George Lee Resigns?

I'd agree. The general consensus that politicians are gombeens is unfounded in most cases. Can people genuinely say that George Lee was a more accomplished economist than Richard Bruton?

At the end of the day he was a celebrity economics journalist. Given the platform he had it wasn't hard to sound sensible. It was probably a different story when he came up against better briefed and most accomplished associates.

To be fair, George Lee was more than a celebrity economics journalist. He is an actual trained economist with real experience in the field albeit a long time ago so I find it hard to believe that he met many better briefed and accomplished associates in the Dail.
 
What's the point in holding onto his seat if he feels that he can't accomplish anything as an independent.

The guy clearly has no interest in getting hospitals and schools built in his constituency merely to get elected time and time again until pension time - he wanted to have a bigger overall influence.

There is a lot of cynicism about a guy who resigned over his principles - how many politicians can we say that about?
 
What's the point in holding onto his seat if he feels that he can't accomplish anything as an independent.

The guy clearly has no interest in getting hospitals and schools built in his constituency merely to get elected time and time again until pension time - he wanted to have a bigger overall influence.

There is a lot of cynicism about a guy who resigned over his principles - how many politicians can we say that about?

Agreed. It would be easy to stay but he was a man of principle and FG wasted and oppertunity to show that they are differenent to FF and that is is what you know rather than who you know but they fluffed it.

They reckoned they could keep George in the background and bring him out for effect at election time but George wasn't willing to play ball!
 
Fine Gael is made up of a lot of teachers, farmers, vintners, auctioneers, solicitors etc. They are not a policy and solution driven party because of a lack of expertise. Alan Dukes and Garret met similar frustrations. George Lee was an injection of specific expertise into Fine Gael, which they failed to utilize. Fine Fail have smilar lack of depth and range of skills, but, being in government they can tap into the expertise, especially economic and fiscal, available within the public service and supportive bodies such as the ESRI. What politics and the Dáil need is people with in depth and relevant knowledge and skills in economics, commerce, education planning and administration, international trade etc. Thereis something fundamentally wrong with Dáil procedures when George Lee was restricted to 10 minutes during the Nama debate!

I am not affiliated to any party. It is sad that George Lee was stifled and I fear it will discourage other intelligent, self-confident and educated people to make the personal sacrifices and enter politics.
 
He should have gone independnt + done a deal with Cowan.

Why he did not do a "Gregory deal" beggers belief.

He has his safe job bad at the RTE ranch - a luxery 400k plus don't have.
 
He should have gone independnt + done a deal with Cowan.

Why he did not do a "Gregory deal" beggers belief.

Because maybe he's not a whore out to sell his soul to the highest bidder.
 
I think George may have recently noticed that the economy is showing small signs of recovering ( green shoots, anyone? )

Our economy most definitely is not showing signs of recovering. We are still on a downwards slope. (We can't "recover" to a bubble. What we are currently experiencing is a correction.)

Fair play to George. I hope he does set up a new party (based on competence). We desperately need one.
 
Fine Gael are noted for individual TDs hoarding their seat in the constituency and not making an effort to gain an additional seat. This really is a disaster for FG and after the absymal performance of Kenny on the Late Late and Newstalk it completely undermines any credibility he would have.
Kenny is trying to be too cute on issues such as water charges, public service pay cuts etc. Linehan said what had to be done and went ahead even though it was very unpopular. Gilmore wont touch him with a forty foot pole now. A FF Lab coalition is coming ?
 
I cannot believe the number of posts on this thread already. It says a lot about AAM members. All concerned about George Lee and Irish politics and not a single word about Bradgelina's statement, issued this evening, saying that they're not splitting up.

A bit of perspective please, lads!!!!!!!
 
A coward who has betrayed his constituents and has now advised RTE that he is prepared to return , we can only presume that Dustin is contemplating retirement ?
 
A coward...

That's quite harsh.

Surely it would have been easier for him to continue doing nothing and getting a huge salary for it?

I interpret what he did as either a child having a tantrum or someone with principles taking a stand. I don't know the man so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and believing the latter option...
 
That's quite harsh.

Surely it would have been easier for him to continue doing nothing and getting a huge salary for it?

I interpret what he did as either a child having a tantrum or someone with principles taking a stand. I don't know the man so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt and believing the latter option...
+1 It may have been a bit of both.
 
Totally out of depth in politics. Did he not do a little analysis about ploitics/party line stuff before the fanfare? Naivety/idealism has undone many a good person. Still, it was big of him to walk ........ unless he's doing an Ivan Yates.
 
This is a career move. 9 months ago the coalition had Lisbon, Nama and the Budget ahead of them. Smart money was the government would fall. Now we know it will not fall and might even win the next election.

Lee misjudged, it is now time to take the parachute back to RTE. Lee's argument that he was surprised that Enda only wanted him for his body and not for his gigantic economic intellect doesn't cut any ice with me.
 
Totally out of depth in politics. Did he not do a little analysis about ploitics/party line stuff before the fanfare? Naivety/idealism has undone many a good person. Still, it was big of him to walk ........ unless he's doing an Ivan Yates.

Yates was a massive loss to FG , far bigger than Lee would ever be. Had you had Yates at the helm over the last decade instead of two of the most boring people alive ie Noonan and Kenny, FG would be in a far stronger position going forward imo.
 
Yates was a massive loss to FG , far bigger than Lee would ever be. Had you had Yates at the helm over the last decade instead of two of the most boring people alive ie Noonan and Kenny, FG would be in a far stronger position going forward imo.

And people like myself might vote for them. I couldn't vote for a party that might put Enda Kenny in as Taoiseach.

I wonder did it come too late for it to be covered on The Frontline tonight? New time of 9:35 pm. Vincent Browne should be worth watching tonight too, I reckon.
 
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