Oh I know what happened was within the rules - but that's why I disagree with the rules here
If McGregor did manage to get on the ballot, does anyone think there would be possibility that there would be enough yahoos in the country that would vote him in? Id like to think no, but I never thought Brexit would get voted for and I never thought Trump would get elected once never mind twice!
Its really not that complicated!!!
He was polling in single digits when he was being mooted as a candidate. If he was one of four (as in, him and the three others), then that would probably increase. But it's a long way from single digits - with a lot of people very opposed - to winning.
That was partly my point, they'd love it, pounce on it and have a pop at the EU indirectly also, Germany in Many ways being the lead the EU so the leader of the EU is Nazi....so says the (possible) Irish head of state.
There is part of me that would want to see McGregor at a presedential debate on tv, the curious mischief part, and part of me would have been abhored by him having any platform. I think a little bit of me would be embarressed that he was able to get on the ballot and while he wouldt have won, I dont think he'd have polled as badly as people would hope, getting low double digits. I know too many people that dismiss his conviction for being a civil case, ask them about admitted drug use and you get a bunch of whataboutery and evasion, or a simple well I like what he says (on immigration). He didnt turn up for a number of council meetings he was scheduled to canvas at. All in all I think Im glad that he hadnt a clue about the process, even if how it happened gives oxygen to the being silenced type claims his supporters would make. People who were elected at local, Dail and Seanad making nominations on our behalf is just about acceptible to me. Maybe they should be allowed a free vote without risk of losing the party whip, as a middle of the road?!
Last edited by Nesta99; 25/09/2025 at 8:27 PM.
I deleted a mate of mine that Id known since we were kids off social media around St Patricks day when McGregor was at the White House. Cant remember what exactly sparked the conversation between us but what he said to me was that " I think both McGregor and Trump are horrible cnuts and are criminals, but at least they are getting rid of woke so I'd vote for either of them given the chance."
I wonder how much of that sort of crap would there be if McGregor did get on the ballot, an anti establishment vote that would bring out people who wouldnt normally care to vote
Last edited by Razors left peg; 25/09/2025 at 8:42 PM.
Its really not that complicated!!!
I think comparing ther IRA to the bestiality of HAMAS is very harsh on the IRA. The ira killed probably 1500 people over 30 odd years HAMAS raped and killed roughly the same amount virtusly all civilians in a single day. Connolly is just wrong and the fact that her own "backers" didnt endorse her views says it all.
How long before she drops a clanger if she was elected??
Last edited by sbgawa; 25/09/2025 at 9:13 PM.
I was thinking about that possibility myself, that people would vote for him as protest vote. Many people I know who voted for Brexit said there were p1ssed with the government of the day and just voted against the establishment, and now moan that they didnt realise that a lot of others were doing the same. I was probably over estimating this but I am getting an impression that there were too many that could have voted in a similar pattern. It was similar in the GE before last when a lot of people gave preferences to SF that they wouldnt usually. So there is a disillusionment that could have fueled support. I find myself more and more feeling like I am voting for least worst candidates rather than what I would consider good candidates, inluding UK elections also. The last 2 presedential elections are arguably the last 2 that I was fine with, voting for what I thought was a strong candidate.
Keeping populist nutters out of the race is important. In the dumbed down social media world we live in if micky D had run against the winner of strictly come dancing he would probably lose. I think the current bar is ok as you need to get serious people to nominate you. But id probably put in another bar against people with criminal records.
The dumbing down of politics with the likes of Trump , Farage, boris johnson etc getting elected should make us all worried.
Who decides what views are populist and shouldn't be allowed though?
The people by giving their proxy to those they'd already elected? Maybe parts of the system that elects to the Seanad like NUI/TCD/+TUs. Convene citizen's assemblies in the year before. Allow public nominations to each council which secures x amount of the vote? There are certainly simple enough ways to change things up a bit but currently the 1st point on giving proxy votes by virtue that we have already elected these people that we are able to trust to represent us totally. Ban people with criminal backgrounds, and allow free voting (anonymous?) for parlimentarians.
We should have a referendum on the same day as the election to change the rules to open up the ballot and annoy those that missed out!
Last edited by Nesta99; 26/09/2025 at 12:10 PM.
You could argue that the elections offer a very narrow range of views you can vote on.
FF/FG are practically the same thing these days, and their popularity has probably never been lower. The political climate has never been more fragmented with increased number of random independents suggesting a growing frustration at FF/FG, yet no-one seems able or willing to come in and take over from them.
I reckon McGregor knew full well that he had no chance of being nominated, and only put his name forward so that he could pull the trick of complaining about how "They" blocked him. He was talking about "standing up to the government" like he had no understanding of the actual role, or believed his supporters had no of it.
That's on the people in opposition. It's not good enough to offer change because the incumbants are sluggish. Governments around the world have ruined their own countries for the purposes of personal enrichment, ideology, or just plain old incompetence. If you can't even form a credible political party, why is anyone to trust you with a whole country?
You can't spell failure without FAI
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