01-2012 01:01AM

He does have a point, but I think any elected representative should avoid coming out with stuff like that. It doesn't exactly shine his own electorate in a great light. They weren't so averse to the populist referendum on judges pay recently.

Captain Darling · 30-01-2012 01:06AM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Why not simply vote on the basis of the referendum being good for Ireland or bad? Unfortunately lots of Irish people are to dumb and short-sighted for that one though.

Well, i'm totally jaded with the Mickey Mouse show that is our political system. I'll vote in relation to the merits of what is being put in front of me.

What pisses me off, is that these fcuking **** dont trust us to tie our own shoe laces and dont have enough confidence in themselves or their ability to run the country that they dont believe they can even gain popular support for a constitutional referendum.

I dont think its dumb and short sighted to express that. I'm sick of the political system here. Its a joke, it has made our country a joke and it shall continue to be a joke for as long as i can see.

ascanbe · 30-01-2012 01:09AM

The_Minister wrote: »

The relevant context for his remarks is below:

He's right, that is how referendums tend to work in Ireland.

It's not fair to take one line out of context and go ballistic without considering the rest of his remarks, which explain what he said.

I don't think anyone is taking what he said out of context.
It's quite clear what he's saying; that the 'ordinary' people can't comprehend these issues, can be easily 'mislead' and therefore it's more democratic to not let them vote on something at all than risk them getting it 'wrong'.
This is the exact kind of logic dictators use to justify not having general elections; the 'ordinary' people don't understand what's happening, might be mislead, might vote in the 'wrong' people, ie the opposition, and this would be bad for the country.
Therefore it's better not to give them a choice in the matter.
For their own good.

Liam Byrne · 30-01-2012 01:09AM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

Undercover FBI Agent wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0129/politics.html

Is this guy off his trolley?

Nope he is spot on. He knows people will vote it down just to get one over on the Government even if its in the countries best interests to pass it.

As distinct from all the stuff they're doing that isn't in our interest ? The stuff that - if we'd known they'd u-turn on - we wouldn't have voted for them ?

I used to like an respect Varadkar but he's (u)turned into a right tosser since he got into government.

Maybe he has a point, though - if we hadn't been as easily misled by his comments re making bondholders face their losses, we might have elected a more ethical and fair crowd than his.

Chucky the tree · 30-01-2012 01:11AM

Captain Darling wrote: »

Well, i'm totally jaded with the Mickey Mouse show that is our political system. I'll vote in relation to the merits of what is being put in front of me.

What pisses me off, is that these fcuking **** dont trust us to tie our own shoe laces and dont have enough confidence in themselves or their ability to run the country that they dont believe they can even gain popular support for a constitutional referendum.

I dont think its dumb and short sighted to express that. I'm sick of the political system here. Its a joke, it has made our country a joke and it shall continue to be a joke for as long as i can see.

Why should they? This is the same electorate who rowed behind the great honest politician that is Bertie and Fianna Fail. The same Electorate who voted in guys like Healy-rae, Lowry, Mick Wallace and plenty of other clowns who only know how to fill a pot-hole. If I was in Government the last thing I'd want is to ask the Irish people to vote on anything even remotely important because there is a very strong chance they will **** it up.

lugha · 30-01-2012 01:12AM

ascanbe wrote: »

I don't think anyone is taking what he said out of context.
It's quite clear what he's saying; that the 'ordinary' people can't comprehend these issues, can be easily 'mislead' and therefore it's more democratic to not let them vote on something at all than risk them getting it 'wrong'.
This is the exact kind of logic dictators use to justify not having general elections; the 'ordinary' people don't understand what's happening, might be mislead, might vote in the 'wrong' people, ie the opposition, and this would be bad for the country.
Therefore it's better not to give them a choice in the matter.
For their own good.

Er, no. That is not what he is saying. At all. :rolleyes:

gcgirl · 30-01-2012 01:12AM

how can you take seriously someone who wears a dinner jacket with a Dublin Jersey Knobend:D

Liam Byrne · 30-01-2012 01:13AM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Captain Darling wrote: »

Well, i'm totally jaded with the Mickey Mouse show that is our political system. I'll vote in relation to the merits of what is being put in front of me.

What pisses me off, is that these fcuking **** dont trust us to tie our own shoe laces and dont have enough confidence in themselves or their ability to run the country that they dont believe they can even gain popular support for a constitutional referendum.

I dont think its dumb and short sighted to express that. I'm sick of the political system here. Its a joke, it has made our country a joke and it shall continue to be a joke for as long as i can see.

Why should they? This is the same electorate who rowed behind the great honest politician that is Bertie and Fianna Fail. The same Electorate who voted in guys like Healy-rae, Lowry, Mick Wallace and plenty of other clowns who only know how to fill a pot-hole. If I was in Government the last thing I'd want is to ask the Irish people to vote on anything even remotely important because there is a very strong chance they will **** it up.

Kettle, pot when it comes to government though......the stuff they're voting on (Internet laws and breaking pay caps and imposed sexism and how to screw ordinary people more) is hardly the stuff they should be doing.

stonetrower · 30-01-2012 01:14AM

A vote for Leo Varadkar and his FG is a vote against Democracy. At least the Greeks are putting a fight up. Leo is a medical doctor in charge of Tourism and Transport. What does he know about those subjects including Finance. Gob Almighty needs to get back to treating sick patients in Connolly Hospital.

Podge_irl · 30-01-2012 01:14AM

ascanbe wrote: »

It's quite clear what he's saying; that the 'ordinary' people can't comprehend these issues, can be easily 'mislead' and therefore it's more democratic to not let them vote on something at all than risk them getting it 'wrong'.

It's quite clear that's not what he's saying.

He's saying people don't bother even trying to comprehend what they're being asked to vote on and base their vote on utterly irrelevant and extraneous issues. Which, based on exit polling, is entirely accurate.

Captain Darling · 30-01-2012 01:18AM

Chucky the tree wrote: »

Why should they? This is the same electorate who rowed behind the great honest politician that is Bertie and Fianna Fail. The same Electorate who voted in guys like Healy-rae, Lowry, Mick Wallace and plenty of other clowns who only know how to fill a pot-hole. If I was in Government the last thing I'd want is to ask the Irish people to vote on anything even remotely important because there is a very strong chance they will **** it up.

And who the fcuk elected the current government in? Jesus Christ, that has to be one of the densest replies to a post i have ever read. The current government are bending over taking it up the hole from the troike, they dont trust the electorate because they are a spineless bunch of fcukers and want to deny us what is out constitutional right because they think 'WE' the people who elected them might lash out at them.

I think if anything, people today are more politically savvy and aware because of all the troubles. In fact you should be in government because you have the same bullsh1t opinion as the morons in power.

Ffs. :pac:

ascanbe · 30-01-2012 01:18AM

lugha wrote: »

Er, no. That is not what he is saying. At all. :rolleyes:

Really?
Though your use of the :rolleyes: in your response is certainly convincing, i'm still inclined to think that that's precisely what he is saying.

Leo Varadkar doesn't think referendums are very democratic

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