Martin McGuiness for President?

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Liamos

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Anybody got a problem with Martin McGuiness potentially becoming the next President of Ireland?

Personally I would be uncomfortable with the idea of the ex chief of staff of the IRA as Head of State. I know the counter arguments;

1) that he has worked for peace for the last 20 years;
2) if SF are in power in the North, why not here?
3) Wasn't De Valera in the old IRA?

Maybe its the fact that its still quite recently that the IRA were blowing up innocent. Also there was the small matter of the Northern Bank robbery. (This may explain why he can afford to only take the average industrial wage!).
 
I think point number 2 is the most important one IMO.
The main parties in the republic (particularly FF) are forever patting themselves on the back for their role in the peace process. This process by it's nature means that people from paramilitary backgrounds will end up in government, yet they are uneasy about SF in government down here.
I think there is a lot of hyprocrisy in that regards.

I wouldn't vote SF based on their polices but the presidential election may be viewed differently as the president has no say in the running of the country.
 
From today's Irish Times letters to the Ed :)

Sir, Regarding the choice of Martin McGuinness as Sinn Féin’s presidential candidate, perhaps he was their best shot. – Yours, etc,
 
There is a fundamental difference between the likes of Dev and Michael Collins and McGuiness and Adams. The Old IRA were far more open about their active involvement then the Provisionals have ever been. If McGuiness & Adams had the courage of their convictions to stand up and admit that they were in the IRA, admitted their role and what they had done, then I'd think a lot more of them. Regardless of that however, they do deserve credit for seeing the light and backing away from violence.

There is also a large strand of hypocrisy in Sinn Fein, no matter what they say about the peace process and their actions there, they still raise funds through the sale of paraphanalia praising murderers. Whilst their actions calling for the killers of Ronan Kerr to be brought to justice are right, on the other hand they call for the release of the killers of Garda Gerry McCabe. Murder is murder and they can't have it both ways

I wouldn't vote for SF on grounds of polocies but I also simple do not trust them
 
Looks like Dana is going to throw her hat in the ring.

I would start a new thread but if that happened every time there was a new candidate, Brendan would have to set up a new forum just for the presidential election!
 
They take credit for moving their communities away from violence but don't forget, it was them who moved the communities toward it in the first place.

And they have left, and continue to support at a minor level, a culture of mistrust of authority and civil unrest, which has led to the rioting we see in Belfast every summer.

SF used to call goons out in the street to brick the police and set fire to buses. Now they are trying to get the kids of these same goons to back off but the kids won't listen to them. But SF sowed the seeds. Created the monster.

In spite of all that, I don't believe that McGuinness would do a bad job if we ignore the past. He has proven himself to be a capable stateman, worthy of an audience with the most powerful people on Earth.

I can't see where his motivation to do the job comes from though. He most likely started throwing stones himself, moved on to planting bombs, then told others to plant them and now makes decisions in the corridors of power. Action packed all the way.

The presidency is a largely ceremonial role, devoid of action.
 
It is now officially a complete joke. McGuinness, Dana, Norris trying to get back in and some guy from FF that I never even heard of.........
 
Sunny said:
and some guy from FF that I never even heard of.........
Click to expand...

Don't knock that guy. He said on the Pat Kenny show this morning he would do the job for free if elected!

Maybe AAM users should start a campaign to put Brendan's name forward!
 
Sunny said:
It is now officially a complete joke. McGuinness, Dana, Norris trying to get back in and some guy from FF that I never even heard of.........
Click to expand...

In fairness, how many of us had heard of Mary Mc 14 years ago? Having said that, I'd have issues with the policies of McGuinness, Norris, Dana and the FF Seantor, which leaves me with 2 independents I currently know little about, a has been (and very mediocre poet to add) and a never was.
 
I would worry that McGuinness as president would be the thin of the wedge for Sinn Fein to gain respectability and acceptance with more of the electorate than they currently have.
I would have more concerns about Sinn Fein future policies and vision for the country than with Martin McGuinness's past.
 
orka said:
I would have more concerns about Sinn Fein future policies and vision for the country than with Martin McGuinness's past.
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+1
I can’t help admiring him and the journey he has taken throughout his life but the isolationist socialist policies of Sinn Fein are scary
 
As another poster has said, it's way way too soon to have a SF President. There are so many people still suffering from the consequences of the terrorist activities of the IRA and, whatever about his own personal journey, Martin McGuinness and SF are names that are still synonymous with those activities.
I had said I wouldn't bother voting in this election because all the candidates are meh. But I think I will have to vote now because I just couldn't stand back and not make any opposition to his bid for Presidency.
 
Has anybody suggested for Mary Kenneddy to go forward?

We would have another Mary and with her lovely personality I think she would be great for the job.;)
 
I am actually beginning to feel a bit offended. No-one has offered me the Presidency.

Who won the Rose of Tralee? Would they be interested?
 
liaconn said:
I think they should raffle the job. All proceeds to go towards the national debt.
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I think there would be huge interest from Irish Americans. They would not only win an Certificate that certifies their Irish roots but would also win the Presidency. We could raffle off the role of Grand Master of the St Patricks Day parade as well.
 
Well it was just mentioned on the news that FF are not going to support any candidate so you are looking at Mitchell, Higgins, McGuinness, Davis and Gallagher as the candidates.
Not a very inspiring shortlist.

Anyone think McGuinness has a chance?
 
I reckon he has a pretty good chance, tbh.
Non-nationalists/republican voters will vote for one of the following:
Mitchell, Higgins, Davis, Dana(possibly), Norris(possibly) or Gallagher.

Nationalist/Republican voters will vote for the following:
McGuinness.

I think this gives him a fair to middling chance, if you ask me.
 
And therein lies the problem of Irish politics and the so called democracy we live in.

Fianna Fail have just told their members that they are banned from supporting any Presidential candidate.

The public clearly want certain people to be put forward as candidates but due to the decisions being made by a select few (Micheál Martin), we are left with such a small and uninspiring list to choose from.
 
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