QuoteAh see, you're all quick to criticise but when the chips are down where's your alternatives?!?!
Well done pete
Non Party Affiliated Government Cabinet
Following on from recent threads... Pick a National Government cabinet from across all parties or even non-politicians.
Portfolios not so important.
Ah see, you're all quick to criticise but when the chips are down where's your alternatives?!?!
Well done pete
Do bear in mind that I'm not getting the Irish media much these days, and am probably basing much on the way people were behaving two years ago. One rule I am setting myself - no more than one minister from any party. Otehrwise, I have redrawn the Departments a bit. Here goes.
Taoiseach: Tony Gregory (Ind)
Tanaiste: Patricia McKenna (GP)
Finance: David McWilliams (not due to any great faith in his financial beliefs, rather that the excuses would be more entertaining)
Foreign Affairs: Richard Bruton (FG)
Education: Mick Martin (FF)
Health, Children, Family: Finian McGrath (Ind)
Justice & Law Reform: Joe Higgins (SP)
Social Affairs, Equality, Immigration: David Norris (Ind)
Arts, Sports & Whatever your having yourself: Michael D Higgins (Lab - Still only 67!)
Environment & Energy, incorporating Transport: Duncan Stewart
Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources: Christy Burke (SF - This needs explaining - a really able politician, he has little background in either and therefore will not be accused of being on the side of one or the other, and also should look to Nat Res seriously)
Chief Whip: Pat Cox (Ind PD)
Attorney General: Matt Cooper
Go on now, rip it apart; but if you do, provide a solution to the problem, under the "One per party" rule.
Last edited by Bluebeard; 23/10/2008 at 10:08 AM. Reason: Making it a little more reader friendly
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
Originally Posted by Dodge
Why give a portfolio like foreign affairs to an eloquent well spoken individual like Richard Bruton? It's Jacky Healy Rae you want in there to really sell to the yanks, Brits, japs, chinks and assorted darkies the face of Ireland they want.
...and you could give the younger Healy Rae Social Affairs, Equality and Immigration. Though due to uniform pronounciation we wouldn't know whether it was Imigrants or Emigrants he'd responsibility for.
" I wish to God that someone would be able to block out the voices in my head for five minutes, the voices that scream, over and over again: "Why do they come to me to die?"
Finian McGrath? The guy who sells his vote to the highest bidder? Tony Gregory might politician but not sure he could lead a government & I would not let Patricia McKenna anywhere near government.
Alternatives?
(While keeping to the rule I set.)
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
You can watch all the action live from the two houses on oireachtas.ie. Irish Times is free online. You have my phone number. You could open a Media Watch thread here so we can keep you fully updated on any other happenings. Plenty of options to keep you abreast of things rather than showing yourself up with the inclusion of Patricia McKenna.
Ok then. How's about:
Taoiseach: Mise (UCD)
Tanaiste: Dodge (Pats)
Finance: OneRedArmy (Der)
Foreign Affairs: Strangeirish (Ind)
Education: Micls (Crk)
Health, Children, Family: MagicMe (Mon)
Justice & Law Reform: Jebus (Lim)
Social Affairs, Equality, Immigration: Ruben Sosa (Ind)
Arts, Sports & Whatever your having yourself: Passinginterest (Wex)
Environment & Energy, incorporating Transport: Bluebeard (Wat)
Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources: BohsPartisan (Boh)
Chief Whip: Macy (Lon)
Attorney General: -dfx (SR)
The Dream Team!
More seriously, I'd agree with a good few of yours (Michael D, Norris, the exiled Kerryman, Bruton, and Duncun Stewart in particular), but might have gone with Dermot Ahern as the best of the bad bunch in FF, while Caoimhín O Caoláin (probably my favourite TD) would represent the Shinners with a fairly high-powered ministry. Hard to pick the top two alright though. I suppose Rico isn't doing that awful much these times. Overall, it seems hard enough to get a decent government out of all the TDs; I actually think we'd do better to be honest.
There is no way in a million, billion, trillion years that Jebus, with his 'criminals are people too', 'a hug can set you free', 'prisons are bad, world music is redemption', 'Punishing a crime is worse than commiting a crime' outlook on life should be allowed anywhere near that portfolio and should your sweeping change come to pass I will, with a little regret, execute my oldest friend myself for the good of us all. Under the laws he will have rushed through in the days before I murder him as he leaves his office the consequences I will suffer for this act will include a free PS3, a 500euro voucher for a shop of my choice and an exemption from criminal prosecution for a period of at least 5 years while I 'find myself' as long as I join a meditation circle and write a haiku.
The ball is round and has many surprises.
Why does no-one seem to be getting the sitcom potential of having Patricia McKenna as Tanaiste?
I'd return to Ireland if that were the government.
Ok then. How's about:
Taoiseach: Mise (UCD)
Tanaiste: Dodge (Pats)
Finance: OneRedArmy (Der)
Foreign Affairs: Strangeirish (Ind)
Education: Micls (Crk)
Health, Children, Family: MagicMe (Mon)
Justice & Law Reform: Jebus (Lim)
Social Affairs, Equality, Immigration: Ruben Sosa (Ind)
Arts, Sports & Whatever your having yourself: Passinginterest (Wex)
Environment & Energy, incorporating Transport: Bluebeard (Wat)
Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources: BohsPartisan (Boh)
Chief Whip: Macy (Lon)
Attorney General: -dfx (SR)
The Dream Team!
Then, as a minister, I'd promptly spend the next 6 months jetting around the world with my entourage investigating ways of combatting carbon emissions...
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
Of current politicians I would probably include:
Dermot Ahern FF (seems good but has had easy ministries)
hard to pick other FF-ers
Eamon Ryan Gr
John Gormley Gr
Richard Bruton FG
Leo Varadkar FG
Ruairi Quinn Lab
Liz McManus Lab
Tony Gregory Ind
David Norris Ind
Sometimes it is good the person has experience in the area he/she looking after & at other times not good. Don't have to be a former teacher to run Education but might expect some financial experience for Finance,
Er, my post was very firmly on topic.
The question was "Pick a National Government cabinet from across all parties or even non-politicians."
I said me and my mates. There, I picked a government of non-politicians as the question said I could. Reason? Me and my mates knew a recession was on the horizon while the real government claims it was unforeseeable. Therefore, we'd do a better job.
Cheers for the nomination. Looking forward to banning animal slaughter and making Quorn consumption compulsory!
I'll also use the hot air from Roddy Collins to power the national grid.
Last edited by BohsPartisan; 27/10/2008 at 9:17 AM.
TO TELL THE TRUTH IS REVOLUTIONARY
The ONLY foot.ie user with a type of logic named after them!
All of this has happened before. All of it will happen again.
I'd vote yesOk then. How's about:
Taoiseach: Mise (UCD)
Tanaiste: Dodge (Pats)
Finance: OneRedArmy (Der)
Foreign Affairs: Strangeirish (Ind)
Education: Micls (Crk)
Health, Children, Family: MagicMe (Mon)
Justice & Law Reform: Jebus (Lim)
Social Affairs, Equality, Immigration: Ruben Sosa (Ind)
Arts, Sports & Whatever your having yourself: Passinginterest (Wex)
Environment & Energy, incorporating Transport: Bluebeard (Wat)
Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources: BohsPartisan (Boh)
Chief Whip: Macy (Lon)
Attorney General: -dfx (SR)
The Dream Team!
Looking forward to advising the quickest way to outlaw the gah, property developers and putting a restraining order on Glen Crowe playing Rovers[/salivates]
Last edited by dfx-; 27/10/2008 at 4:11 PM.
The Model Club
Tell all the Bohs you know
that we've gone and won two-in-a-row
and it's not gonna be three
and it's not gonna be four
it's more likely to be 5-1.
Justice and Law reform eh? In equal measures I will push for the reintroduction of state executions to counter my 'Hug a Hoodie' policies
Making Quorn consumption copmpulsory?Cheers for the nomination. Looking forward to banning animal slaughter and making Quorn consumption compulsory!
You are part of the problem, man. It should be REAL vegetables and REAL fruit only.
While I am very happy to work with you as part of my energy brief on the Colinsgen project (an inspired and almost limitless resource), and utterly agree with the Animal Slaughter Bill, I will have to oppose you at the Cabinet table on the Quorn issue as being a step short of the way forward.
I also must confess to great interest in Jebus Execute-a-Hoodie-Hugger policy...
That question was less stupid, though you asked it in a profoundly stupid way.
Help me, Arthur Murphy, you're my only hope!
Basically there would be 3 stages for a convicted prisioner. Reform centre (unless your crime is deemed too serious), prison (which would be reformed so it is a lot tougher than today) and execution (no life sentences, just execution), I'll go into it further when I'm not hungover, but crime would run on John Locke's* Harm Principal if you want to do some investigating
* The philosopher, not the TV character, although I'[d be interested in hearing his thoughts on matters too
You see I'm not really liberal on crime, I'm just softer than SLK, Monkfish, Generation XI, and the other right wingers that support Limerick
So are you using these methods as a deterent or as a punishment? Have to say I wouldnt agree with execution on any level. It doesnt act as a deterrent to people commiting crime. Also lets them off "lightly" in punishment terms for commiting horrible acts.
If you were to have a reform centre then prison should be for surely punishment. No more budgies & mobile phones.
I normally wouldn't unless we are talking about a hypothetical ideal society, because I wouldn't trust the justice system to not make mistakes when it comes to sentencing. But hypothetically I would agree with it instead of life imprisionment on two counts, a) Lifers are a huge tax drain on society and b) if they have been found guilty of a crime serious enough to warrant this punishment then in my eyes they have lost the right to be thought of as anything other than a bunch of figures on a page. It opens up human rights violations I know, but so to those hard labour or any form of serious punishment, which brings me on to
It would be, it would go back to hard labour and wouldn't be seen as a place for prisioners to cool off for 2 years anymore. Prison should genuinely be the major deterrent to crime, and it really isn't at the moment
Tony Gregory not a well man.
Always look on the bright side of life
Taoiseach: Senator Shane Ross (IND)
Tanaiste: Leo Varadkar (FG
Finance: Richard Bruton (FG)
Foreign Affairs: Martin Manseragh (FF)
Education: Bryan Hayes (FG)
Health, Children, Family: Mary Harney (PD)
Justice & Law Reform: Michael McDowell (PD) if he would come back otherwise Brian Lenihan (FF)
Social Affairs, Equality, Immigration: Mary "Mammy" O'Rourke (FF)
Arts, Sports & Whatever your having yourself: Michael D Higgins (Lab )
Environment & Energy, incorporating Transport: Olivia Mitchell (FG)
Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources: Seymour Crawford (FG)
Chief Whip: Brian Cowan (FF)
Attorney General: Peter Sutherland (again) or Justice George Bermingham
"No one could make a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little." - Edmund Burke
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