What planet is this election being held on?

Abie Philbin Bowman on the General Election

I haven't got a party political bone in my body. I have always been drawn to, or turned off by, individuals based on their ideas, values and talents. 

That's how I decide who gets my vote.

If I'd been old enough, I would have voted for Garret FitzGerald over Charlie Haughey in the 1980s, and John Bruton over Albert Reynolds in the early 90s. Not for any party political reasons, but simply because Fitzgerald and Bruton were better leaders, with clearer ideas and greater talents. 

There is no doubt in my mind that Bertie Ahern is a better Taoiseach than Enda Kenny could ever be.

Much has been written about Bertie's financial dealings in the early 1990s. I've heard many people say that no other Western democracy would tolerate such lax standards from their head of government. 

Has anyone been following world events recently?

In Bertie's time as Taoiseach, consider some of the people who have been running the most powerful nations in the world: 

Jacques Chirac, a crook

Silvio Berlusconi, a crook and a megalomaniac

Vladimir Putin, an ex-KGB agent who is trying to bring back the good old days

George Bush and Tony Blair, two war mongers

Of course this doesn't excuse low-level corruption. But the bottom line is that when I look at Bertie Ahern, I do not see a man driven by the pursuit of personal wealth. I do see someone who has shown remarkable leadership over the last 10 years.

I don't dispute that there are serious problems in this country, but I see very few people in the two main opposition parties who I think are capable of sorting them out.

If I could choose a dream cabinet it would include: John Gormley (Greens), Eamon Ryan (Greens), Richard Bruton (FG), Brian Hayes (FG), Ruairi Quinn (Labour), Brendan Howlin (Labour), Bertie Ahern (FF), Brian Cowen (FF), Micheal Martin (FF), Dermot Ahern (FF), Brian Lenihan (FF), Mary Hannifin (FF), Michael McDowell (PDs), Liz O'Donnell (PDs), Mary Harney (PDs) – although not as Minister for Health.

And Enda Kenny's speechwriter.

The health services in this country are an intractable mess. I admire Mary Harney for taking on the job, and – other things being equal – I think it's a good idea to have a health minister from a small party, who doesn't have party colleagues in every constituency, fighting to protect local agendas ahead of a national strategy. I think Mary Harney has a great record at trade and industry.

The problem is that the PDs philosophy of free enterprise may be a great way to reform taxi services, but the profit motive is not suited to the State provision of primary health care.

Michael McDowell has come in for a lot of personal criticism. I think that plays right into his hands. He is using the same cynical formula that has served him so well in the past. If the PDs are centre stage, they can't lose. Even if 80% of the electorate are turned off by McDowell's aggressive tactics, that's still a victory. Because their base level of support is 2%. If they can dominate the news agenda, they're bound to win over some new fraction of the electorate, however many people they alienate in the process.

Comments

[Gary]

That was not interesting at all. Dreadfully boring.