Edward Horgan resigns from Green Party

by Liam Wed Jun 03, 2009 22:30

I query your description of the Germans and Swedes as "the enlightened Protestant think tanks of Germany and Scandanavia" who were responsible for environmental protection schemes such as dividing household waste into categories of recyclables. My reading of these societies is that they have become post-Lutheran, Sweden and Denmark in particular. North German cities like Hamburg are now as agnostic as London. The religious atmosphere of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany seems different. But apart from that, yep, the Scandanavians and the Germans have led the way in thinking and acting on behalf of the environment.

by TD - Free Palestine Campaign Wed Jun 03, 2009 19:25

to be outside their tent pissing in than vice versa?

by Ishmael Lemass Wed Jun 03, 2009 18:05

People who would have joined the PDs 10 years ago are now joining the Greens. It's another middle class party for middle aged people, as distant from the working poor and the welfare dependant as the PDs ever were. More's the pity.

The Greens greatest achievement was to focalise both the grassroots environmental movement and culture, and the EU eco Directives emanating from the enlightened Protestant think tanks of Germany and Scandanavia, to the point where every political party in the country had to have green policies. Even after the party's demise, eco policies will have been normalised in scarey Eire. That's amazing in itself given that 20 years ago "ordinary" people burned plastic in open fires in their gardens; drivers tipped toxic waste into rivers and there were no controls on the spread of pesticides and fertilisers in the agro sector. We've come a long way since Roger "rabbit" Garland became the first green TD in the 1980s.

Horgan has left - why did he stay so long? A good soldier he, on the moral high ground with the Sargent and General Gormley. I understand the arguement about wanting to stay in the party to "protect" it from right wing tendencies. But once Dan "crumpled suit and over fed" Boyle slithered into prominence, the GP were doomed to being the eco dressing of some right wing party or other.

by gene Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:57

It is said that English voters are conservative with a small c, which is proved by the way British Labour has abandoned its core working class agenda and become, in domestic financial policy and in foreign policy, like the Liberal party that suddenly died in the wake of social dismay at the Great War carnage.
It can be said that Irish voters are also conservative with a small c, voting massively for the centrist pseudo opposers, FF and FG. The swing to FG represents middle class despair at the collapse of the celtic tiger boom, and the swing of voting intentions towards a yes to Lisbon 2 symbolises anxiety about the financial future. The major betrayal of principles by the Greens is indeed in the area of peace, neutrality and natural resources. If the Greens experience meltdown in the next general election I hope their remnant activists will regroup to work for environmental protection. There is one aspect of Green policy that they have not got around to seriously - decentralisation and regional empowerment. That should be another task for the remnant when they begin to pick up the pieces. Edward Horgan and Patricia McKenna are sound individuals who can inspire the dispirited grassroots.

by Paul o toole Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:54

The Green party signed up for the 'programme for government' prior to accepting a coalition partnership with FF, as a condition to share power. Since being in power they constantly referred to this programme for government as if there was nothing they could have done about it. They went into power with the people they held in contempt, or at least they pretended they did, then they blamed this agreement to share power as the reason they couldent do anything having agreed at an earlier date. Finian McGrath told me that the Greens 'Gave in to pressure form the Yanks', (as did he im sure), regarding the change in stance over Shannon Stopovers and Rendition.
Its a pity they are not building our new social services centre on the northside of Dublin now called Thornton Hall Prison, because i dreamed of the day that all of Dail Eireann would be marched into it with half the force of An Gardai Siochana who backs them up, cheered on by the public at large, and not released unless in a box. The charge... Treason.

by Chuck Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:45

The one thing I would applaud is getting rid of the voting machines.

I am disgusted at their stance (if lying down can be called a stance) on Shannon Airport, Corrib Gas, and other issues.

True, if there had been 80 Green TDs then things would have been different, but they didn't show enough spine inside or outside the Dail.

If they were being blocked by Fianna Fail, they should have said it, rather than give mealy mouthed answers common to typical spin merchants.

by Voter No. 1 Wed Jun 03, 2009 15:24

If the Green Party was in Government on it's own it would have the mandate to do something about these issues, however, the electorate has quite clearly shown that it cares less about these issues. This is of course very sad and frustrating. Put the blame where it really lays-with every single person voting FF and FG. Of course the GP have been stupid, naive, power-hungry ( perhaps but I don't think so ). The GP should pull out of Govt, of course.
The job now is to save what is left of the GP.
The real problem is that people, in the majority, vote for the policies of FF and FG and only turn against them when hurt in their pockets.
The current anti-Gove anger is not a sign of change, rather it is the middle classes pissed off at the end of the binge/boom.