Who would be better to run the country I have no allegiance to any party but the whole 166 tds don’t exactly instill any confidence

“If we are to avoid that final ruin, if we are to properly rectify much of what is broken and not merely smother it in inflationary balm and patch it over with a plaster of false accounting for a further, brief, electoral, half-life, there are three things which we could and should usefully add to the list of the downcast and destroyed.

These are, namely: that unsound money which is truly the root of all evil; the unfunded mountains of government debt with which such bad money engages in a poisonous symbiosis of executive tyranny and political corruption; the duty-free but rights-encrusted Provider State which waxes fat on that unholy alliance of illusory finance and which not only robs Peter piecemeal to pay Paul, but empowers Pericles to oversee the theft, and so suffuses the commonwealth with a miasma of perverse incentives, ethical degeneracy, and irreconcilable conflicts of interest.

What lies broken, we can surely fix, but only if we break in turn the habits of mind and the tyranny of the man-made institutions which we first allowed to break the things we value – our freedom of association, our independence of action, and our individual chance of prosperity.”
Sean Corrigan (The Wasteland)

I agree with you 100% Jerry. Our biggest single problem isn’t our economy, banking system or mountain of debt.
It’s our political establishment. It’s past it’s sell by date. It has not shown any capacity to tackle this nations problems. It has shown no leadership, conviction or competence.
This is what needs to be resolved before we can return to growth.

http://www.davidmcwilliams.ie/2011/10/19/we-must-reinvent-ireland-or-face-permanent-decline

Please don’t quote McWilliams. The attention will go to his head.

John, Hard not to disagree with much of your post, However, the idea of “not exercising ones vote” is not something I agree with. No matter what your ideals or beleifs I think there was a sufficent range of canditates accross all the consituiencies to cater for all political views. the right to vote (and exercise it actively) is a hard won right which should at all times be exercised even if the outcome is not the desired one from your viewpoint.

@ John well put and I hope most of us are ready next election

Fair enough Sean.
I am only putting forward another view. The unthinking belief that it is your obligation to vote has to be looked at. There is a sufficient range of electoral canditates on any given occasion to PURPORT to represent the voters views but then abandon them at the whim of their own self interest or the imposition of the party whip.
My belief is that the enfranchised citizen should use the power of their RIGHT to vote rather than abide by a mindless belief that they should. Especially in our current position where politicians of every hue have shown themselves to be unable or unwilling to act in the true interest of the citizen.

Thanks Eileen
I think in the present situation the voter needs to fundamentally look at why they vote and on what basis. Is voting a right or an obligation? It would make an interesting poll for Journal readers I believe.

OOps I beg your pardon! (was talking to someone else as well as writing) – Bernadette

I completely agree with Sean in relation to Johns comment. I would however like to see mandatory voting, As Sean pointed out, over the centuries thousands of Irish men and women gave up their lives so we could live in our country and be governed by our politicians without interference from any monarchy or other state.

Roderic
It sticks in my craw to advocate not exercising ones vote, believe me. I have posted comments these last few days strongly supporting the men who died to bring us our freedom and the right to determine ourselves. However there is a strong belief that the people who now walk in their footsteps would not be fit to polish these men’s boots and that we are on route invariably set upon selling out our hardwon gains.
I ask myself would Michael Collins, James Connelly, Padraic Pearse vote for any of the useless gobshites that attempt to fill their places. Or would they view them as a threat to our rights and freedom as they once did the old enemy?

No way John. You can’t just sit back and let them at it. There must be someone down there you can vote for.

I think you miss my point Reada.
Politicians need to be challenged, by their very nature they are chancers, willing to spout what they think people will swallow just to pick up a lazy vote. That’s what has got us where we are.
This is a small country with a tight political clique who are career politicians foremost and public representatives as a second course on the menu – a meal, by the way, paid for by those they truly represent – their chums and financiers. They have to be shown that the electorate are angry, smart and not to be bought by glib promises. They have to fear us not mock us and for that I speak for ‘em all – even the pinky ones down my way!!!

Mandatory voting would not get my vote……….boom boom!

Seriously tho, I fully respect those who have fully thought out why
they do not vote.

To be honest Im so fed up meself, that Im doin a few odd things these days.
One of them is Im not going to tax me car. Fu*k it, i don’t care. this whole thing is a sham.
If I get caught, so be it. Ill do ‘the time’ if i get caught for the crime.

When our ‘leaders’ demonstrate their commitment, honesty and integrity
to the people of Ireland, I will more than meet them half way.
In the meantime…….

…the can suck, lick or sweat for it! eh joe?

LOL! :-)

And only if they send the chief hisself, the enda buck,
around to me door,
and not those wannabes, phil and the rabitte fella etc,
sure dem clowns would only make a balls outta it!

Sean you oly get to vote for those in your constituency. And if you vote for a criminal, he’s there under your mandate.

Richard Bruton is sitting back and rubbing his hands in glee. This government will fail and fall in the same manner they did in the 80s. Richard Bruton will soon be calling for Endas head and there seems to be rumblings in the coalition. I’m guessing General Elections by the end of the year.

I’m getting sick of the “we’ve no one else, who else is there” whinging. We have another option and one that has never been tested by this country and it is to vote center left. Next G.E I will be giving my votes to Sinn Fein, Soialist, ULA, and Independents.
I’d sooner give my vote to people who would die for their country, than those that are more than happy to sell us and our kids up the swanney as long as their own nests are feathered first.

So will I. It’s 14 years since the GFA. Sinn Féin and ULA are the only ones that are saying this is #NotOurDebt.

Meanwhile the FiannaGaeLabour party continue to fill banks coffers with our hard earned cash. Because they lack imagination and prefer to bow to financial institutions before their people.

I would like Ireland to be a “Lighthouse” in these “unchartered waters”. We should take our opportunity to show the world that People come before Banks.

Sorry Reada, I’m not gonna vote for someone who’s political experience is based around choosing who should get shot and who should just get kneecapped. That said, I wouldn’t vote for any of the egotist profiteers who would get involoved in politics in this corrupt country (not that we’re more corrupt than any others except the scandies, and less than most in the world IMO)

That is unfair El. A lot of members of Sinn Féin played no part in the troubles. Don’t forget the insignificance the IRA played prior to Bloody Sunday. The Catholic community in the 6 counties were abandoned by this state. I’m not condoning violence but they were under attack from British soldiers on their own streets. Injustice will always be a breeding ground for violence. The British army and the sectarianism in the 6 counties fuelled the violence not just the IRA.

If the truth came out we would find the mud sticking to every political party in this country.That’s why enda and company will never inforce any findings from any investigation.As the saying goes mud sticks.

Sean I dont want the constitution changed. Its the only piece of protection we have. We dont need to change it there is enough legislation in this country to deal with corruption. Cab alone could bring down this house of cards but political will is very thin on the ground.

Completely agree Michael!!

Our Irish constitution is the only protection against Europe we have. It does not need to be changed, and you are quite right, this country has ample resources to bring the house of cards down but alas political corruption goes right to the very core and save for the next election we will be promised the sun moon and stars but nothing will be done to tip the boat. We know they all have a piece of the pie!! And not one of out politicians like to share!

@ Ryan be aware that the fiscal compast referendum will create an amendment with the power to basically negate the whole constitution

How about VALUE CHIPS?

More than likely, for then the only way is up (Or down in that tables case) We’d move to 6th place again and they’d all be spouting that ‘Ireland has come a long way’ yada yada…

Where are Iceland tho?