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Post by hibernicus on Mar 23, 2016 23:19:31 GMT
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Post by Ranger on Mar 24, 2016 18:48:56 GMT
The Trinity panel is even more depressing in this regard.
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Post by hibernicus on Apr 5, 2016 23:10:45 GMT
Someone who looked at the EWTN channel on Youtube recently tells me it has an interview with Enda Kenny in which he explains what a great pro-lifer he is.
Comment is needless, except to say that some Catholic Americans still have an over-idealised image of Ireland.
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Post by hibernicus on Apr 22, 2016 21:39:34 GMT
Katherine Zappone has declared that she is voting for Enda Kenny as Taoiseach because, among other things, he has given her a commitment to a referendum to repeal the Pro-Life Amendment. One press report actually referred to "the pro-life Taoiseach" having made this commitment. Endanias is pro-life like Lady Gaga is Catholic. David Quinn comments in the INDEPENDENT: www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-quinn/fine-gael-treats-prolife-voters-with-contempt-to-fianna-fils-gain-34649626.htmlBTW, although FF may be better than this, they're not much better. The current PHOENIX has a very depressing profile of Ms Chambers, the new "Repeal the 8th" FF TD for Mayo, emphasising her role as one of Micheal Martin's pets and symbol of the way a section of FF would like that party to develop.
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Post by Young Ireland on Apr 22, 2016 21:46:06 GMT
Katherine Zappone has declared that she is voting for Enda Kenny as Taoiseach because, among other things, he has given her a commitment to a referendum to repeal the Pro-Life Amendment. One press report actually referred to "the pro-life Taoiseach" having made this commitment. Endanias is pro-life like Lady Gaga is Catholic. David Quinn comments in the INDEPENDENT: www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/david-quinn/fine-gael-treats-prolife-voters-with-contempt-to-fianna-fils-gain-34649626.htmlBTW, although FF may be better than this, they're not much better. The current PHOENIX has a very depressing profile of Ms Chambers, the new "Repeal the 8th" FF TD for Mayo, emphasising her role as one of Micheal Martin's pets and symbol of the way a section of FF would like that party to develop. The comparison to Lady Gaga is actually an excellent one Hibernicus, since both came from strong Catholic backgrounds. Indeed, I believe that the former is an excellent example of why excessive sheltering from the world is a bad idea (not that some sheltering is required in today's society). All Enda is missing is her penchant for ceaselessly shocking people (though he certainly has done that in the past with the abortion bill in 2013 and his playing with his phone in front of Pope Benedict).
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Post by hibernicus on Apr 24, 2016 18:32:05 GMT
Actually I adapted it from a 1990s Southern Baptist who remarked "Bill Clinton is a Southern Baptist like Madonna is Catholic". I put in Lady Gaga rather than Madonna because Madonna's subsequent religious evolution might confuse the issue. (She has now gone in for a sort of New Age version of Judaism which, unlike genuine Judaism, really amounts to worshipping herself, which is a major theme of American culture.) What the pair of them have in common with Enda is their subscription to the principle laid down by the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, that words mean whatever they want them to mean. I knew Lady Gaga had a Catholic upbringing (and a classical musical education) but not that it was sheltered. I try to pay as little attention to her as I can, except when she comes up in connection with some other topic.
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Post by Young Ireland on May 7, 2016 19:27:56 GMT
Taking a look at the new cabinet, am I alone in having a bad feeling about Katherine Zappone being made Minister for Children? Given that she has been very outspoken about her social views, could we see greater restriction on conscientious objection for adoption agencies not to let gay couples adopt children through them?
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Post by hibernicus on May 11, 2016 20:46:25 GMT
Any thoughts on the NI Assembly election results? Some obvious points: - A good result for DUP, who held their seats. Not so good for SF, who failed in their target of getting 30 seats which would have allowed them to veto legislation with a "petition of concern". SDLP down slightly, UUP and Alliance pretty static. Jim Allister remains a one-man band. - More ominous are individual changes. The two most socially conservative Alliance MLAs I'm aware of have retired (though so has Anna Lo, who was outspokenly pro-choice). I suspect Alliance will emphasise social liberalism, especially if Naomi Long replaces Alan Ford as leader. At least two of the more prominent SDLP pro-lifers, Alban Maginess and Pat Ramsay, have retired. The Trots of PBP and possibly the Greens are likely to play up the pro-choice issue (especially as one of the new PBP MLAs is Eamonn McCann, who has been banging the pro-abort drum in his IRISH TIMES columns quite a lot recently). The UUP under Mike Nesbitt is trying to emphasise its modern credentials to distinguish itself from the DUP, so we might have problems there. Some suggestion that SF's pro-choice etc party line has lost them some votes, but this is difficult to tell. Dr Ann McCloskey in Foyle got 3,410 first preference votes as a pro-lifer and independent republican (though much of this support probably reflects her presence as a well-known local GP).
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Post by assisi on May 13, 2016 10:04:22 GMT
Any thoughts on the NI Assembly election results? Some obvious points: - A good result for DUP, who held their seats. Not so good for SF, who failed in their target of getting 30 seats which would have allowed them to veto legislation with a "petition of concern". SDLP down slightly, UUP and Alliance pretty static. Jim Allister remains a one-man band. - More ominous are individual changes. The two most socially conservative Alliance MLAs I'm aware of have retired (though so has Anna Lo, who was outspokenly pro-choice). I suspect Alliance will emphasise social liberalism, especially if Naomi Long replaces Alan Ford as leader. At least two of the more prominent SDLP pro-lifers, Alban Maginess and Pat Ramsay, have retired. The Trots of PBP and possibly the Greens are likely to play up the pro-choice issue (especially as one of the new PBP MLAs is Eamonn McCann, who has been banging the pro-abort drum in his IRISH TIMES columns quite a lot recently). The UUP under Mike Nesbitt is trying to emphasise its modern credentials to distinguish itself from the DUP, so we might have problems there. Some suggestion that SF's pro-choice etc party line has lost them some votes, but this is difficult to tell. Dr Ann McCloskey in Foyle got 3,410 first preference votes as a pro-lifer and independent republican (though much of this support probably reflects her presence as a well-known local GP). There is a good comment article on the NI election from Michael Kelly in this weeks Irish Catholic where, amongst other accurate comments he quotes a former SDLP voter as saying the party is now 'Sinn Fein lite'. Certainly SDLP are projecting a more secular agenda under a young leadership. Because of this it is harder to see any substantial difference in policy between it and Sinn Fein. In Foyle Dr McCloskey was just behind Eamonn McCann in first preference votes, and just lost out on a seat, so that was a very creditable effort. As regards election posters in Foyle Eamonn McCann was by the far the most visible, with bigger placards than even the Sinn Fein candidates. Dr McCloskey had no placards as this was her own choice. I think as regards the Nationalist vote in general, there is a general fatigue with respect to the two main parties, fewer are inspired by them. At least previously with the SDLP you had intelligent and thoughtful politicians like John Hume, Mallon, Brid Rodgers etc - whereas now the younger leadership remind me of Blairite politicians, image and soundbite being important. One thing to watch for is the performance of Martin McGuinness now that he is MLA back in his native Foyle (Derry). There are some big issues here that have been unresolved for years, particularly the establishment of a much bigger university presence in Derry. I will be interesting to see what he can deliver.
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Post by hibernicus on May 22, 2016 19:47:23 GMT
One point about both Ms Zappone and the NI elections - both reflect Peter Hitchens' point that conservative parties tend to focus on "hard" economic management and leave liberals unchallenged in social affairs, without realising that over the long term liberal social policy undermines the conditions for conservative policy generally. (The DUP tends to go for economic ministries and leave education and social welfare to SF.) Since my last post I saw an interview with the new Green MLA for South Belfast mentioning the party's pro-choice stance as something which got a good response on the doors in her constituency. That's not a good sign.
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Post by hibernicus on May 29, 2016 17:08:06 GMT
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Post by hibernicus on Jun 22, 2016 22:08:11 GMT
This piece from the IRISH TIMES on the current dead-in-the-water state of Renua is very painful, because it conveys the sense that at least in Dublin taking a pro-life stance is actually seen by politicians as a serious political liability, and this will make them more likely to give the pro-choicers what they want. Some points: (1) The vast majority of Lucinda Creighton's canvassers in Dublin Bay South were pro-lifers; she attracted almost no others. (2) They met with extreme hostility on the doorsteps from voters opposed to the pro-life policy, despite Renua's efforts to play it down and emphasise the "free vote" side of things. (Doubtless some of the Renua interviewees will be influenced by their own views - some anonymous libertarians are actually claiming in interviews that the loss of the three TDs is an advantage because it will allow Renua to breathe and develop freely, which suggests a seriously delusional mindset - but bear in mind that the execrable Kate O'Connell would not have made such a big song and dance about being pro-choice if she didn't think she would gain from it.) (3) Outside Dublin there were more pro-life voters, but they tended to vote for FF rather than Renua. www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/renua-the-long-painful-demise-of-a-political-party-1.2689578Meanwhile, according to the PHOENIX, Kate O'Connell is whining that she didn't get a job as a reward for defeating Lucinda, heedless of the fact that the campaign of which she was the beneficiary was about defeating Lucinda rather than promoting her, and Eoghan Murphy has been duly rewarded for running it.
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Post by hibernicus on Mar 4, 2017 12:21:48 GMT
The new Northern Ireland Assembly election results are depressing. SF's gains (remember they impose a strict whip to support abortion) and the strong showing of Alliance under Naomi Long suggest advances for social liberalism - if the new Assembly ever meets. I suspect pseudo-marriage will go through soon (even if it is not implemented under direct rule) though there may be enough social conservatives left in the UUP and SDLP to hold back abortion for the time being. Nelson McCausland is in many respects obnoxious but as a committed evangelical he was a reliable voice on life and family issues. One bright spot is the defeat of Eamonn McCann, who was sporting a REPEAL t-shirt during his TV appearances yesterday. Foyle voters didn't like the Trots' support for Brexit. this is a reminder not to idealise the DUP - their bungles over the RHI heating allowances have caused this debacle.
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Post by assisi on Mar 4, 2017 18:59:49 GMT
The new Northern Ireland Assembly election results are depressing. SF's gains (remember they impose a strict whip to support abortion) and the strong showing of Alliance under Naomi Long suggest advances for social liberalism - if the new Assembly ever meets. I suspect pseudo-marriage will go through soon (even if it is not implemented under direct rule) though there may be enough social conservatives left in the UUP and SDLP to hold back abortion for the time being. Nelson McCausland is in many respects obnoxious but as a committed evangelical he was a reliable voice on life and family issues. One bright spot is the defeat of Eamonn McCann, who was sporting a REPEAL t-shirt during his TV appearances yesterday. Foyle voters didn't like the Trots' support for Brexit. this is a reminder not to idealise the DUP - their bungles over the RHI heating allowances have caused this debacle. There was an increase in the Nationalist turnout compared to the last election, some of it due to Nationalists voting for Sinn Fein to give Arlene Foster and the DUP a bloody nose for their incompetence and arrogance surrounding the RHI scandal. It will be interesting to see if this Sinn Fein additional vote will remain with them in future elections. As for our dear little Eamonn, his MLA days didn't last too long.
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Post by hibernicus on Apr 1, 2017 21:41:57 GMT
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