We had managed to keep American style culture war politics out despite the UK succumbing to it a long time ago, but it looks like it's here now. FG FF and SF are all about to move to the right with their politics because of it. Sinn Fein made a show of themselves this week with their U-turn on the hate speech bill,and they're now changing their rhetoric on immigration. If people think there's anything positive at the end of all this,they should look across the water and the huge drop in standards across the board. Most of those out marching about "dangerous" asylum seekers, or protesting at libraries or joining in the panic about "women being erased from the constitution" need to realise they're fighting a war that never ends, because the whole point of a culture war is that it never ends, its just constantly recycled as its about keeping people afraid and angry for monetary and political gain for those pushing it. And we'll all suffer for it in the end.
I was surprised at the SF stance on immigration to be honest but they've definitely taken a knock in the polls from some of the anti government vote heading to the far right so they've suffered collateral damage that was nothing to do with them. I mooted the suggestion that FG could have actually strategically went down that road but it's probably far fetched but either way it couldn't have worked out better for them. Sad fact of the matter is that immigration has somehow gotten itself on par with housing and healthcare as an election topic which is absolutely nuts with the problems we have with them two very real ongoing catastrophe's and if I was in opposition that's the tack I'd keep going at, if we let it alone the immigration thing will settle into the background noise!
Seems a bit stupid though to prosecute, once they're in they're in right? If they wanted to stop it they'd return them to the original airport surely.
Like most people,I wouldn't know a lot about our asylum laws, but I do know not having a passport doesn't preclude you from claiming asylum. I'm guessing that's why we haven't really bothered prosecuting people up until recently, because prosecutions seem a bit pointless. Why we've suddenly started? I think we can all guess that one.
That Cathal Berry lad fascinates me,and not in a pleasant way. He's an independent who always votes with the government when they need him,which isn't in itself that unusual. But when you add that to him being a single issue TD(defence), then I'm asking what's the point of him? I get he's ex-defence forces and there's a big barracks in his constituency,but I've never heard or read him speak on any issue that's not defence. Maybe I'm not in tune with the people of Kildare North,and they're happy for him to not oppose the government and not deal with any other issues, but unless you're a member of the defence forces or a major fucking weirdo, I can't understand why you'd be happy with him if he was your TD.
I don't want to distract from the main points you've made but as an ex Kildare North constituent I'd like to have the record cleared to include him as a south Kildare TD. Plus the people down there wouldn't have really known that he was going to literally pursue that single agenda as I'm sure he campaigned on a lot more and they might turf him out next time around.
I beg your pardon. Geography never been a strong point for me. Happy to correct the record. Cathal Berry,useless politician representing Kildare South.
He's not in my constituency but I think peader Toibin has come across very well recently, a few more like him wouldn't do any harm,
I don't like him. He comes across as very disingenuous to me. Let's be honest,if there hadn't of been a referendum on the 8th ammendment,he'd still be in Sinn Fein but hes painting himself as completely different to them. He's been dog whistling on immigration since because there was a big anti immigration sentiment among the anti repeal demographic, and he's very obviously targeting culture war issues for votes,while at the same time attacking the government for focusing on culture war issues. And now he's running to be an MEP,yet says he has no intention of giving up his Dail seat. What way will that work? But his popularity is definitely rising. The issue Aontu will have when the general election campaign gets into full swing,is they want to keep dog whistling on immigration,but a lot of the voters they're targeting won't accept that. You're all in with them or they'll turn on you. It's been a very good few months for their chances though.
Anti immigration, anti abortion, anti woke (whatever the flavour of the month is on that), the less there are of him the better in my opinion.
New minister for higher education thought the Dublin and Monaghan bombings were carried out by the IRA. When it was pointed out to him that those attacks were carried out by loyalist paramilitaries, he doubled down and insisted he was right to blame the IRA, because he doesn't "differentiate between attrocities".