Comments on: The Progressive Democrat Principle

By: Grandad

Grandad — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:32:37 +0000

Dan – I stand corrected!

By: Dan Sullivan

Dan Sullivan — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:02:02 +0000

“They were formed back in ‘85 as an answer to the totally corrupt Haughey government at the time”

FF weren’t in government in ’85, the corruptness of the Haughey regime within FF I can’t dispute.

By: Greenboil

Greenboil — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:18:27 +0000

Good question tt. Labour is the ethical viable alternative but needs to grow itself. As Gilmore says an opportunity must be taken. Citizenship needs to mean something once more both in Ireland and in Europe as a popular liberal socialist movement as Chomsky suggests. People power should not be underestimated as the medical card debacle has shown us. I for one am deliriously estatic that the PD’s have finally demised. Good riddance to greed politics and hello to change is possible politics. Now we need to get rid of the rest of those so called neo liberal whats its before they completely ruin Ireland and I warn they are more than half way there in their quest for ‘..contemporary barbarism’.(Chomsky 2005)

By: miltonfriedman

miltonfriedman — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 02:18:26 +0000

I think it suited FF to let their coalition partners do the dirty work….PDs didn’t give a hoot to opposition – like Nike, they just did it. I would not underestimate the PD influence in policy making. By the way, when is McCreevy due back?

By: popeyemoon

popeyemoon — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 01:59:07 +0000

GD i had a comment,but i will keep it to myself.Politics is tiring,need a vacation.

By: Grandad

Grandad — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 21:22:50 +0000

Milton – Is it a sad day though? I’m not saying it’s a happy day, rather that it is a very minor sneeze in the political day to day life of the country. The PDs were a beacon of hope for us in the dark days of the eighties when Charlie reigned supreme. They had a good manifesto, and I confess to having voted for them. However, they immersed themselves in a permanent coalition with Fianna Fail and any policies they had where virtually drowned out by the shouting from their accomplices. They were, after all a tiny voice in the wilderness. I think they lost all credibility when they obviously aligned themselves with Fianna Fail, and the massive drop in popular support reflects this.

By: miltonfriedman

miltonfriedman — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 20:18:35 +0000

It is a sad day for politics – no matter what side of the line you’re on. As a political party, the PDs had a fundamental philosophy which it never made any apologies for and was unfalteringly true to that philosophy. I admire them for that. How many other political parties in Ireland can you honestly say that about? That philosophy influenced taxation policy, enterprise policy to named two of many. People don’t like change and radical actions – that’s why the PDs became unpopular – they never feared and never bowed to lobbying – how unpopular is that. If only other political parties had the same conviction.

By: tt

tt — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 18:16:44 +0000

“Unless I form my own party, we are fucked.”

Ohhh you made me laugh there Grandad. Have a great weekend. Gorgeous fall day here. Off to see Irish dancing tonight.

By: Grandad

Grandad — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 16:40:12 +0000

TT – There aren’t any. The only party that seems to have a modicum of decency is the Labour Party. Unfortunately they are too small to be of any consequence. Unless I form my own party, we are fucked.

By: tt

tt — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 15:42:17 +0000

I am curious who the good guys are over there. Are there any to vote for ?