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Referendum on the bail-out is an idea that appears to be getting traction. Seems the United Left Alliance is divided on it: Joe Higgins unenthusiastic, Richard Boyd Barrett very keen, as are some of the right-0f-centre independents such as Shane Ross. But can the mass of the people understand an issue as complex as this?
Being a backbencher for a Government party is the most unenviable job in Irish politics. Made more so because there is no tradition of rebellion here as they have in Westminster. (more…)
There are tallies galore. With some of them you can read the runes. With others you would be better off reading tealeaves.
Let us get to the nub of what’s happening. (more…)
Campaigns matter. I always cite the example of John Major running for re-election as British Prime Minister in 1992. Almost universally written-off, he famously got out his soapbox and went on the hustings in a successful fight to stay in power.
Well if they won’t have me in Leinster House, I’ll bloody go to Strasbourg (Photograph by Frank Miller) (more…)
If you tune in to any post-match interview on the Sunday Game this year, you’ll find a manager or player coming out with the Socratean observation that the team came good despite the fact that the”the media wrote us off”.
It’s classic underdog psychology, and clichéd beyond existence in the GAA (and most sports in Ireland), thanks to the sycophantic soft-core sucky-ups and lickspittles who constitute some of the broadcast media. What really irks me is that more often than not the team that is saying it was “written off” was no such thing. We have heard that claptrap from the likes of Kerry, Tyrone, Tipp and Cork (hurlers).
