Comments on: Oireachtas Envelopes and Campaign Tactics

By: Verbo.se » Dear Senator Alan Kelly…

Verbo.se » Dear Senator Alan Kelly… — Wed, 13 May 2009 10:02:51 +0000

[...] 09/05 15:58: Maman Poulet has received a letter from Green Party candidate David Geary, lobbying for Mr. U-Turn, again in a [...]

By: dahamsta

dahamsta — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:37:38 +0000

Labour plays this game too.

http://verbo.se/dear-senator-alan-kelly/

adam

By: barratree

barratree — Fri, 08 May 2009 10:06:07 +0000

hmmm…. Not even going to try defend the use of Oireachtas envelopes. If David didn’t pay for them or treat them as a donation as the SIPO rules stipulate then its wrong. End of story.

In regards to the Euros, I think the fact that the Patricia thing has gotten Deirdre the most coverage to date in the campaign speaks volumes about how the media treat election campaigns. Europe is complex, its not a question of Eurocrats making 80 per cent of our laws etc and complexity doesn’t fit well with deadlines. Check the press releases Deirdre has sent out and you’ll see she’s been trying to campaign on the issues but the media don’t care and don’t publish them. Of course its a two way thing: electors in the previous elections have shown no interest regarding complex European issues and so the media don’t give them that.

I think that its tragic. I know Deirdre as a remarkably intelligent and tuned in person who cares passionately about European issues in particular and the fact that she cannot get coverage on the issues (and that elections aren’t on issues) speaks volumes about the god-awful media we deserve.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 08 May 2009 09:13:36 +0000

The Clerk of the Dáil wrote to all TDs last week reminding them of the envelope rules too, btw.

By: SeanR

SeanR — Fri, 08 May 2009 08:17:51 +0000

I watched Vincent late night, and have to say the Libertas candidate was totally un-prepared, awful. the McKenna/ De Burca spat does nothing for the low esteem in which politicians are held at the moment, but their spat/cat-fight is nothing besides the train-wreck from Offaly that is Cowen and his cabale. McKenna made it salient that she knew all about the important EU judgements / law cases, versus De Burca’s appeal to nationalism (a counter to Libertas) but this disourse is lost on the electorate that, as you put it, doesn’t hear from EU politicians, senators or TDs for years on end.

I switched off late night, cos “Dexter” Browne’s sliciing and dicing of gobshite politicians, esp. Libertas’ mother of five all born in a Dublin maternity hospital (in her brochure) is just too easy, like shooting fish in a barrel… where’s meaty, juicy political scandal when you need it?

By: Damian

Damian — Thu, 07 May 2009 22:20:10 +0000

McGuinness v Doyle is not the play book that Deirdre’s campaign will be following. However, one can be utterly principled in one’s behaviour and one will likely to attract the support of the 4% of principled people that definitely do exist and vote in Ireland (and probably already vote green.)

It’s worth noting however, that the meeja, and especially the Irish meeja, is a rather blunt behemoth that doesn’t really *do* subtlety, gradation, or – in my experience – principle very well.

Hence the plentiful abundance of u-turns, sell-outs, seeing reds, backstabbings and mudslingings that make up the headlines accompanying much of the political coverage.

And hence: principled Patricia McKenna who, in her credit, campaigned “on the issues” in 2004 won 9.59% of first preferences and lost her seat to Mary Lou.

Mairead and Avril, after all of their mudslinging and backstabbing was done, shared just north of 40% of number ones (25.21% and 15.34% respectively) and were both dispatched to Rue Wiertz.

Go figure.