[Not quite] Sunday Independent Stupid Statement of the Election Week

This weekend Garibaldy is unavoidably detained, though I’m hoping he can contribute a comment or two later in the day. Therefore rather than replicate his approach I’ll just start the ball rolling with a quote that jumped straight out at me from today’s Sunday Independent and open the field to others to add others…

In what can be properly described as a defining moment in the history of the nation, Fianna Fail has suffered its worst ever defeat in a General Election, the outcome of which has, in an almost apocalyptic fashion, swept away 90 years of civil war politics in Ireland.

‘Swept away 90 years of civil war politics in Ireland’… er… a bit early to be making that statement, no?

Actually, I’ll add another from Eoghan Harris…

Kenny must now prepare for a Kulturkampf with RTE, that useful German word which covers any ideological struggle short of shooting. The biggest kulturkampf fought on this island was the battle for minds and hearts during the 30-year armed struggle of the Provo IRA. The most important weapon in this war was Section 31 of the Broadcasting Act. This prevented the Provos from using RTE to make the propaganda at which they proved so polished once Section 31 was lifted.

Let’s put aside the usual public sector bashing stuff that has become his stock in trade. Reading about the Kulturkampf I wonder does he realise what a curious notion that is to introduce in a democracy, and, more important from a purely utilitarian position, does he know how effective it actually was.

From wiki:

Bismarck realized his Kulturkampf was a failure when secular and socialist elements use the opportunity to attack all religion. In the long run, the most significant result was the mobilization of the Catholic voters, and their insistence on protecting their church. In the elections of 1874, the Center party doubled its popular vote, and became the second-largest party in the national parliament– and remained a powerful force for the next 60 years, so that after Bismarck it became difficult to form a government without their support. [20][21].

Let’s contemplate the utility of the anti-PS language used to date. Fianna Fáil broken, Labour getting its best ever result. The further left on line to get their best ever result. Sinn Féin [and here we see the effectiveness of anti-Republican rhetoric as well] on line to get some 10 per cent or so of seats in the Dáil.

Yes. That’s worked.

Loathsome stuff either way.

But for solipsism… well, check this out…

The battles about Section 31 left behind a legacy of prejudice against me and my politics which persist to this day. Although I was active in the peace process (supplying soundbites to David Trimble like “Northern Ireland was a cold house for Catholics”), I have rarely been seen or heard on RTE News and Current Affairs programmes since 1990 — a situation which does not apply to the Programmes Division of television.

If I am not banned, then the News Division hasn’t a clue how to balance a programme. For example, for nearly four years now I have been the chief spokesperson in the Seanad calling for public sector reform. But I was never asked to contribute to programmes such as The Week in Politics, which discussed public sector reform in that period.

Likewise, I was not asked to evaluate the recent leaders’ debates. Yet few have as much expertise in this field. Over the years I have worked either as a media adviser or as a speechwriter for politicians as diverse as Proinsias De Rossa, Mary Robinson, John Bruton and David Trimble. Could it be that my expertise itself is a problem? Is it intellectual insecurity? Or the likelihood that I would contradict the reflex RTE consensus that long dismissed Enda Kenny as a lightweight?

Hmmm…