The Government doesn’t seem to be aware that the collapse of the global and national economies has a silver lining – Lisbon II is guaranteed a massive Yes vote.
Not only is Ireland a different country since the first referendum but the earth is a different planet and that planet is ruled by one emotion – FEAR.
All the Government has to say is – If you vote No again the EU will cut us adrift in a world of financial chaos. That means we will be fully dependant on our own politicians to run our affairs – People will be tripping over themselves to vote Yes.
That doesn’t mean that the Government will be taking any chances and it will be interesting to see what further abuses of the democratic system they have in mind.
Declan Ganley of Libertas, who gave a fine interview on One to One on RTE the other night, will be a prime target.
He was also answering questions in front of the Oireachtas Committee on Ireland’s future in the EU where he was yet again attacked by the losers.
“The Treaty is dead, you lost, get over it, he told them.”
Generally I can’t see how the government can put the same treaty back to the electorate. Anyway I think that all the threats and intimidation in June really did was put people’s back up. Cowen will have to do better than meaningless declarations.
I couldn’t believe what I say (and heard re. scary music) on Primetime. Primetime can never claim to be the Panorama of Ireland. The attack on Ganley prevented any possibility of positive interviewee input. Noone can tell what Ganley had in mind before the interview. We know well what Hannon had in mind. He was left in a position in which he had to batten down the hatches. Hannon was therefore left all on her own trying childish promts at counter question information relaese such as “we estimate you made 1 million from that project”. Who in RTE thought that Ganley would be dumb enough to correct her and suggest a much jucier figure. Whoever it was was wrong. Ganley was shown to be a man who kept cool under acceptable questioning, fumbled (as we all would) when the interview became grossly unfair such as the lingering and shocking suggestion that he might know more about a dead mans reason for being dead because he may have been aquainted with him during his life.
Before this interview I liked Katie Hannon and felt Ganley was a bit of a shit. Role reversal is in full swing.
Marie