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Harney quits as PDs leader [Irish Deputy Prime Minister]
UTV ^
| THURSDAY 07/09/2006 18:09:36
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Posted on 09/07/2006 10:36:24 AM PDT by Irish_Thatcherite
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There is yet no mention as whether she will remain as Tanaiste [Deputy PM], though I don't see her doing so as tenable, considering her resignation from party leadership is of immediate effect.
To: Colosis; Black Line; Cucullain; SomeguyfromIreland; Youngblood; Fergal; Cian; col kurz; ...
End of an era in Irish politics!
2
posted on
09/07/2006 10:37:10 AM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
3
posted on
09/07/2006 10:40:30 AM PDT
by
fanfan
(Trust everybody, but cut the cards yourself.)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
It's amazing to an American how a party with less than 75,000 voters can have such an impact on Irish national politics and, in turn, EU politics.
But she's about as responsible for the Irish economic miracle as anyone, right?
4
posted on
09/07/2006 10:44:22 AM PDT
by
wideawake
("The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." - Calvin Coolidge)
To: fanfan
The PD, unless I'm horribly wrong, is about as close to a libertarian party as you can get in Irish politics.
5
posted on
09/07/2006 10:45:30 AM PDT
by
wideawake
("The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." - Calvin Coolidge)
To: wideawake
6
posted on
09/07/2006 10:48:27 AM PDT
by
fanfan
(Trust everybody, but cut the cards yourself.)
To: fanfan; wideawake
Is this good news? It depends, because even though I hate Bertie Ahern an Fianna Fail, I like Mary Harney and the PDs in general - as wideawake points out, they are as close to being a libertarian party as you can get in Irish politics, the trouble is; who will replace her?
Two frontrunners - Justice Minister Michael McDowell, an out spoken critic of the IRA, and Liz O'Donnel, Minister of State at the Department of Foriegn Affairs, who is an out-and-out liberal. Needless to say, I'm hoping for Michael McDowell!
7
posted on
09/07/2006 10:50:59 AM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
I get it, thanks.
Lets hope for Mr.McDowell then.
8
posted on
09/07/2006 10:54:58 AM PDT
by
fanfan
(Trust everybody, but cut the cards yourself.)
To: wideawake; fanfan
It's amazing to an American how a party with less than 75,000 voters can have such an impact on Irish national politics and, in turn, EU politics. And they have an extraordinarily high numbers of Dail seats per vote - brought about by the electoral genius of John Higgins, the PDs general secretary - a man who happens to come from a town not far from me.
The PR system, with it's multi-party outcome has a lot of potential - it means a small party can wield a lot more power than their size would normally dictate, no two-horse races like Britain and America.
But she's about as responsible for the Irish economic miracle as anyone, right?
The economic reform started in the 80s under Garret Fitzgerald - but, yeah, Mary Harney deserves a lot of credit for the Celtic Tiger.
9
posted on
09/07/2006 10:58:28 AM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: fanfan
He's a firebrand and he's a maverick - perfect for the job! :)
10
posted on
09/07/2006 10:59:42 AM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
I assume you're an FG supporter, since FF is SF lite, and all that's left are PD, Labour and the Greens.
Sickening how well the terrorists did in the last election - will they repeat?
BTW, every gung-ho Irish American will tell you how Michael Collins was one of their favorite movies and then claim that they would vote SF if they were voting in an Irish election - yet FG is Collins' party.
11
posted on
09/07/2006 11:01:51 AM PDT
by
wideawake
("The nation which forgets its defenders will itself be forgotten." - Calvin Coolidge)
To: wideawake
I assume you're an FG supporter, since FF is SF lite, and all that's left are PD, Labour and the Greens. I am a grassroots member of FG, but my support for the party is tacit - I always get the feeling they want to recover their conservative roots, but are unable/unwilling to do so because of their long running pact with Labour.
And you're right FF is SF lite - in fact some backbench FF TDs are involved in the IRA, I know of one Fianna Fail TD who marched with Ruairi O Bradach in an Easter Rising parade years ago.
Sickening how well the terrorists did in the last election - will they repeat?
Now there's the downside of the PR/multiparty system - fringe lunatics like Sinn Fein could acquire power, and I fear it could be as soon as the next General Election (9 months max.).
BTW, every gung-ho Irish American will tell you how Michael Collins was one of their favorite movies and then claim that they would vote SF if they were voting in an Irish election - yet FG is Collins' party.
They are willfully unware of the fact that, in the end, Collins was shot by the IRA!!
12
posted on
09/07/2006 11:11:42 AM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
I hope McDowell doesn't get the job.
The man is opposed to freedom of speech, and the freedom of the press.
He's a loose cannon.
13
posted on
09/07/2006 12:19:37 PM PDT
by
Happygal
(liberalism - a narrow tribal outlook largely founded on class prejudice)
To: Happygal
Yeah... but Liz O'Donnell?
14
posted on
09/07/2006 12:20:56 PM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
Any man who tries to force through a law that will practically stifle the Irish press, just because of a report about his own son, is not best placed to be Tanaiste.
So yeah, I'd take Liz O'Donnell over him any day.
15
posted on
09/07/2006 12:23:14 PM PDT
by
Happygal
(liberalism - a narrow tribal outlook largely founded on class prejudice)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
You gotta remember, McDowell is a very polarising character. Do you think he would attract votes for the PD's in the next general election?
I can't see it happening myself.
16
posted on
09/07/2006 12:24:47 PM PDT
by
Happygal
(liberalism - a narrow tribal outlook largely founded on class prejudice)
To: Happygal
Of course, we are assuming that Harney will immediately step down as Tanaiste... she has made no mention of that.
I'm tempted to say I'd like to see Frank Connolly's freedom of expression stifled! :P
*sigh* You are right about McDowell, he is a nanny-stater - nanny-statism is what pushed me to join FR, I dunno.. this country needs someone to stand up to the threat from Sinn Fein/IRA.
17
posted on
09/07/2006 12:29:10 PM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Happygal
You gotta remember, McDowell is a very polarising character. Do you think he would attract votes for the PD's in the next general election? I can't see it happening myself. You are right, but then again, I can't see the PDs doing well anyway - John Higgins will REALLY have to perform a miracle for them this time!
18
posted on
09/07/2006 12:31:20 PM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Colosis; Black Line; Cucullain; SomeguyfromIreland; Youngblood; Fergal; Cian; col kurz; ...
19
posted on
09/10/2006 1:28:12 PM PDT
by
Irish_Thatcherite
(A vote for Bertie Ahern is a vote for Gerry Adams!|What if I lecture Americans about America?)
To: Irish_Thatcherite
Woo-Hoo!
He might be your Ronald Reagan, Lady Thatcher, Stephen Harper!
Go Ireland!
20
posted on
09/10/2006 1:34:24 PM PDT
by
fanfan
(Trust everybody, but cut the cards yourself.)
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