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Porcelaine doll.

Or wiry ball of steel?

Paddy C  writes:

just as a counter to all the false indignation at our President being called a ‘Parasite midget’, don’t forget Michael D is no strange to the odd bit of verbiage [above]…

ParasiteRay  adds:

The president has shouted more pitiful epithets [at protests] than most of your ‘shocked’ readers have had lost bikes….

Oh.

FIGHT!

Yesterday: Midgetgate Man Speaks

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40 thoughts on “Big Enough

  1. Rep

    Disappointed in Michael D. The people are obviously against the Water Tax. At the very least he should have called together the council of state to debate the issue.

    1. serf

      The Council of State don’t “debate” issues. They advise whether legislation could be considered unconstitutional. Don’t think any informed minds ever considered the Water Charges Bill was unconstitutional. Like it or not, we live in a constitutional democracy where decisions are made by a government drawn from democratically elected candidates. Apart from some of the bungled management of IW, I still struggle to fathom what all the fuss was/is about? Do people prefer that all the infrastructure borrowing comes out of the States’s coffers? Do people really want 26 local authorities bungling along like the roads were before the NRA? Do people think that you can locate and fix leaks without meters? Do people think you should be able to fill a swimming pool full of clean water for free (at the expense of the general taxpayer)? Whilst the hardship issue does need consideration, that’s easily resolved through means testing. Otherwise there’s a real childlike sense of entitlement out there, all rights without responsibilities.

      1. Frilly Keane

        By assembling the Council of State Mickie D would have given himself a forum to at least discuss water charges and Irish Gravy.

        For a lad who was never behind the door with his opinions, on this he did nothing

        Obviously, as he was told to do.
        And stick to swanning around the globe

          1. bisted

            ….he should be above politics… he should acknowledge the divisiveness caused by the legislation that he is required to sign into law. Instead, he rubber stamped this with the same obscene haste that has marked the passage to that point.

        1. smoothlikemurphys

          “For a lad who was never behind the door with his opinions, on this he did nothing
          Obviously, as he was told to do.”

          So let me get this straight: You agree that Michael D is a man of sound mind and forthright opinion, but just because he didn’t stand up when you think he should have, you reckon someone else HAS TO be ‘telling’ him what to do.

          How about this: He thought about it, then decided to sign it into law because he felt that was the correct thing to do.

          1. bisted

            ..I agree he was always a man of forthright opinion but I’m not so sure about the sound mind…he would seem to have made an uncharacteristic error of judgement on this one.

        2. Spaghetti Hoop

          I think Mickey D’s reward for lifelong campaigning was a job where he didn’t need to anymore.

      2. R2Wkillarney

        Local councils have worked across borders on water infrastructure before and would again. Instead of investment in the water supply, this government has raided the pension reserve fund for €500 million and the property tax fund for €490 million.

        And what a mess we got for it – political appointees and retired county managers on the board and staff, massive obscene spending on consultants fees, staff, bonuses and on and on. It is estimated that the final cost of meter installation will be €750 million. Thats about €100,000,000 for every child homeless in Dublin this christmas.

        Today, RTE has said that the €100 bribe will cost the state even more through consultants fees. You are being bribed with your own taxes and being charges to receive it.

        There will be no bribe next year. It is humanly impossible to beat the meter, it would mean cutting the average usage of water by 70%.

        A protester who is being crushed under austerity, who is seeing his community crumble before him and others like him call an elected official on 4 or 5 pensions a midget parasite and the whole country is up in arms over it.

        Homelessness in Cork -up 400%. in Dublin – the highest since records began, mass emigration – 180,000 in the last two years alone, a climbing suicide rate, evictions and repossessions of family homes, 98,000 on social housing lists. 6 years of crushing austerity – yet this government thinks it’s time for a new public work and they are putting their hand in your pocket again. €27 billion in taxes collected under the local government services act for water since ’97 but this government wants you to pay again.

        sure, theres no problem here. can’t see why theres a fuss.

    2. Cian

      If you’re against the bill, the last thing you want is the President referring it to the SC – as it effectively copperfastens it forever against future challenges.

      Although, being brutally honest – it was going to pass the SC with flying colours now or in the future anyway.

  2. Dubloony

    This was before he was President. And there is a fuller version here with some context to his comments.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5OWRRJh-PI

    Even if you don’t respect the ma, respect the role. He was a democratically elected president who has acted legally in signing a bill that was properly passed in the Dáil.

  3. JimmytheHead

    Ive always liked Higgins, but to be honest his lack of opinion on the whole water charges situation is disappointing. Pro or Con the least he could do is say something publicly.

    1. shitferbrains

      Maybe he thinks dragging water and sewage services into the 21st century isn’t a bad thing ? And before anyone says ” we pay for it already “, we don’t. We pay towards these services, which is is different.

      1. ahjayzis

        Actually, given his political pedigree, I’d imagine he thinks capital projects likes schools, hospitals and water infrastructure should be paid for in a progressive manner, rather than everyone, regardless of income or circumstances, having a flat-rate levy demanded of them.

        Pretty much everyone but the tea-party types would agree with that, too.

          1. bisted

            …I think the consensus here was that the president ought to be above politics but he has revealed himself as just another labour factotum scrambling to do the governments bidding. His reward is that he has become the first president in this country to be jeered in public.

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