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The Saker Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
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"Progressive" Michael D now sends a Xmas message to the happy Irish slaves national |
anti-capitalism |
news report
 Wednesday December 21, 2011 10:34 by Karina - Michael D Watch
 Now Michael D has gone a step further from his ceremonial role in supporting war-mongering. He is openly feeding the feel-good factor for the FG-Labour government anti-social economic and political decisions. At a time of extraordinary hardship for the people of Ireland caused by the regressive and pro-business politics of Labour and FG, he comes out to send a Christmas message of "hope" in economic recovery. It is surely strange for a so called "socialist" and "progressive" to come out in such base way to support the fact that his government has passed the burden of the crisis onto the shoulders of the ordinary people of Ireland. The crisis was not the failure of the model, but was the cause of "mistakes that were made". Sure, you may be unemployed and hit by the budget, but as Michael D, just smile and have faith in our economic recovery strategy, work hard (Irish people will make the country move forward -to someone else's advantage for sure) and shut up (protest is in his new language a form of "recrimination and destructive cynicism). Now communities, instead of demanding the welfare they are entitled to, will have to turn, according to Higgins to charity and "co-operation"... that means, they can see how they survive while our resources and wealth are squandered by the golden circle to which Higgins belong to. This is the extraordinary message for a so called progressive and socialist:
"While we have nearly always tended to think of Christmas as a happy time as families come together to enjoy the festive season, I am also conscious that, for some of you, this year will be a Christmas where unemployment, financial insecurity or the absence of a loved one now living abroad will cast a dark shadow," he said.
"For many others, it will be a sad time due to illness or family bereavement.
"So these are troubling and testing times for so many but while acknowledging the hurt inflicted, the dismay caused by the mistakes that were made, I also believe that the Irish people have the resilience, the fortitude and the wisdom to move beyond any destructive cynicism and recrimination and have the capacity and determination to move on and craft a new positive form of their Irishness."
Mr Higgins, who is recovering from a knee operation, said he is inspired by the innovation and the resourcefulness that have come to the fore in the country's time of economic need.
He commended communities across the island who are renewing themselves in social solidarity through co-operation and together showing practical concern for each other and particularly for the less fortunate in this country and, indeed, throughout the world.
"While the wider global environment is worrying, we are seeing some positive results in our economic affairs," he continued.
"Our exports continue to grow; many of our companies have become more innovative and competitive; and direct inward investment is robust but the great challenge of creating jobs, reducing unemployment remains." That is Labour for you: a party that defends the worse elements of capitalism and neoliberalism (the praise for competition and the fetishism of investment are quite telling) and that has the clown Higgins as the friendly face to call people to shut up, work, survive and accept without protesting, the unfair burden placed on them by the golden circle of politicans and bankers. |
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Comments (22 of 22)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22fisting the politicians .... cos they've done it to us https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Emerald-Fist/1603017...26168 join and share
Let us be positive, at a time when fuel vouchers have been reduced by a 'socialist', Michael is one elderly person that will not suffer from fuel poverty. Mind u, at a modest €250,000 pa, he can just about manage.
The full speech almost made me puke. Just despicable.
I remember hearing Gerry Ryan say when it all went belly up that now was not the time for saying I told you so. But actually it was and still is. It is not as if no one saw this coming, lots of people did outside the mainstream media. My only question is, who exactly expected anything different from Higgins?
just doing his job. Now where have I heard that before? For the life of me, I just can't remember. Michael D is and always was a part of the system of state control. I liked Michael D in many ways but I think it's better to say nothing rather than insult people with your ignorance. If Michael D was to live in Darndale for the duration of his term, he might have a different approach, however, like many a Champagne Socialist, his noble sounding words(previous to this insulting speech) ring hollow. Nice words are easy, detached sentiment and feigned empathy a currency, like the Euro, with no real value or legitimacy. This is a "let them eat cake" and the rising tide lifts all boats approach. There is no leadership, no real democracy and too much apathy. Colonialism, Catholicism, Consumerism and of course too much alcohol have rendered us stupified and compliant. The smart prison guard doesn't need to beat the inmate, particularily if said inmate has internalised his/her role.
I wonder if this old muppet Higgins will be left out in the cold this winter...
I think that Katrina's is a very cynical reading of an admittedly anodyne speech. . 1. The reference to 'mistakes that were made' hardly amounts to an excuse for neoliberalism. . 2. Having seen him at many a demonstration over the years, I'm quite certain that by 'destructive cynicism' MDH does not mean 'protest.' . 3. And by no stretch of the imagination should 'cooperation' (which has been promoted by socialists for 200 years) be regarded as synonymous with 'charity' or with Cameron's so-called 'New society' for that matter. There are good things about the speech - in the aspiration to a sustainable economy, to social justice, and so on. I would imagine that the overall flatness is a result of having to have it approved by the government - which leads me to wonder why MDH wanted to be president in the first place
I think the speech was crystal clear. Coming from a man on a salary of €250,000 without taking into account his pension as a TD, who benefited from private health to get his knee operation while his party cuts health, and that enjoys a cosy bonfire by the back while the elderly will not be able to afford buying fuel for the winter, this is a bad joke on the Irish people. It is rich, to say the least, that the paddies are called to have faith while he and his cronies cash in the big money. Power changes people. It was great to be a radical when that got you votes, now that you are where you always wanted, and Michael D has always been a careerist politician, you can give the two fingers to the Irish people.
open up the extra rooms Michael and take a peep out the door , there you will see the many homeless people of Ireland 'living' in tents , yep , the same ones who have had enough of politicians and the turncoat policies of the corrupt partys who now 'bask' in the comfort of their own homes at the expense of the homeless .
The "mistakes" that Pres' MDH refers to were not in fact mistakes but deliberate neo-liberal policies of the FF/PDs and to a lesser extent the Greens. To describe these deliberate policies as mistakes is a lie, an insult to the Irish people and an indication of how much MDH wishes or is willing to tow the line. Why not refer, albeit in an overly diplomatic way, to the pursuit of ploicies that were flawed. However, that too would be a lie as these were the policies implemented by Bertie and Co. at the behest of their corporate and ideological supporters. To refer to policies as "mistakes' makes MDH sound like Mickey Martini. In Mary Robinson, we had a good President who was willing to push the boundaries of the office, however, the signs thus far are that MDH will 'play the political game'.
..he has WON the political game. Smug 'n' snug as a rug-bug. The working class can kiss my arse...
"My only question is, who exactly expected anything different from Higgins?" Gearoid, you'd be surprised there's a lot of people out there that still believe there is such a thing as a left wing to Labour...
...its the chicken wing.
The concept of Labour as anything remotely resembling a left of centre party is absurd. The sticks have left the (other) party and jumped on the gravy train, and the 'left wing' has retired to a mansion.
..with chickens neques...solid brass.
.........pushed boundaries? I think not. After her Presidency she became an international advocate of human and civil rights, but guess what? - she's never once mentioned the total violation of the rights of people in her her own County, despite being asked to intervene on many occasions. Another pretend leftie who dropped her socialist ideology like a pair of wet knickers as soon as she hit paydirt.
same old , same, one election after another election and STILL we fall for the 'spin' leaked out by carefully plotted route 66 minnows who sit and laugh their angus a*ses off when they see us 'telling it like we see it' in our voting preferences . how many of us received a greetings card from our favourite politician this year , don't rush to let us know as indy would not be able to deal with the 'crash' .
It's former President Mary McAleese who has looked the other way from November 1997 to November 2011. McAleese can't say that she didn't know. It was left to Amnesty International to write a review about the flawed and dismantled Irish Mental Health Act 2001 - http://www.amnesty.ie/content/mh-act-review The recent RTE documentary Behind the Walls by film maker Mary Raftery exposed the historical human rights abuses on mental health patients in Ireland, but only touched the surface on what's still going on at present in psychiatric hospitals. Behind the Walls: http://www.globalurbex.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=252
The Clerics are Brawling in Bethlehem. Michael D will have to get his coat off and seperate them.
Hey 'Karina, Your time might be better served setting up a 'Social Welfare Watch' instead of a 'michael d watch'. There is some real action going on there, in social welfare i mean, there is in fact blood on the walls and bodies on the road, literally. There is already a 'Shannon Watch' they've spotted some blood and bodies in there as well, usually not of the indigenous kind What is your point ? We all know the Presidency is a hamstrung role, albeit a well paid one, if Higgins does ruffle a few feathers its a bit of a plus perhaps but in the wider scheme of things it don't amount to the proverbial hill of beans. I don't think anyone on this site was labouring under the illusion that Higgin's election would herald a new dawn in this wee state that we inhabit. Much more important things need watching.
Its only words that are used to hype a personality profile up when the same personalities are looking for something that you have that they want , and what they want from you is your love and your affection coupled with your VOTE .
John of course I know my priorities and I put Michael D Watch as a joke really, I am not an eejit. My whole point of taking on Michael D is to show that there is not such a thing as left in Labour. It is about exposing the deceptive nature of the whole establishment by targeting the "socialist" cadre of Labour. Though his role is symbolic, symbolism IS important today, when we need a renewed left to tackle all those problems you mention. This is a time when the ruling elite in this country is through symbolic elements recreating the whole country to fit its interests turning it into a sorry colony once again. The debate around the queen, the Somme and WWI, his Xmas message calling for obedience and resilience, is all part of a well planned project to get rid of the Republican legacy in this country because there are progressive elements there: the Republic should cherish all of its children equally. This is a time of conservative reaction, on reaction in this country has an ugly westbrit face and that is the job of Labour and morronic repentant stickies like Eoghan Harris and such. The left is an accesory to the reaction onslaught of those who yearn for the good old days of the Empire. The colonies are back in full force a chara.