Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
Both India and China have scolded the American government for not keeping control of its finances.
Here’s what China’s official Xinhua news agency had to say
The U.S. government has to come to terms with the painful fact that the good old days when it could just borrow its way out of messes of its own making are finally gone.
We certainly live in interesting times.
Irish Times columnist, John Waters, is ranting today about the ‘ideological corruption’ of the Irish media regarding the David Norris controversy.
There are some very interesting comments on the article. This one, by ‘Adam’, is worth reproducing in full.
Adam
John, since this story originated with a blogger, I was hoping you were going to write an article retracting your view that blogs and bloggers are stupid. Who am I kidding?
As regards the comparisons with bishops, there is of course a large difference between a misguided appeal for clemency for a convicted abuser and the attempt to cover-up abuse so that an abuser may escape prosecution. That is why bishops are more harshly treated by the media, and rightly so. That doesn’t make Norris right, but the comparison with the behaviour of bishops is incorrect.
And John, you’re not immune to media bias yourself. You tried in your article last week to portray the Church as some sort of doddering old victim of the liberal media (and indeed you’ve portrayed the Pope – who’s a great chap altogether – as a victim in previous articles) when, of course, that is not the truth at all.
You see the church overall as a hero, as a “good guy”, so you are inclined to give it the benefit of the doubt. This is exactly what is happening on the other side of the political divide. People see Norris as a “good guy” and they are inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Is it right? No, of course not.
But, it’s like the way your fingers twitch instinctively for the words “aggressive” or “militant” when you write “secularist” or “atheist” when you really just mean someone who is is an outspoken advocate for both. You would never use the words to describe the Pope, even though in context he’s just as “aggressive” or “militant”, because your bias weighs heavily on your fingers.
You cannot seriously call for fair mindedness in journalism when you, only last week, called members of the Labour party “atheist ayatollahs”!?
You wrote an article once about Atheist Ireland where you claimed that if two of your friends were given half an hour and a microphone the would change the minds of almost every atheist in the room (without ever explaining what those friends would actually say). Only a person who was a slave to their own bias could make such a claim. Incidentally, Richard Dawkins in The God Delusion bemoans the fact that his entire book will not change the minds of but a relatively few religious people who read it, and your fingers will still twitch for the word “arrogant” when you write about him.
In short, John, there is a degree of truth about this article, but you certainly aren’t the one to be casting stones.
There was an item on Morning Ireland discussing the serious neglect of children because of a lack of resources.
During the discussion Catherine Chent, a solicitor specializing in children’s rights told us that the HSE buys in an incredible amount of private services, sometimes at twice the cost as that paid in England.
I wonder who benefits from this strategy.
As usual, there was no representative from the HSE but this out of control organization did deign to provide a ‘statement’ (Number three) on the matter.
The HSE is developing a changed strategy over the next three years with high level goals.
I can just imagine the scene in the relevant office when the RTE request for a spokesperson arrived.
John, I think it’s your turn to talk bullshit to the nation.
It is not George, I was on last week and anyway, I’m checking out holiday destinations on the internet.
Ok, look, why don’t we just issue a statement.
Great idea, but which one?
Well, number two, five and seven have all being used recently. Let’s see, what about number three?
Yeah, whatever.
I was thinking of Bermuda this year George, what do you think?
On 19th July last I asked the question – Will Judge Kelly fold under state pressure?
Sadly, and all too predictably, the judge folded.
Judge Kelly had strongly challenged the state regarding the never ending investigation into Anglo Irish Bank.
Throwing down the gauntlet he said the requested six months extension to the investigation would not be granted unless the following demands were met.
Much more progress achieved.
Much more detailed information provided.
Progress in respect of the material sent to the DPP in December 2010.
More accurate estimates of time as to the completion of the various investigations than have been furnished to date.
This is what he got:
There are five parts to the investigation with one part substantially complete.
A formal decision on charges will not be made until all aspects of the investigation are complete because many issues in the five parts overlap.
Some aspects of the investigation will not be complete until end of this year.
Some transactions are more extensive and more complex than originally thought.
Judge Kelly responded:
Due to the additional information he had received and the fleshing out of the picture in relation to the DPP, he would grant a further extension of six months to the Director of Corporate Enforcement to continue his investigation.
Additional information, fleshing out of the picture? – rubbish.
All the judge got was a load of meaningless waffle accompanied by a very clear message.
Get back in your box and keep your mouth shut. We’ll call you when we next need your rubber stamp.
It is reasonable to conclude that the public dressing down of Judge Kelly by the DPP has had the desired effect.
I see the demonstrator who blocked former Government minister Mary Hanafin’s state car and shouted ‘Democracy now’ has been fined €150.
So, about eight months from ‘crime’ to justice. State law enforcement agencies like the police and courts working smoothly to ensure this ‘threat to the state’ was dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Meanwhile, those who actually destroyed the state are still walking around, enjoying the high life on bloated pensions and golden pay offs.
Apparently these vermin can’t be touched because of something to do with complexity and mounds of documents.
And what about former minister Hanafin, a member of the most corrupt political party in the country, the party principally responsible for allowing the vermin to destroy our country.
Well, she’s enjoying a lifetime guarantee of financial security partly paid for by the demonstrator who was hauled before the courts for demanding democracy.
Kevin Myers was writing recently about Garret Fitzgerald’s career and in particular his relationship with the criminal Haughey.
Fitzgerald, Myers tells us;
Was good at talking, poor at listening and poorer still at doing.
Fair comment, I think, and Myers assessment of the criminal Haughey is also right on the button.
Easily the most unspeakable reptile to inhabit the zoo of Irish politics since Independence.
Myers expresses astonishment that Fitzgerald failed to do any serious damage to Haughey despite his criminality.
The answer is simple; Haughey was a fully accepted member of the ruling elite.
Membership of this exclusive club guarantees immunity from any accountability whatsoever, no matter how serious the crime.
Victim of the Catholic Church child abuse holocaust (Liveline, Wednesday).
I said to John Charles McQuaid; the Brothers are doing dirty things to us and he put his over my head and said – Young boy, say your prayers, I was eleven years of age.
What happened after you said this to the Archbishop?
I was brought into a room and flogged, I got a terrible beating from two Brothers. I’ll never forget it for as long as I live, that was my treat for my Confirmation.
I was one of the last children out of Artane in 1969, the place was burned down.
I know the two children who burned the place down, they were being abused by a Brother. They hid under the stage in the cinema and they set fire to the cinema.
It was the happiest day of my life, I was only twelve when it happened. I wouldn’t be alive today only that it was burned to the ground.
What great, great courage from those two boys. What sweet, sweet pleasure they must have experienced as they torched the vile institution that had caused them so much pain.
There’s been a good deal of comment lately that the Euro/European crisis is good for Ireland.
This is principally based on the view that the crisis will result in a reduction of Ireland’s interest rate.
This view, I think, is a bit like a steerage passenger on Titanic expressing delight on being upgraded to first class minutes after the iceberg changed everything.
There’s a definite benefit but it won’t last too long.
Last May a very disturbing event occurred in this country which went almost completely unnoticed by the media.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, James Hamilton, publicly rebuked a High Court judge.
Some weeks earlier the judge in question, Mr. Justice Peter Kelly, had strongly criticised the long delay in the Anglo Irish Bank investigation.
The judge was angrily responding to an application from the ODCE for yet another extension of the investigation, this time for six months.
In his judgement, judge Kelly did not mince his words: (This short judgement is worth reading in full).
I am not, however, prepared to grant an extension of six further months as sought. I will grant an extension until Thursday, 28th July, 2011.
On that occasion, I expect much progress to have been achieved.
If a further extension is to be sought, I expect to be furnished with much more detailed information as to the progress of the investigation of these various issues.
In particular, I will require to know what progress has been made in respect of the material sent to the D.P.P. in December 2010.
I will also expect more accurate estimates of time as to the completion of these investigations than have been furnished to date.
Two years investigation without any appreciable result was not at all satisfactory, I am not a rubber stamp, said the judge.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Mr. James Hamilton, and by extension, the State, was not at all happy with this upbraiding by an upstart judge.
In a clear reference to Judge Kelly’s remarks the DPP said that there were some ‘current misunderstandings’ regarding how the Anglo case was being handled.
In our system, investigators investigate and prosecutors decide whether to prosecute.
The prosecutor does not direct the investigation and, except in minor cases delegated to them, the investigators do not decide whether to prosecute. Only the prosecutor has this function.
Following the completion of an investigation, the prosecutor prosecuted, the defence defended and the judge adjudicated between the parties.
The message to Judge Kelly is crystal clear: Get back in your box and keep your mouth shut. We’ll call you when we next need your rubber stamp.
Mr. Appleby (ODCE) must have been greatly relieved by this ‘timely’ intervention by such a powerful officer of the state.
While agreeing with Judge Kelly’s demand for a report by the end of July Mr. Appleby said that he would be looking for yet another extension of time.
Clearly, Mr. Appleby is confident, after the DPPs intervention, of getting his extension.
If granted, it will be the 8th extension to the Anglo Irish Bank investigation.
So, let’s be clear about what’s going on here.
The state is, apparently, employing one of its most effective strategies in response to allegations of white collar crime – delay, delay, delay until the entire matter becomes historical and irrelevant.
The intervention by judge Kelly cannot be tolerated as it could force the state to actually take effective action, for the first time, against suspected white collar criminals.
The big question is – will judge Kelly fold under state pressure?
We’ll know next week.
Copy to:
DPP
ODCE
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar made the following comment on radio at the weekend.
Of course there’s going to be cuts and tax increases in the coming budget.
A roughly two to one split between new taxes and charges on the one hand of about 1.5 billion and roughly 2.1 billion in spending cuts.
So, Gilmore and Kenny are liars?