Big Mick does it again

Let me declare an interest here: since last night I am actively campaigning for John Gormley’s re-election in Dublin South East. I did in 2002 as well but am not a Green party member. I want safer communities, I want more incentives to recycle in a sustainable manner the waste I produce and I like the idea (maybe not its implementation??) of public transport. I’m a light Green; any darker and I’d be worried that my authoritarian streak would re-emerge. I did some canvassing in the Dublin 6 area last night with some others and intend to again tonight.

It is not that I dislike any other candidate. At the moment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain any political opinion without offending someone’s sensibilities. Except one that is: Michael McDowell. He’s in the headlines again this morning for supporting a proposal for legislation for regulating donations to politicians. The first line of the Irish Times story reads:

” Legislation requiring politicians to seek advance approval for substantial gifts from friends will also triple the amount of money they can receive without having to declare the contribution.”

Marvellous. Michael needs to clear the hurdle of ethics and remove himself from the fetid atmosphere that surrounds the prime minister and his non-bank-account holding ways of the early 1990s. What does he do: he supports a Bill that allows small parties….mmmm….like his…..to hoover up lots of lovely corporate contributions while at the same time seen to be ‘fixing’ the problem before the election. Sorry Mick, it doesn’t work that way: we see through your cynical manner.

As for the canvass, I’ll be back on the weekend to recall more of the sordid tales of knocking on some of Ireland’s wealthiest households to convince them to vote for a party that wants to take away their 50k SUV.