The Collective Stupidity of the Irish

[bennocelt]

Would you think Ganley and Liberatas (spelling?) might be a new option

As someone said there are a lot of people who would never give FG and labour votes - no matter what
FG-farmers party - blueshirts
Labour - a lot have never forgiven them for the FF pact, also it seems they have forgot about their roots

[pete]

Would you think Ganley and Liberatas (spelling?) might be a new option

I presume a joke?

Ganley preaches about the lack of transparency in the EU yet he has so far been able to account for his own funding. Libertas say they are not anti EU yet have aligned themselves with Euro skeptics across Europe. As far as I can tell Libertas don't actually stand for anything besides anti Lisbon Treaty - I can not tell why they are opposed to it as were willing to align with any group from religious far right to peace campaigners to get the result they wanted.

[Reality Bites]

Rename Thread the collective stupidy of Cowen and Lenihan, Is there any Government with as poor political savvy Individuals as these two idiots

[Bluebeard]

Is there any Government with as poor political savvy Individuals as these two idiots

Here is a conveniently compiled list - start from 19th listed, and follow through...

[mypost]

Ganley preaches about the lack of transparency in the EU yet he has so far been able to account for his own funding.

As far as I can tell Libertas don't actually stand for anything besides anti Lisbon Treaty - I can not tell why they are opposed to it.

There's a hint in the Libert-as name.

[Macy]

Anyone watch the programme last night on TG4 about the Soviets in Ireland? Things could've been very different if it had developed into a natural left and right.

To me the medical card wasn't an issue of wealth - it was the principal. And yet again the right wingers in FF and Harney have their way. As for alternatives, well didn't the FG/ Labour alternative propose a move towards universal health insurance?

Whatever about Bruton, Varadkar is a nincompoop. Just because he shouts loud and with confidence, doesn't mean it's not a stream of illinformed crap coming out of his mouth.

If there was an election tomorrow I'd nearly vote FF for the first time ever. Let them stew in their mess - long term it'd destroy them. Sometimes you have to think of the greater good.

[kingdom hoop]

Most organised countries have political systems which are virtually impossible to permeate

Its not an irish phenomenon either.

I am sure it is not an Irish issue.

Face it people democracy doesn't work

Just quickly reading down the thread it would seem a common trend is that governments may be inherently likely to fail, it's just a question of how bad they are. So for some a more apposite thread-title may be something like, 'The Stupidity of the Collective'. This thesis suggests that a centrally organised government's performance is best adjudged along The Stupidity Continuum (or, if I may be so jaunty, The Kingdom Hoop Government Assessment Scale); whereby actions range from a relatively benign, best we can hope for '0--a mild stupidity on a level with Roddy Collins--country still functions but most people unsatisfied' to a catastrophic '12--severe derangement, government exhibits the prowess of a month-old baby--country in melt-down, practically all people grossly unsatisfied bar the members of government who continue to coo and gurgle like detached insensitive imbeciles'. So, unfortunately, I think the incomprehensible events of the past week would have to be placed at around 8 on that scale.

[John83]

...a centrally organised government's performance is best adjudged along The Stupidity Continuum ... whereby actions range from a relatively benign, best we can hope for '0--a mild stupidity on a level with Roddy Collins--country still functions but most people unsatisfied' to a catastrophic '12--severe derangement on a level with Paul Doolin...

There, fixed it for you.

[geysir]

History shows a few examples that Fine Gael can be ruthless with slashing public spending in hardship times.
If you subscribe to the belief that the Banking system is basically fine, the Economic Boom was actually real (not just 90% debt on such things like inflated house values), that the State should bail out/keep alive the big investors and the large group of people who have 10 or 15% of the available wealth should bear the brunt of the worse effects of recession, then there is an argument that Fine Gael might carry that off better than Fianna Fail and do a better job of hoodwinking the people.

Unfortunately neither of the big political parties would succeed at rebuilding the economy.
The Irish people have used up all those debt cards that the Celtic Tiger was based upon
and there just happens to be a global crisis. There is nothing in their platforms to suggest anything more than hyperbole, slashing public spending and that basically the economic system is fine.

Though I read today that Fine Gael will for the first time in our history regard Fraud as a crime, offer as a central part of their platform that the Finance Regulator should be sacked without compensation, that a special fraud squad be set up with some of the best investigative prosecutors along with a large bounty to attract whistleblowers, will build rock solid cases against fraudsters, with emergency legislation similar to what exists allowing the seizing of assets belonging to drug dealers.
Then again, maybe I was dreaming.

[pete]

Though I read today that Fine Gael will for the first time in our history regard Fraud as a crime, offer as a central part of their platform that the Finance Regulator should be sacked without compensation, that a special fraud squad be set up with some of the best investigative prosecutors along with a large bounty to attract whistleblowers, will build rock solid cases against fraudsters, with emergency legislation similar to what exists allowing the seizing of assets belonging to drug dealers.
Then again, maybe I was dreaming.

Would be interesting to see that. FG did setup the Criminal Assets Bureau so they do have a track record. Finance Regulator definitely should be sacked as he failed in his job & cannot be trusted to run the bail out scheme competently.