Another Day, Nothing Changes… June 8, 2007
Posted by jbwan in General, Politics.add a comment
So, here we are Summer in Ireland after a general election. Voting for change, shaking up the cabinet, so on so forth. Well none of it has happened, it’s the same old Ireland and the more I think about it the more I want to move to Provence and enjoy life with a community that still holds traditional values. Now that Fianna Fail are back at the helm and the election is over we’re starting to see the cracks opening publicly, in the press. I’ve been saying for ages, along with many others, that inflation was getting dangerous and now we hear that inflation is rising. Wow! There was no such thought in Bertie’s mind previously when he agreed to nurses demands prior to the election – me wonders… We also hear that controversial lands in Dublin may be set for rezoning. Well we wouldn’t have wanted to upset the D4 residents before an election now, would we? Stock markets are falling, interest rates are still climbing and the ordinary Irishman in the private sector is suddenly not that comfortable any more. Meanwhile five days of talks with the Green Party have still failed to produce a government with Fianna Fail. I wonder who’s failing to agree there? Remember, people of Ireland, this was your choice…
Note: Links used above are from the Irish Times 08-07-2007 and may require login to view the content
An Open Note to the Irish People May 26, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics.2 comments
Following closely, the election aftermath and it looks like it is a foregone conclusion that Team Bertie will resume in office for the next government. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and mark the fact that the people of Ireland despite wanting so many changes in society have failed to vote for change. This is the first time in a long time that Fianna Fail will return to government at a time when a fall in the economy is likely to happen, and inflation is set to rise steeply – for once it cannot be blamed on an alternative government. Please remember that, whatever happens over the next 5 years that it is entirely the actions of Fianna Fail and you the voter, nobody else is culpable. That is all that I will say.
Moving onto another issue, regular readers of my blog will know that I have never been a fan of Mr. McDowell. I have been very critical of his actions, attitude, general personality and arrogance. In response to this a number of people have responded to me, saying that I should stay quiet, that I should respect him as he was an elected member of government and a political leader, that I was the person with the problem and not him. Well to all those people, I now say that a larger body of people than I have now spoken and that I am not the minority any more. Furthermore I always believed that McDowell, a hugely talented and respected barrister, was only ever an attention seeker rather than a politician: His resignation from politics after failure to retain his seat is simply a resounding reinforcement of this idea. Rather than be a politician and serve the community, trying to make a difference, it would appear that Mr. McDowell only wanted a slice of political life if he was head of the team. Again that is all I will say for now. source: The Irish Times
Note: Irish Times article may require login
Badda Ba Ba Ba May 24, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Humour, Politics.add a comment
Badda Ba Ba Ba
Originally uploaded by jbwan.
Well everyone else is making parody posters for the election. Why not me? 
Click the image above to enlarge.
Polls Apart May 24, 2007
Posted by jbwan in General, Politics.add a comment
So the day is finally upon us, the centres are open and the booths are no doubt indelibly marked with the impressions of so many aggressive voters’ pencil scribblings. Election 2007 is underway. Just hours before the gates opened to voters, the INO finally calls an end to its strike action, possibly the best orchestrated campaign of this entire election. They’re now down to 37.5 hours per week and heading to the benchmarking body for a 10% pay rise while the tax payer foots the bill for the establishment of a commission to determine if they should get a 35 hour week instead. Boy oh boy did I pick the wrong career path. Needless to say however, the majority of nurses got what they wanted and will head to the polling booths today to vote for their appeasers. A masterstroke really.
All along this election build-up I have been completely unimpressed with any of the candidates from around the Waterford constituency. My reasons have been cited previously and are best summed up as a lack of visibility on their behalf. As such I am in a great dilemma today – to vote or not to vote, that is my question. It kills me to think of not voting but what happens if you don’t think that any of the representatives are worth voting for and you don’t agree fully with their policies? What do you do? I’ve often thought that voting should have a “none of the above” option that was selected by default on a pollsters vote, thereby being submitted if they elect not to vote. At least this way none of the above would have a count and could be used to show that people really don’t want to vote for anyone. Furthermore it might entice people to vote as while there is a certain detachment from not voting for somebody, I don’t think that folk would like that decision made for them. I’m probably talking nonsense right now, my head is very much in a muddle. Should I vote for progress, change or revenge? I don’t believe in spoiling votes as that’s simply a waste of my and the tallyman’s time. Ironically the provisioning of multiple bad choices may well have just provided me with none…
Fianna Fail – The Bowling for Columbine Version May 17, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics.2 comments
It’s all about Bertie. Bertie, Bertie, Bertie. Isn’t he so great! Hasn’t he done wonders for the country! I heard about this on the radio recently and went looking for it on YouTube. I hadn’t seen the ad previously but I am shocked at the direction of it. It’s a figgin’ clip show of things that high profile folk have said about Bertie over the years. Far worse than any Michael Moore glossing. While each comment might have been said, combined they make the man sound like a one-man army against all that is wrong in Irish society. Have a tightly woven web, he may do, but Spiderman he is not. See it for yourself.
Blank Canvassers May 10, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics.6 comments
I have political fever: We’re in full election mode at the moment and the more I experience of this mobile carnival, the more I have come to the realisation that I need to get involved in the next round of council elections. For years people have been egging me on to consider running, sometimes in jest but mostly due to my strong opinions on what is wrong with the current blend of politics.
Politicians these days just don’t put in the effort anymore. They seem to think that they’ll always have a certain percentage of the votes and they’re happy with this. Some don’t even bother canvassing for themselves but send armies of minions to do their bidding. In turn these canvassers don’t appear to believe in their undertaking and become nothing more than political leaflet distributors. They rarely if ever knock at a door, it’s really more of a drive-by canvassing event. This general election will see some folk elected as TDs and maybe it’s just me but if I was going for a job interview worth EUR 100,000 then I’d put in a little work and get to know the company before blankly proclaiming that I should have the position. Why do our politicians think differently?
Well, party politics and sheepish Irish voters have a lot to do with it. Certain areas are strongholds for certain parties and sure it’s just a matter of allowing a candidate to run and the people will pick them because of the party badge – no thought required! Ask yourself a question, if all politicians were independent who would you vote for? How would you pick your preferences? Are you just a party voter or has your first choice actually done something for your area? Suddenly voting becomes a lot more difficult for so many people. The blank faces of anonymous canvassers should be replaced with the face of the candidates running for election. Talking to and representing the people is what politics is supposed to be all about. Sadly many politicians think that they are above this and don’t even need to try other than making sure we see their faces on posters 3 weeks prior to an election.
In Waterford, our ex-Mayor Seamus Ryan is keeping an eye on things from Labour’s perspective in his blog A view from the Left. Seamus is maintaining this blog despite not running for election and his fellow Labour candidate Brian O’Shea doesn’t appear to have any presence at all. This is a prime example of electoral candidates not wanting to invest the time and effort into reaching the community. I picked the Labour party because Seamus’ blog is a good read and is worthy of a link, not because Labour is unique in ignoring the community, the same is true of pretty much all the parties. So far this campaign, I have had leaflets for every candidate dropped into my letterbox, once I had a knock on the door from a candidate’s wife and not once has a real candidate shown up to ask for my vote. That is exactly why none of them will get my vote; what’s the point if they aren’t interested in me anyway?
PDs in Turmoil! May 6, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics.add a comment
Just watching a political special on RTE at the moment with respect to the demand by Mr McDowell that the Taoiseach should make a full statement regarding his “finances” that have dominated the news recently. The opinions coming from various PD representatives around the country is completely disjointed and shows that the party is simply incoherent on this issue, so close to the election. It appears that the party is afraid of losing preference votes on polling day. All this really stinks as when the Manchester payments issue first opened back in September 2006, at the same time that Mr McDowell was given the Táinaiste position, he seemed to fizzle off the issue rather quickly. Now however, he drops a massive 12% in an opinion poll before the election and he starts to demand answers that the public want. And he accuses the others of playing auction politics?
All I can say is that somebody in the current government must really have annoyed somebody in the media in the last few weeks. The turnaround, against the current government parties, in the news and printed media is astounding. The current controversy is both welcome as it puts pressure on the Taoiseach to answer questions that need to be answered and unwelcome as it distracts people from the real election issues (highlighted as a valid point by Enda Kenny of Fine Gael and Mary Lou McDonald of Sinn Féin).
In other political news, John Deasy’s wife called to my door yesterday, canvassing for her husband. Simple sentiment John, if you want my vote get off your backside and come yourself, the electorate ain’t paying you to ignore us! In all your days as a politician in Waterford I’ve never once seen you canvassing in person, for your popularity. If you want Enda’s job then at least let people know who you are. Nobody wants an aloof representative.
Thoughts in my head today May 4, 2007
Posted by jbwan in General, Politics, Technology.add a comment
Wondering why the national safety council still refuses to show somebody other than a young male driver in a road accident commercial. It’s a little disproportionate at this stage. Also still concerned as to why adverts are continually sponsored by vested interests such as AXA and Hibernian?
Wondering why Noel Brett (Road Safety Authority CEO) says things like:
“We are asking parents to discuss the new anti-speeding TV ad with their teenagers / young adults so that they understand the consequences of speeding and other forms of dangerous driving. If parents are loaning a vehicle this weekend we ask them to be aware of the circumstances. For example who is driving and are they responsible? What and where is the event they are travelling to? Will there be alcohol consumed? Be firm, refusing to loan the vehicle could save a life.”
“We are also appealing to women: mothers, sisters, girlfriends to get the safety message across to their men to slow down and expect the unexpected. Young Irish men are particularly vulnerable with car crashes being their number one killer. 17 to 24 year old males account for over 1 in 5 driver deaths (22%) yet this age group represent just 6% of the population”
Showing that he simply doesn’t care about highlighting accidents other than young male accidents even though he openly admits that they only account for 20% of driver deaths. Sounds to me like we have 4 times the problem elsewhere?
Wondering if Bertie will “bullet dodge” his way out of this payments scandal? Hard questioning yesterday from Vincent Browne and concern from the Mahon tribunal are adding pressure. It died down before but let’s hope it doesn’t fizzle out this time.
Wondering why some people are raising their eyes at Sinn Féin’s suggestion to make the GPO area in Dublin an historic area prior to the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, when so many other sites of uprising and rebellion across the world are embraced as national treasures and attract tourists. Why are so many Irish people, so ashamed of their country’s history when they have so much in common with many nations?
Wondering what the future holds for Ireland in terms of housing. So many apartments. So much skyline disappearing. So many areas of the country on a knife edge with respect to adequate employment. I have my fears.
Wondering if I should run for election the next time there’s a local election. Naturally I’d be an independent as I don’t like party politics but my attitude is way different to other independents. Is the county/country ready for somebody who gives a damn? Somebody who’s willing to pick up litter to serve the community on days of quiet council matters? There’s no glitz and glamour with me, I just do things.
Wondering when I’ll reach my first 20km run in my marathon training. Comfortable at 13km now but really need to push it more.
Wondering if I’ll finish my working life, reach retirement, in computing. For so many years I have seen the wheel reinvented now, that the lustre is beginning to fade. I never want to turn my back on technology but perhaps I could serve it better through teaching and observation?
Wondering why I feel the need to write blog posts of my brain dumps.
Recoil! May 3, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics.add a comment
And the biggest backflip the world has seen since Mary Lou Retton won gold at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Fianna Fail are now going to reform stamp duty when they publish their party manifesto today. I can only imagine that Brian Cowen must feel like somebody has given him a kick in the finance cabinet. So there you have it: Fianna Fail’s policies and “next steps” for the country are so good and unique that they wait until 3 weeks before the election to steal everyone else’s. Makes you think about what they’ve been doing for the last while, doesn’t it? source: Irish Times
Note: Irish Times article may require login
e-Voting Concerns Again May 2, 2007
Posted by jbwan in Politics, Technology.1 comment so far
More e-voting concerns – opposite side of the Irish Sea this time. More suspicions of security loopholes and other such but the departments are holding firm that the machines will be okay. When will people learn that the public just won’t trust something they know nothing about and can’t see the workings of. There’s just something about paper trails that will always be with us. source: The Register
Subscribe
