Comments on: It’s Really All Our Fault, Isn’t It ?

By: eblaney

eblaney — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:03:24 +0000

Brilliantly put Mick, I agree with you 99%. The 1% deficit relates to your comment regarding electing a new Government making no difference to the status quo. I believe that the people of Ireland will not vote along traditional party lines if given the chance. I also believe that a number of very capable and selfless individuals may put themselves forward for election as independent candidates. these people will act I believe in the interest of the country and the support of the people. This is a great country but is lacking in leadership. Hopefully we will learn the lessons of entrusting our democracy to a bunch of incompetents and next time personally consider our vote and actually use it.

By: Michael Kenny

Michael Kenny — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:11:25 +0000

Eamonn

Your rant is a quality rant – very Blaneyesque.

But you finish asking Mr Cowen to allow Ireland vote in a new government. What’s the point? Enda, Pat Rabbitte or whoever can’t do any better, FG’s or Labour’s army of teachers, farmers and small businessmen are no better equipped to take our nation into the next decade than Mr Cowen’s.

An election in Ireland will not change one thing. You’ll get the same 2 parties dominating the polls, the issues, and the airways.

Ireland needs a much more radical solution than Irish politicians are prepared to articulate. During the Tiger years we made too much, we paid too much & we owned too much. We Irish can get by on very little because we know that life is for living, talking, enjoying, family, friends, celebrating etc. and we know how to do that well. Celtic Tiger made us morph into something we are not – the equivalent structure of a Bernie Madoff For-Profit Fund. We need to do the sums around what we are good at, what we could 100% control ourselves on our island and what we need to import – from there build a new model for Ireland, it might be a bit socialist but in my opinion we should not try and create Tiger II, the sequel.

By: eblaney

eblaney — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:09:25 +0000

Thanks Bill E Goat. The next year will be one long ‘learning moment’….

By: billeegoat

billeegoat — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:56:24 +0000

Good post Eamonn. You’re probably not being hard enough on us though. As well as electing largely incompetent politicians and being willing partners in the property boom tango, we rubbed our hands in glee each time the deeply flawed Social Partnership process delivered another unsustainable pay deal. We became incredibly materialistic and obsessed with our new ‘millionaire’ status, which was built on our asset market bubble. But we knew better and everyone else was wrong. Hard as it may be to hear, the misery of the next while will be good for us in the end. After a painful adjustment, our competitiveness will again improve and we will be better able to hold our own in the global market. Hopefully, we will finally understand that we the people are responsible for our own actions and we can’t keep blaming everyone else.

By: John Mc

John Mc — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:54:10 +0000

I suppose its easy for us to tell you to run but we dont have to come up with the spons

By: John Mc

John Mc — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:44:22 +0000

John Mccarthy November 26 at 5:46pm
Eamonn
I just read your rant on your blog. I know I have been away for a long time I do keep an eye on things on the Irish Times online and through Irish mates here so have a fairly good understanding of the state of affairs prettyu grim its seems . The article was one of the best I have read in a long long time and I mean that. It flows well I totally agree with you . The very people who constantly whinge are the biggest part of the problem. They are not willing to stand up and be counted. Rest assured I always excercise my democratic right at every election no matter how much of a difference it makes . They need to introduce Compulsory voting like they do in Oz . You dont vote you get a fine . Its only about $100 but it makes people get off their ass and vote. Hopefully people will wake up and smell the fucking roses.
Next step you will start to see people in dark coats hanging around under street lights monitoring you as a recalcitrant
Time for you to run for the Dail me thinks sounds like the country badly needs some progressive thinking .

By: eblaney

eblaney — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:42:02 +0000

Thank you Mary for you’re comment and more particularly on the the advice contained therein. And now I know who to go to for advice on my ‘professional image’

ps, Mary it would be a great help in getting the message out to people, if you could share the article on any of your social sites, by simply using the ‘Share This’ button at the bottom of the page.

By: MaryElizabeth Murphy

MaryElizabeth Murphy — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 06:16:21 +0000

Eamonn,
Fair Play to you in taking the first step to educate.
After stating and restating all of the truths, which by the way, I agree with you. Take on a new role for Ireland. Step up and institute the changes that will be beneficial to all of Ireland. Marches are not truly the answer! Perhaps you are the new great white hope. It is what it is and yes society has allowed it. People become complacent unless they have a cause to fight for. Take it easy on the voters…they haven’t been truly heard for a very long time. Mostly, some get fed up and leave the island. And where does that get you? The church….corrupt ….the government…corrupt. Absolutely. Get in there and set them straight. We know the problems. You my dear need to start voicing the solutions.
“if you are not a part of the solution….” Good luck. Over turn the barbaric rituals and out dated beliefs of government and church that no longer apply to the beneficial advancement of our world as a whole. Teach them how to demonstrate a positive presence in our ever changing world. We know the problems, all too well. Initialize project solution!!! Best of luck to you.

By: E Furniss

E Furniss — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:51:17 +0000

Hi Eamonn,

Greetings from Kampala, you probably heard I am working out here, and hopefully for a few years based on what’s happening back home. Anyway, just a quick note to commend you on an excellent prose. Keep it up.

By: Enda Flynn

Enda Flynn — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:21:35 +0000

Eamonn,

Good to see your still keeping society on its toes

Enda