I don't want to get into party politics, particularly with the election coming up, and I would stress that I don't support any particular party - I tend to vote for individuals that I like and respect rather than vote on party lines.
My query is this, am I the only one that is disturbed at the acceptance by the voting public of issues of questionable behaviour by politicians? Playing fast and loose with funding, or other dodgy behaviour, doesn't seem to be any kind of deterrent to seeking and getting the votes of the population. Issues that would be resigning matters in other countries seem to be ok with us. Why is that? Are we all crooks and we want our representatives to reflect our own behaviour, or is blind loyalty to party politics more important than morals?
As I said this is not a party issue, and I don't want to be seen to be bashing any particular party. Michael Lowry topped the poll when he was thrown out of Fine Gael for the Dunnes affair. The current debacle where Bertie Ahern is trickling out information about money he received (and where one of the donors seems set to be reappointed as chairman of a public body), doesn't seem to be affecting his own chances of retaining his seat. In any other country he would have had to resign, but not here. In Roscommon Leitrim, John Ellis looks set to take a seat, despite the fact that many of the voters lost money when his meat plant folded and he left them holding bouncy cheques -- that they would continue to vote for him defies logic in my view.
What does it take for a politician to do the honourable thing in Ireland and put his hands up and admit that he is not worthy of offering himself (or herself) for re-election? Just how much are we willing to put up with?
My query is this, am I the only one that is disturbed at the acceptance by the voting public of issues of questionable behaviour by politicians? Playing fast and loose with funding, or other dodgy behaviour, doesn't seem to be any kind of deterrent to seeking and getting the votes of the population. Issues that would be resigning matters in other countries seem to be ok with us. Why is that? Are we all crooks and we want our representatives to reflect our own behaviour, or is blind loyalty to party politics more important than morals?
As I said this is not a party issue, and I don't want to be seen to be bashing any particular party. Michael Lowry topped the poll when he was thrown out of Fine Gael for the Dunnes affair. The current debacle where Bertie Ahern is trickling out information about money he received (and where one of the donors seems set to be reappointed as chairman of a public body), doesn't seem to be affecting his own chances of retaining his seat. In any other country he would have had to resign, but not here. In Roscommon Leitrim, John Ellis looks set to take a seat, despite the fact that many of the voters lost money when his meat plant folded and he left them holding bouncy cheques -- that they would continue to vote for him defies logic in my view.
What does it take for a politician to do the honourable thing in Ireland and put his hands up and admit that he is not worthy of offering himself (or herself) for re-election? Just how much are we willing to put up with?