Lex Foutish
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I have never voted for Fine Gael.
However, I think that, if for no other reason than they need to be taught some humility and manners, Fianna Fáil must spend some time out of power and in opposition.
The current opposition, led by Enda Kenny, is almost as much of a joke as the Government. They seem to exist only to criticise Government decisions (and indecision).
Enda Kenny seems a nice guy, by and large, but I'm not sure I'd like to have him defending me if I was up in court on a serious charge. He has consistently come across as a wishy washy (remember the priest with Navan Man and the Drunken Politician?) individual who does not inspire any confidence at all. If he verbally attacked you in the Dáil, would you feel like Jim Kemmy did, after he was so attacked by Seán Haughey, that you had been savaged by a dead sheep?
Over the last few months, Richard Bruton has come across well on radio and tv as an opposition economic spokesman and when he speaks, he generally argues logically and sensibly and seems to make sense most of the time.
Is it time for FG to push Enda aside and replace him with Richard Bruton?
As leader of the Labour Party, Eamonn Gilmore is also performing well, unlike Pat Rabbitte who seemed to have relied on clever one liners and sound bites to try to make an impact?
I think the country needs a credible alternative at the next election but if Enda Kenny remains at the helm, they'll come up short again.
He took a major tumble in my opinion a few months ago when some politician (can't remember who - please post if you know) came out and said that all TD's should take a pay cut. The same day Enda Kenny said on Matt Cooper's show and said this was "populist nonsense." A few days later, however, he came out saying that he and his fellow travellers were taking a pay cut (with no reference to populist nonsense) and he's been boasting about it since and wearing it like a badge of honour picked up off the side of the road on his way to Damascus!
Does he think we're idiots or that we're suffering from dementia or amnesia? People have a habit of remembering such things at election time.
And last week, when questioned (in the same week when Public Service workers were told they were going to pay increased pension contributions) about the pension he collects while serving as a TD, he replied, "Do you expect us to give it back?"
Generally, I couldn't care less about Fine Gael but, in the current situation, their country needs them. I believe that a Bruton/Gilmore alternative would give genuine options to the electorate at the next election. They won't be foolish enough to make a pre election pact before it, given the outcome of the last one, but I certainly could picture Richard Bruton as Taoiseach and Eamonn Gilmore as Tánaiste.
And Mary Hanafin heckling from the Opposition benches!
Enda as Taoiseach, however? I don't think so.
However, I think that, if for no other reason than they need to be taught some humility and manners, Fianna Fáil must spend some time out of power and in opposition.
The current opposition, led by Enda Kenny, is almost as much of a joke as the Government. They seem to exist only to criticise Government decisions (and indecision).
Enda Kenny seems a nice guy, by and large, but I'm not sure I'd like to have him defending me if I was up in court on a serious charge. He has consistently come across as a wishy washy (remember the priest with Navan Man and the Drunken Politician?) individual who does not inspire any confidence at all. If he verbally attacked you in the Dáil, would you feel like Jim Kemmy did, after he was so attacked by Seán Haughey, that you had been savaged by a dead sheep?
Over the last few months, Richard Bruton has come across well on radio and tv as an opposition economic spokesman and when he speaks, he generally argues logically and sensibly and seems to make sense most of the time.
Is it time for FG to push Enda aside and replace him with Richard Bruton?
As leader of the Labour Party, Eamonn Gilmore is also performing well, unlike Pat Rabbitte who seemed to have relied on clever one liners and sound bites to try to make an impact?
I think the country needs a credible alternative at the next election but if Enda Kenny remains at the helm, they'll come up short again.
He took a major tumble in my opinion a few months ago when some politician (can't remember who - please post if you know) came out and said that all TD's should take a pay cut. The same day Enda Kenny said on Matt Cooper's show and said this was "populist nonsense." A few days later, however, he came out saying that he and his fellow travellers were taking a pay cut (with no reference to populist nonsense) and he's been boasting about it since and wearing it like a badge of honour picked up off the side of the road on his way to Damascus!
Does he think we're idiots or that we're suffering from dementia or amnesia? People have a habit of remembering such things at election time.
And last week, when questioned (in the same week when Public Service workers were told they were going to pay increased pension contributions) about the pension he collects while serving as a TD, he replied, "Do you expect us to give it back?"
Generally, I couldn't care less about Fine Gael but, in the current situation, their country needs them. I believe that a Bruton/Gilmore alternative would give genuine options to the electorate at the next election. They won't be foolish enough to make a pre election pact before it, given the outcome of the last one, but I certainly could picture Richard Bruton as Taoiseach and Eamonn Gilmore as Tánaiste.
And Mary Hanafin heckling from the Opposition benches!
Enda as Taoiseach, however? I don't think so.