After ten years in power with Fianna Fail it is clear that the Progressive Democrats have abandoned their core value of defending high ethical standards in politics. Here are two examples of how things have changed.
PD senator, Tom Morrissey speaking on RTE 24th January 2005
“We’re not in the business of asking for heads on plates anymore. When we did, what thanks did the electorate ever give us? We’re not there as a watchdog anymore.”
Former PD TD Fiona O’Malley speaking on RTE 4th October 2006
“It’s something that’s always annoyed me, that the PDs are watchdogs. We have our own standards. Every other political party is responsible for their own standards within their own party. We are not watchdogs for any other political party.”
Given that the PDs are now very comfortable doing business at a Fianna Fail level of integrity and accountability and given that they have been virtually wiped out as a political party, Mary Harney should give serious consideration to moving, lock, stock and barrel (minus political integrity), back to her origins.
Back in bed with Bertie she could concentrate on her Americanisation of the health system and not be worried about all this nasty ethical business.
The voting public gave you guys your answer last week. Unfortunately you do not appear to have the street wisdom to understand that. The reason the PD’s almost vanished is because their leader became just a tad too arrogant over the last five years. His vicious attacks on decent republican folk did not go down well. The PD’s were always going to be a short term bubble in any case.
But the politics of negativity that you guys espouse here almost every day were roundly rejected by the public. Get that into your skulls before the next general election in five years time or the rainbow will be sunk forever.
Forget the sniping and the petty jealousies and get on with the business of developing some policies which are better than FF. Not easy I know but that is what it will take to get your lot back into power.
there would be no stamp duty reform and then denfeded itOr the Minister for Education who promised a school building programme and then reneged on it after the last electionThe quality of opposition, it is true, may be awful but the quality of government is as bad, if not worse