Local Elections 2014

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jack white
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Bob only closed the gap slightly.

So 2 Donabate/Portrane councillors. Mulville and Henchy.

Time for bed.
Mr. Stupid
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Well hard luck Bob.

Still the best candidate for this area (imo). Don't give up the fight and who knows next time around things might go a little bit better.

As for the electoral area, well we have the shinners, the "socialists", a few independents who dabble in populism, a few FFers and the most corrupt politician from FG since Lowry who was legally representing developers and zoning land for them at the same time. We have a beautiful area that is zoned for 4,000 houses and just don't have good enough representation on the council.
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Vlad the Impaler
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It's actually depressing that a disgraced has-been (Ms Devitt) can get elected and someone like Bob Dowling misses out.

People who vote for the likes of her should be made explain themselves, before the rotten tomatoes are unleashed without pity.
Mr. Stupid
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Vlad the Impaler wrote:It's actually depressing that a disgraced has-been (Ms Devitt) can get elected and someone like Bob Dowling misses out.

People who vote for the likes of her should be made explain themselves, before the rotten tomatoes are unleashed without pity.
What recks my head is people giving out about politicians and then doing this sort of sh*t. FG / Labour made a major f*ck up of not telling people where their taxes were going. It wouldn't have been that hard to do that and I think people would have been more sympathetic and trusting of them if they did that. Instead we had all these populist wannabe lefties pretending we don't need these taxes, as if you can recover from the state's worst ever economic recession with no pain whatsoever.
jack white
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The Devitt vote really is profoundly depressing.

But people's willingness to vote for people who talk palpable nonsense is almost as bad.

Take those anti water tax people for instance. They know that the deal to bring in water charges was done in 2011 by the troika and FF. They know there's no stopping the water charges. They know that if water charges are stopped that other taxes would have to be increased to make up for the half billion shortfall. But they continue talking as if water taxes can be stopped and that, if they were, nothing would replace them.

And people vote for this twaddle. Are they just gullible or are they deliberately voting for people who talk fluent nonsense?

Either way, the electorate looks a little ridiculous.

But ultimately it's the pro-corruption vote that really makes you wonder if democracy is a good idea. When I realised that Devitt was running I laughed and wondered how she could be so stupid to think that people would vote for her. Then she gets elected. Nought out of ten for the performance of the electorate.
Mr. Stupid
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Well I hate FF and gave Henchman my number 2. So who are my to give out? Maybe Devitt has a nice little hockey pitch issue of her own that resonates with enough people. But I agree with you, when she was found out by the tribunal I thought she'd have to resign. She never did that. In fact, what this is saying is the Irish electorate doesn't give a crap if a politician is corrupt. So what then is the point in tribunals? What then is the point in any politicians worrying if they are corrupt or not. What Irish people hate is having to pay tax so if you can position yourself so that people think they'll be paying less tax under you - then you are home. FF brought
a pile of people out of tax bracket. See this: http://economic-incentives.blogspot.ie/ ... eland.html

We had a situation where the low the middle earner who were the majority of the workforce were contributing hardly anything to the tax system. That might all be nice and populist but it is about sustainable as stamp duty. You need a broader tax base. Every economist said it.

This government did that and all of a sudden you had 400,000+ thousand people who thought they didn't have to pay taxes a bit angry.

I think the root of the problem is that Irish people are politically illiterate. How political systems and some political theory should be thought at school.

The only place I can fault FG / Labour is they need to be more transparent where the taxes where going - especially the property tax.
donabate2014
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What a pity Bob didn't get in. The only one who actually did something. But instead we now have 8 cllrs who have done nothing, only promising us their policies are good.
Derek
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Very sad Bob didn't make it and compounded by Ann Devitt doing it instead. Local politics will get very lively in the next while with so many new faces and competing interests. And so many of them are first timers too.
Last edited by Derek on 28 May 2014, 12:40, edited 1 time in total.
donabate2014
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Candidates should have to earn the right to stand in an election by actually doing something for their community.
Mr. Stupid
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How come Bob seems so popular on these forums and can't make it?

Here's my thinking: in the last few months, Bob has been involved in Swimming pool, Tennis Club.
Prior to that, he was involved with the schools and served his time on the Parish Council.

I am sure I am leaving out stuff. But what the f*ck does he have to do? Leave FG? Why should he do that. A member of a big party has better access to ministers, senior public sector people and can work with other party colleagues to get things done.
bland
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donabate2014 wrote:Candidates should have to earn the right to stand in an election by actually doing something for their community.
Dry your eyes princess, the people have spoken
bear
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donabate2014 wrote:What a pity Bob didn't get in. The only one who actually did something. But instead we now have 8 cllrs who have done nothing, only promising us their policies are good.
9 were Elected.Of those that were elected who is the one who has done something?
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Ken
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bear wrote:9 were Elected.Of those that were elected who is the one who has done something?
Ann Devitt trousered a few bob from developers for rezoning land.
Regards,

Ken.
donabate2014
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bland wrote:
donabate2014 wrote:Candidates should have to earn the right to stand in an election by actually doing something for their community.
Dry your eyes princess, the people have spoken
The people's loss.
donabate2014
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bear wrote:
donabate2014 wrote:What a pity Bob didn't get in. The only one who actually did something. But instead we now have 8 cllrs who have done nothing, only promising us their policies are good.
9 were Elected.Of those that were elected who is the one who has done something?
In fairness Butler has done some work. But in Swords only.
Mr. Stupid
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bland wrote:
donabate2014 wrote:Candidates should have to earn the right to stand in an election by actually doing something for their community.
Dry your eyes princess, the people have spoken
That's a bit facetious. Would you have the same reaction when people backed Bertie and his party of mass destruction in 2002, 2007 if they had good reason to belief what lay ahead????

Sometimes an ill informed electorate is more dangerous then a lunatic politician.
bland
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Yep, totally facetious (pot/kettle Mr Stupid?) and I also agree with you re an uninformed electorate. But the system is the system and people ca vote whatever way they wish. I find the whingeing about Bob not getting a seat humorous. For what its worth, I gave him my no 2 and am a little disappointed. He deserved a place and I feel we have lost out. But statements that he is the only candidate that has done anything are also uninformed and ignorant to the work 'some' of the other candidates have done in their localities. Suggestions that candidates prove they're worthy to throw a hat in the ring probably favour the very individuals you have highlighted over those who may have intelligent views and creative approaches to offer...in my opinion. I will keep an open mind for the moment.
donabate2014
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bland wrote:Yep, totally facetious (pot/kettle Mr Stupid?) and I also agree with you re an uninformed electorate. But the system is the system and people ca vote whatever way they wish. I find the whingeing about Bob not getting a seat humorous. For what its worth, I gave him my no 2 and am a little disappointed. He deserved a place and I feel we have lost out. But statements that he is the only candidate that has done anything are also uninformed and ignorant to the work 'some' of the other candidates have done in their localities. Suggestions that candidates prove they're worthy to throw a hat in the ring probably favour the very individuals you have highlighted over those who may have intelligent views and creative approaches to offer...in my opinion. I will keep an open mind for the moment.
So what have the other candidates done?
Mr. Stupid
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Hey Bland, tell what the other elected candidates have done for our area please?
Henchman has done a bit for the Hockey Club and the GAA club. What about the other 8? What have they done for Donabate or Portrane?
Thanks.
donabate2014
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And while doing that he got a civil servant in trouble and basically blew St.Pats chance of getting a grant.
Mr. Stupid
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Eh - I don't know about that.
The Civil Servant thing is not a big deal in the grand scheme and I don't know about the grant.
Let's see if he delivers on the Hockey pitch. I think Dowling would have had a better chance. Why?
Because, the best hope we have is for a Dail questions to be tabled about it (believe it or not this happens for local issues, it shouldn't be it does). Even better when there is a Minister in your area.

"HI Sly fox (Reilly)"
"Hi bob"
"Any chance you could sort the hockey pitch. I am councillor and need to deliver on something"
"Sure".

Whereas, Henchman doesn't even have a FF TD who can help him out.

For Donabate, the best outcome would have been a FG head and a FG Minister on the phone.
donabate2014
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Bob is not going away. He still got 1,000 votes and still has a mandate for the people in Donabate.
Mr. Stupid
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donabate2014 wrote:Bob is not going away. He still got 1,000 votes and still has a mandate for the people in Donabate.
If it wasn't for austerity himself and Gerry would have got in. Devitt and Mulville wouldn't have.
Henchman, I don't know. Probably not.
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Ken
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donabate2014 wrote:And while doing that he got a civil servant in trouble and basically blew St.Pats chance of getting a grant.
Let's not jump to conclusions. The civil servant incident was well reported but there is no evidence that this will impact St Pat's grant.

The election is over, let's move on.
Regards,

Ken.
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Wolf J Flywheel
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Well, its done and dusted now so we have who we have.

As regards the candidates who didn't make it this time, I'm reminded of a quote from an American politician called Richard Tuck who famously said after failing to get elected on one occasion during the 1960s, "the people have spoken, the bastards........".
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