The political situation in Ireland is such that something interesting outside election or referendum time only happens when something goes horribly horribly wrong. It was Fine Gael's turn today as economist and former RTE personality George Lee resigned from Ireland's most formidable almost perpetual opposition party and his Dáil seat.
Lee cited reasons of being sidelined as a contributor to Fine Gael’s economic policy and simply being used as a crowd pleaser due to his former celebrity status for resigning. He saw little point in continuing with this treatment, “You don’t want to be making the tea” he said, when you could be contributing something more substantial.
A national figure running in a local by-election was a tremendous coup for Fine Gael when Lee secured landslide of 50% of his constituencies total vote, a phenomenal feat not achieved since Brian Cowen's overwhelming by-election victory back in 1984. It was Fine Gael's own initiative to approach Lee and made a widely publicised fuss about him, all but declaring him an "Economic Messiah." But according to Lee, despite his best efforts he had virtually no influence or input in shaping Fine Gael's economic policies.
Lee's former party, now clambering about like headless chickens after being struck by this PR disaster axe, are somewhat bemused by his dramatic and immediate departure from the Dáil, they wonder why he didn't take the time to learn the ropes, or trying to learn how to politically walk before he could politically run. Lee defended his position to them by saying that with the economy in such dire straits and thousands jobless - there wasn't all that time to loose and action had to be taken immediately.
83% of the listeners appeared to agree with his apparently "honourable" decision in a snap text-poll on the Joe Duffy radio show this afternoon, and many lambasted Fine Gael and party leader Enda Kenny in particular for treating Lee like crap and not using his extensive knowledge of economics to reform the party's opposition argument.
On the other hand, some say that Lee suffered from a tremendous naivete with regard to the expediency that he believed that his own voice would become the de facto party line and when he didn't get his way, he reverted to being a cry-baby about the fact that he’s being treated as the fat cross-eyed semi-retarded child left as last pick in P.E. class when he believes he’s actually the triathlon Olympic superstar.
Petulant child or one of the only politicians outside Fianna Fail with an ounce of decency. You decide.
But what about the man who is leader of Fine Gael, the man who can't tell you why he won't enter government with Sinn Fein or what his own party's policy is with regard to water metering? There's some "pretty large rumblings" according to Lee as he exited Dáil Éireann today, with regard to Kenny's continued leadership that are bound to become something much more loud after today.
Source: Alan Hurley / RTE News / Newstalk / The Irish Times
11 comments:
Yes, well, I think that We can all agree that George has decided not to serve his country by staying in office for the sake of it and simply milking it instead he is taken the path trailblazed by Sarah Palin.
Errr maybe you should get rid of that first reply Colonel...
Hmmm the fallout continues, this morning the Fine Gaelers all started harping on how george really wasn't cut out for politics in the first place......Really?Hmmm Well who the hell picked him to run?!?!?!? Enda I'm sure will get another round of support from the Party but the damage is done...he either put all his money on a celebrity who didn't know what he was doing or wasted an Invaluable resource that could have helped not only his party and the country......is that the sound of knives been sharpened and the laughter of our glorious leader Cowen....for the love of Garrett Enda Just GO!
"one of the only politicians outside Fianna Fail with an ounce of decency." I always enjoy reading your blog Ciaran, it's just when I read crap like the above I start questioning your sanity :)
Of course, none of this will matter after the coming "Race War" . . . .
Why, is it Japanese porn? It's Japanese porn isn't it?
Yep. Japanese porn.
Civvy, speak not the name of the Evil One... It directs its attention towards you....
Connie, It's all McCain's fault, if he hadn't drilled the bore into the DarkOne's prison and released evil upon Humanity, Well We'd all still be living in the Age of Legends.
Bruce, "A Race War!" Good God Man!, Don't tell me the Sprinters are finally going to throw down with the Marathon Runners, I guess it all comes down to which side the Relay Racers come in on.
Connie, If any one man has the sufficient depth of depravity to answer your question regarding Jap Porn, it's the Colonel. I've been to Tokyo, Do you know that after thedent at the Imperial P incialace, his DNA is now considered a sexual transmitted disease in Japan.
That was meant to be "the incident at the Imperial Palace", God Damn this wireless keyboard!
@ Civvy: Unlike future President Palin, Lee is a git who doesn't know what the fuck he's doing. Sure he's been on like 17 different Radio and TV shows in the past 36 hours or so but he hasn't even got a book-deal yet! Lucas!- I have mine already and I'm not even close to waving my service goodbye!
@ Vaughan: I liked the part where Fine Gael say Lee wasn't cut of for it and he didn't understand how politics works - yet they offered him a front-bench position last week; in-fucking-credible even for the blueshirts!
@ All: The "first reply" that Mr. Vaughan was referring to for those of you joining late, was a link to what I'm reliably informed was a Japanese porn site with a "cartoon penis" with a face and arms etc.
@ Alro: Pictures of me in battle dress polishing firearms didn't cause you to do that already??
@ Bruce: Pick your side Russell - "Mors vel Gloria"!!!!!!!!
@ Constance: I regret that someone of such pure sensibilities as yourself was subjected to such depravity. While I don't wish to activate the final level of security to the blog commentary, if this is not a random isolated incident in the future then drastic measure would have to be taken to preserve your innocence. As well as disassociating myself from any connection to Japanese porn.
@ All: This floors me that there are Nips out there with nothing better to do than spread their shit around the internet randomly. I am however considering that he was drawn via a search engine to Fine Gael as it's doubtless the type of people who vote for them are the same folk who peruse Japanese porn.
In future, Fine Gael will be referred to as "shower of useless cunts" to avoid Japanese porn peddlers.
Col Creedon: I accept your finely worded apology and commend you on your gentlemanliness to myself. Your keen insight to my "sensibilities" as you call them is extraordinarily perceptive and your willingness to preserve them is most gracious. The USMC must be brimming with pride at your example.
The Uniforms, guns, alien threats etc are all plausible, thinking Fianna Fail is anything other than a useless shower of incompetent muppets.... Insane :)
You know it's been said that opposition parties don't win elections, governments lose them but Wow, Fine Gael really have screwed the pooch on this one.
All they had to do has not feck up and they would have won the next election, they're actually making Fine Fail popular again.
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