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Read more about: Bertiegate
The Bertiegate debate has developed a momentum of its own.
The opposition are going to sink their canines in as far as they will stretch, yet, apart from the Greens, not one of them has suggested a solution.
The Greens have advocated a cessation of “Political Donations”.
Presumably of all hues?
For there cannot be shades of permissable permutations.
Therefore, all sums of money, loans, debts forgiven, discounted goods or services, free of charge ditto, bartered goods and/or services, benefits in kind, etc., must cease.
There can be no exceptions.
And there is no other way that the farce, presently being enacted, will ever stop, particularly in the FF culture, unless “Political Donations” cease.
A wise man once said to a friend, who found himself in a situation like Bertie’s: “Thou art either a fool or a knave, and methinks that thou art not a knave” (Proverbs Book iii. v 17-27.)
And lest one forget, Mark Antony, in in his oration over the body of Julius Caesar, said that he thought Brutus an honest man - Act 3 Scene 2 Lines 74-106
Sound familiar?
He also said, “But, as you know me all, a plain blunt man. For I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, action, nor utterances, nor the power of speech…” Act 3 Scene 2 - Lines 216-218.
Its not for the opposition to find a solution its for the cabinet wouldnt you love to be a fly on the wall ? ITS ONE OF THEIR NUMBER
ITS THEir PROBLEM IF MC DOWELL TAKES THE LINE THAT THE FIANNA FAIL CABINET MEMBERS TAKE THAT IT WAS 13 YEARS AGO AND ITS NOTHING REALLY -WELL THEN THE PDS GOOSE IS COOKED. THEY ARE NOT THE UPHOLDERS OF HIGH STANDARDS -THEYRE JUST THE SAME
LAST WEEK THEY CHOSE ONE ISSUE- THE GANG WHO DONATED THE 38,500 BUT CHOSE TO IGNORE THE 8000 STERLING FROM MANCHESTER
WHEN THE HEAT WAS TURNED UP THEY HAD NO OPTION BUT TO HAVE A RETHINK.
OH YES ALL EYES ARE ON THE PDS
CABINET MEMBERS WHO SAY IT DOESNT MATTER -IT ALL HAAPPENED YEARS AGO HAVE CHOSEN TO IGNORE WHAT GOES ON IN ALL TRIBUNALS - THEYRE ALL DELVING INTO PAST TIMES
THE PLANNING TRIBUNAL HAS BROUGHT A BIG BONANZA TO THE REVENUE - THE STATE- WELL OVER TWENTY MILLION IN BACK TAXES FORM THE BAILEYS BROS ALONE AND LOTS LOTS MORE
Not sure what point you are trying to make, M/s Malone!
As long as Politicians are permitted to take money - or value - for whatever reason, be they Loans; Gifts; Donations or old fashioned Bribes, they will be on the take and Corruption will continue to thrive.
This has nothing to do with the PDs in any particular.
It is a matter for Urgent Reform & should be a part of every Political Parties’ Manifesto.
I don’t think the Greens have proposed an end to political donations, they have proposed a ban on corporate donations and a limit on donations from individuals.
Momma Joe,
You are, in all probabilty, correct.
The Greens, being a small party, would not have access to the vast sums being passed around in the hospitality tent at the Galway Races. So they would be very keen to see Donations abolished - or modified - to provide a level playing pitch.
IRA/Sinn Fein, an even smaller party, have access to the enormous proceeds of Criminality, so they would also have an advantage over the Greens.
However, the issue in Bertiegate is not about points scoring; nor is it about the needs of the Greens.
It is about REFORM.
Bertie, in his defence, and the defence offered by his colleagues in FF, all point to two main aspects, which, in their collective opinion, indicate that he was not a knave.
He was, almost certainly, a misguided fool.
According to Bertie, and his colleagues, the only issues that mattered were:
1. No Laws or Rules were broken.
2. No Tax laws were breached.
To accommodate an acceptable interpretation of these two aspects, we are told that:
1. The €50,000 “Gifts” from his close friends were, in fact, “Loans”!***
2. The £8,000 - or whatever - that he got in Manchester, was a “Gift” and because it was donated outside the State, no tax liability attaches!
All very neat & three bags full.
But there lies the rub.
A “Bribe” is a Political Donation. A “Gift” is a Loan. A “Bung” is a Gift etc…
Unless all of these lightly coloured devices are stopped, we will never have the type of Morality that we need to be infuse into the body politic in Ireland.
***
We are told that the “Loans” have all been repaid, with interest!