New Words - Same outcome

by Mike

Let’s all get the knives out, Bertie Ahern steps out of the country and the war begins. Personally I’m happy about it, the further away he is from this country, the less damage he can do (though you never know)

Enda Kenny has claimed the Taoiseach’s inability to get tax clearance certificate, and his payment of some €70,000 on account to the Commissioners to cover any possible tax liability, proved he had not paid his taxes when they were due.

Bertie Ahern and money; it’s the relationship that will never end, especially if the proposed pay rise goes through next year, then he’ll have a nice pension at the end of his career (if he survives a tribunal) and will make a small fortune from his memoirs telling the world how he was a simple man of simple means but through grit and determination (and the odd whip round in Manchester) made it to the top of Irish politics (or the bottom, depending who you believe) and “more, much more than this” he did it his way. I think it’ll be called “PS I Fooled You: A life of grime and politics”

The biggest thing that always amazes me is who there is never a man, or woman, in politics who believes they’re always right and that anyone who criticises them is, according to our beloved leader when describing Enda Kenny’s comments, telling ‘bare-faced lies’.

Just before Christmas, Mr Ahern told Joe Duffy on RTE Radio that he would be staying on as Taoiseach for a ‘good few years’. Sure why would he leave? It’s a great job, he gets all the perks (except for a butler and a summer home) to travel round the world and shake hands and gain sound bytes with well known political leaders.

He is said to be addressing both Houses of the United States Congress some time this year, the only thing I can think he’ll be a master of is giving a speech on how to waste taxpayers money. In an economy that is going downhill fast I’m sure that’ll go down very well.

Much like the Americans and George W Bush the voters only have themselves to blame. “We get the politicians we deserve” is a phrase I’ve heard used a lot recently.

How true.

Monday, January 14th, 2008 and is filed under Thoughts & Questions, Views on News.