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I HAVE BEEN involved with the GAA for as long as I can remember. I played as a child and teenager, right up to the time I went to university. My interest waned then slightly for a few years with the excitement of being a country boy up in the Big Smoke. But being a member of the GAA is something that is in your blood and after several years working abroad, I returned to Ireland and joined my local club in Dublin.
And once I was back, I was back with a vengeance. Over the years I have been involved in every aspect of my club from coaching to sitting on various committees. So much so, that, four years ago, I felt burned out and decided to take a break. But I have always been part of some organisation, always felt that I wanted to do something for someone other than myself. And I ended up becoming a volunteer with the Dublin branch of Samaritans.
I noticed an ad for Samaritans
I had been looking around for something that sparked my interest and one day noticed an ad for Samaritans on the side of a bus. I thought I would give it a go. I went to the information evening and initially thought no way, it’s not for me, I couldn’t do all that listening, I like to talk too much! But I went ahead, did the interview, got accepted and went through a period of in-depth training before becoming a fully fledged volunteer. Even then, it was a few months before the penny dropped and I realised the real benefits of active listening.
In many ways, the GAA and Samaritans have much in common. Both organisations are immersed in the community and are indeed two of the few remaining institutions to still have standing in the country. Both have nationwide coverage and are people-centred. They have an ethos of giving rather than taking. The volunteer-led nature of both the GAA and Samaritans is something that particularly attracts me. Around the country, thousands of people give up their free time in the evenings and weekends to support the GAA. The same can be said of Samaritans volunteers, albeit on a smaller scale.
Samaritans volunteers from across the country will be in attendance at the Leinster final in Croke Park and the Ulster final in Clones on 20 July to raise awareness of their service as part of a recently launched initiative between the GAA and Samaritans. Later that week, Samaritans volunteers from my own branch in Dublin will be on the streets around the Docklands area to promote their message that nobody needs to be alone, there is always someone who will listen.
Helping young boys and men
The Samarians “Talk to Us” campaign does what it says on the tin. I believe that this new partnership can only be mutually beneficial. The GAA has thousands of members, many of them young boys and men who, research has shown, are particularly vulnerable to feelings of despair and suicide. The fact of the matter is that such young people often do not talk to anyone about how they are feeling. If we can let them know that Samaritans volunteers are there, day and night, to listen with empathy, without judging, the partnership will have been a success.
Ironically, after taking a break from being so heavily involved with the GAA, I am now just as busy with Samaritans. I give talks in schools, interview prospective volunteers and facilitate training of new volunteers. Like the GAA, Samaritans is an organisation that I am proud to be associated with. It is a very professional, well-structured organisation with great direction. It sets goals that it tends to achieve, regardless of obstacles, thanks in no small part to the motivation of its volunteers.
And my ties with the GAA have also recently been renewed: a few weeks ago I was contacted by my colleagues in my club to help organise a tournament in the club and I have also been asked by my colleagues in Samaritans to liaise between the two organisations for the recently launched partnership. I have a feeling that both the GAA and Samaritans are going to be a big part of my life for some time to come!
James is a volunteer with Dublin branch of Samaritans.
Samaritans’ volunteers throughout the country are taking to the streets during the month of July to let people know more about the services they provide. For details about what is happening in your area please click here.
Samaritans volunteers are available 24/7 to offer emotional support by freephone: 116 123; email: jo@samaritans.org, text: 087 2 60 90 90 or face-to-face in branches around the country.
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Ah sleepy Joe.
@Dara M: fantastic comment. Did you hear that from Donal duck by any chance
@Francis O Riordan:
Donal duck?
Did you construct that response all by yourself?
Have a lie down. You must be intellectually exhausted.
@Dara M: Nothing sleepy about him here Mr Far Right Dara
@Tommy Haze: Read the papers! It is a reference by U.S. media / Chris Christie to the many times indicted ex who refused to turn up for G.O.P debates with his Republican Colleagues. Another kick in the face for Democracy.
@Dara M: This has been on the cards since American independence, the structures of power in the US despite their oft claimed ‘checks and balances’ gives so much power to one person, that it is in effect a four year monarchy, the Americans love a bit of strong power. Only a matter of time before a Trump came along. In the 20th/21st Centuries, Truman dropped a bomb that wiped out hundreds of thousands without any real ‘checks and balances’, They dodged a bullet with Nixon and again with Bush/Cheney, the difference between them is that even those examples they had a moral compass – Trump is a psychopath and narcissist, he has no empathy and will do anything to anyone to get what he wants.
@John Delaney: I would go one further and say that it is a dictatorship at this juncture. Sleepy Joe, Donald Duck, all derogatory terms which identify one’s intelligence and education. The fact is irrespective of who is the president, the US has been on a downward spiral since the late 50s. Democratic or Republican matters not a jot. I Lived there for a while and could not believe the abuse of office, power across all spectrums of society.
Biden is the one the USA should be worried about there’s a lot of bad news starting to surface about him and his family
Any examples? You know, facts, evidence, etc? Meanwhile the other side have actual, proven crimes piling up
@Jason Memail: well there is the ongoing criminal investigation about Biden”s mishandling of state records, so there’s that. Also the current committee investigations into allegations of pay to play and influence peddling, same as how the trump convictions started. So let’s wait and see.
Also I tho k they are both unsuitable for office but the hypocrisy when it comes to anything about Biden is laughable. From what I can see he’s corrupt, as is Trump
@: No, thats Trump
@K P: Except there is no evidence of this ‘pay to play’ you mention.
At all.
Republicans brought in 3 witnesses to testify.
And they testified there was no evidence.
Republicans are just doing what they always do – try to manufacture a narrative of corruption among their opposition, when it they who are the corrupt.
Just like the ‘Benghazi’ affair, among others.
You know what they say ‘every Republican accusation is a confession’.
The New York State Supreme Court judge ruling on Trump’s business fraudulence included this
“Defendants’ world…is a fantasy world, not the real world.”
And in a footnote he quoted Chico Marx’s famous Duck Soup line: “Well, who ya gonna believe, me or your own eyes?
But far too many believe the US Republican Party rather than their own eyes.
@Jason Memail: his business dealings in Ukraine. That is a huge one considering tut whole western world continues to funnel money into an already failed state.
@Jason Memail: eh the crack pipes, phones, porches, prostitutes, phone transcripts, the big guy. I doubt your that naiive in real life
@: his family are not in power. I’m sick of this narrative that if Hunter Biden did something, his father should be held accountable. And I say the same for the Trump family, while I can’t stand the lot of them, his children are not him and the only one who should be held accountable for Capitol Hill is Trump himself. If Hunter or Ivanka or any of them have done anything illegal, by all means, they should be held accountable, but as private citizens. They are not their parents.
@HAC: except joe was in on the whole capper
@Andrew English: do you have evidence that Joe Biden has business dealings in Ukraine? If so you should really pass it on to the GOP who are scratching around looking for a reason to impeach him and even they haven’t made that claim.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: I don’t. But the evidence relating to Burisma is pretty damming. Interesting direct dealings with the Chinese too.
Couldn’t care less about the GOP. The fawning of both sides over their hugely flawed and corrupt leaders is nauseating.
@Jon Jon: Oh, you’re talking about his son, who isn’t running for president, right? How is that relevant?
@Andrew English: there is zero evidence linking Joe Biden, damning or otherwise. You may not care about the GOP but they are currently trying to link President Biden to Hunters dodgy dealings for their impeachment inquiry and they have found nothing like what you’re suggesting. The closest they have is a what’s app message that was sent after Biden finished as VP when he wasn’t an elected representative of any sort at all. You said you have no evidence then pointed towards what you claim to be evidence that isn’t actually evidence he did anything at all. Facts matter.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: the problem with a person like yourself is, no matter what evidence is put in front of you, you’ll not believe it. Ask yourself one question. Why was the son of a sitting VP, now President on the board of an energy company in one of the most corrupt and backward holes in the world? The same son who has no prior exposure or experience in that field? It stinks. You know it. I know it. We all know the play here.
@Andrew English: Hunter Biden was appointed to a position in goverment by George W. Bush.
When Obama won in 2016 and his dad became Vice President, Hunter resigned that post to avoid possible conflicts of interest.
Hunter was, and remains as far as I know,a corporate lawyer.
Ukraine has been trying to work its way out of the russian world – a world in which corruption is embedded – into the Western world, and appointed him to the board of one of their companies.
Ukraine was in receipt of Western aid, and as part of that had agreed to lots of changes in the way it operated, including dealing with corruption.
Their chief prosecutor refused to investigate corruption, much like the US Republican Party refuses to investigate corruption among its own ranks and tries to manufacture corruption claims with its opponents.
The russians were heavily involved in getting Trump elected, and heavily involved in manufacturing “evidence” against Hunter Biden.
Congress has held numerous hearings on Biden “corruption” promising all and sundry they have solid evidence of wrong-doing.
Yet when it came to that evidence from their witnesses, those same witnesses testified that there was no such wrong-doing.
Now, if you are really and truly interested in corruption of that nature, are you going to tell us all about the Kushners?
Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner got money from the Middle East to service loans on a property that was about to be foreclosed.
Then another $2 billion from the Middle East.
Would you like to tell us what is going on there?
Look at the policies Biden is implementing and his open borders, he is the real extremist.
@Four Aces: Which specific policies do you take exception with?
@Four Aces: You’re right. I worry about those Nazis coming in from Canada.
@Jason Memail: are you in love with biden or something
Very grown up comment. 100% trump fan.
@Red Rooster: But he’s right. There will be hoards of Nazis invading from Canada. Hope the Mexicans build a wall.
@Four Aces: what is this “open borders policy” you speak about. It’s a favourite buzz word of Trump but he never gives any examples of this policy when pushed on it. Maybe you can.
How come we can comment on the so called threat to American democracy, but not our own democracy ?
@Nigel Hayden: editorial bias
@Nigel Hayden: plenty of articles to comment on about the danger to our democracy from the Shinners
@Peter Barnwallace: Are the “Shinners” in the room with you right now Peter?
Living rent free in your head, clearly.
@Peter Barnwallace: serious question for you, do you really think the current crowd running the country are doing a great job?
@Nigel Hayden: course he does ten years after FF booted him out for being weird about SF he’s still online saying weird things about SF. Its what gives him away every time
Only a handful of articles open for comment these days and an obvious editorial bias. Centre left would be a fair rating.
It’s a pity there isn’t a similar news app that is centre right.
Set one up.
@brian madden: would you be interested in contributing some of your free time to help get it off the ground?
What are your political beliefs first of all?
Thanks
He’s definitely not FG because they are right wing. Centre Right probably Labour these days.
So the party that brought in marriage equality and repealed the 8th are “right wing”. How would those policies sit with right wing politics around the world? We also have one of the highest social welfare systems in the world. Totally right wing alright. Think someone should buy you a dictionary.
@Denis Ryan: They could have legislated for marriage equality. Instead they left it to electorate so to safe face with their Bible bashing believers. Actually Welfare spending here like mental health doesn’t compare well to other countries but you knew that Lieo.
Never voted Fine Gael and you are lying about our social welfare system. Words have meaning, think before you speak.
@Denis Ryan: It wasn’t FG ” that brought in marriage equality and repealed the 8th ” It was the people of Ireland, We voted on it and the majority decided. Also if you think the actual blue shirts are lest wing, you might want to check how far right you’ve drifted.
@francis devenney: you are missing the point. Would those policies have been put to the people under a right wing government. Fine Gael are right leaning mainly centrist. If you gauge politics on the American system, FG are to the left of the Democrats in the states.
@Denis Ryan: Only back in 2009 Lieo was against the gays adopting. Back in his ‘straight’ days. Never a man for populism he jumped on the equality bandwagon of change when it suited….
DJ Carey had a 99% write off last year Lieo. We’re all in this together…..
@Denis Ryan: You’re right, there is no “Left” in American politics and the fact that some people are trying to sell the Dems (a centre right party) as leftist, socialists, again just shows how far right they have gone, There is this strange thing with those who hold far right views. They need to paint the centre right as leftists so they can pretend they are not as far right as they are. It seems that they one little scrap of decency left, not enough to make them want to make the world a better place, but just enough to make ashamed of the fact that they are far right.
@francis devenney: have you ever heard of Bernie Saunders
@francis devenney: Agree with everything you said in your last post. I was responding to @’s right wing comment. We are very lucky that all the major political parties in this country are mainly centrist. Even SF who once were considered left are moving to the middle. I’ll never vote SF ( rip Jerry McCabe) or FG.
@Denis Ryan: Lol. As if you don’t vote FG ;)
Never, I’m in my mid forties. In my younger days I voted FF and PD. Lately I voted SD or independent. Willie o’dea still gets a number down the line as I’ve always found him reliable in any dealings I’ve had with him. There you go, care to outline your political history?
@Denis Ryan: I remember chatting to Colm O’Gorman at a political thing we were having in university back in the day. Nice guy. Tbh was shocked he was running with PD’s. I attempted to ward him off. Sure that was the end of them anyway. I like Willie O’Dea and his on the ground work and not afraid to disagree with colleagues tbh. His gun totting aside. I like Gary Gannon. He’s a good lad ye have in SD. Bright, articulate and finger on the pulse. I like some in SF too. FG you probably guessed I’ve no time for. A pal of mine is big into them. He’s introduced me on occasion to Leo and the gang. I’ve been polite a few feet from them but was biting my lip off. I meet ministers too in my work. I’m not a party man. I’ll vote for who I think is most capable to my local area and the country.
@: there’s way more far right commenters on here than any other.
They could have legislated for it and another government could have came in in a few years and removed the legislation. By a referendum we’re the only ones who can change it. That’s common sense. Common sense would also show you that FG campaigned FOR a yes vote and elected an openly gay man as their leader. Why would they do either if they cared about the religious brigade. FG are useless for many reasons but “right wing” they are not.
@Gearoid MacEachaidh: The whole religion/minority rights thing is just far right culture war nonsense, because that’s all they’ve got. They can’t say “support us and we’ll make your life better” so their whole sthick is “|Support us and we’ll make other peoples lives worse” basically just weaponised begrudgery. If we start judging other parties as left just because they’re not as far gone as some, then we’re in a sorry state. Also on the religious end of things, remember we voted not to be a Catholic country. So that tempers the use of religion in any legislation.
@mainmsam: I wasn’t aware that Bernie was advocating the abolition of the state and handing the means of production to the workers. He seems to just be looking for the right to education, healthcare, and an honest wage and humane conditions. Not exactly the Marxist ideal is it?
The US hasn’t been a democracy for a very long time, the Dems and Reps sold it to the highest bidder. In a functioning democracy the likes of Biden and Trump wouldn’t get within an asses roar of high office, until the corporate and billionaire sponsorship of both parties is outlawed nothing will change.
Unfortunately the EU is on the same track.
@moss cotter: Well said.
@moss cotter: how would they campaign without funding ? When someone runs for President of the United States , it like campaign the whole of the EU for votes , due to its size and population . It ain’t cheap . It’s certainly grubby and tacky but it is essential for them . It certainly leaves these politicians at the beholden of their financial patrons (even if they themselves are multi millionaires ) and this corruption . But even Bernie Saunders or AOC have bag men to fund them . You talk about democracy yet seek to exclude people of the business , military and corporate class from running .
@Christy Dolan: The US Supreme Court changed the rules to allow dark money into the campaigns (Citizens United).
This allows billionaires and corporates to fund candidates to a level that would not have been possible before.
US democracy had suffered greatly since.
Overturning that decision is necessary to restore some sort of sanity to US elections.
@moss cotter: well said. It’s an Olygarchy. Not a democracy. Trump is bad as Biden. But it’s a positive sign when the billionaire class hate some one (like they did Bernie before he bent the knee)
He’s not wrong. Probably waste of time expressing an opinion though. Journal will delete and close comments.
Comments closed on the modern day coffin ships article already.
@brian o’leary: irish people have short memories.
@brian o’leary: Yep noticed that. I left what I felt was a fair and balanced opinion. Few I got to read appeared the same. I’m surprised at times which posts we’re allowed post on and others not. Might be just a staffing issue with not enough censors on shift.
No mention that Trump is flying in the polls though but democracy is at threat. He lied about his son’s business, in on of the debates during the last election. “I never discussed my sons business dealings” or words to that effect. That clip is out there folks, like it or not
@mainmsam: but most won’t see or want to see that. People make their minds up on what bs mainstream is feeding them. People need to take mainstream media news with a view that there is an agenda behind it. Dig deeper, you’ll be surprised on what you can find.
@Nigel O’Connor: absolutely. I clearly have no dog in the fight as I don’t have vote. I just got sick & tired of being spoon fed one side of a two sided story. Listen to both sides and you’ll find massive gaps in what both call the truth
@mainmsam: plenty of articles pointing out trumps ratings
Biden clutching at straws now, all the dems are getting worried.
The whole US elections are just a click bait game show for the large media organisations to generate billions – the power brokers are the corporations who control both sides – the republicans are holding primaries debates without their nominee attending and the dems aren’t holding any debates because their nominee is too old and the majority want someone new to run – the decline of US continues to slide – there’s no point in Irish people getting vexxed that’s all nonsense and makes no difference who actually “ wins” the Punch and Judy show
@Dave Hammond: It is standard practice with both major US parties not to hold debates when they have an incumbent running for reelection.
As for the Trump situation, he cannot show up to the debates where he would be subject to ridicule.
And his ego could never allow that.
This guy is as bad as Leo varadkar. Corrupt to the core and when there’s a problem point the finger at someone else to take the heat off yourself.
@Thomas Reddy: How dare you bring our glorious spin doctor into this. Anyone against him shouldn’t be awake before noon.
@Thomas Reddy: lots of words and no evidence.
The Democrats don’t play a fair fight.
@George Conroy: Trumps honesty, integrity and respect of the law gets my vote too.
Trump honesty and integrity, you’re having a laugh. Crooked as a screw. Vote steeler and liar.
@Annette: wooooosh…
Too late Joe, democracy died years ago in the USA, all that remains is a hollow carcass and a wake of vultures.
Trump is an affront to democracy. After all, he lied about the results of the election and some of his MAGA supporters robbing votes. You can’t get lower than that.
@Annette: Santos is a pretty efficient bottom feeder.
U.S. politics, in my humble opinion as an American, can be essentially boiled down to this: “it’s ok as long as the person representing my party does it. If ‘the other guy’ does it, he should be held accountable.’”
@Ludie Creech: Actually, that’s only true for Republicans.
Notice the difference when a Democrat is caught doing wrong, like that US Senator recently?
Did the Democrats threaten to defund the Justice Department, like the Republicans continue to do over investigations into their own?
Did the Republicans call for the resignation of their own when caught up in wrong doing, as the Democrats have done?
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: did Biden threaten to withhold a billion dollar loan guarantee from Ukraine if they didn’t fire the prosecutor investigating his sons firm? Like I said above they both play games
@mainmsam: lies. It was actually Trump who did that. Good man living in your own reality you are.
@adam page: lord save us. Biden is on stage with 2 other men either sure of him in front of an audience all the while being filmed. He tells the story himself and “son of gun, they fired that guy”. I can’t add the link but look up “Biden brags about getting Ukrainian prosecutor fired” then get back to me it’ll be the best 90 seconds of your life. “ Trump did it” hahaha
@adam page: It’s on video and on a recorded phone call.
@mainmsam: Nope!
The US, the EU and the IMF all told Ukraine that aid would be withheld until their prosecutor was replaced with ine that would do their job.
That prosecutor was refusing to investigate corruption,
The new prosecutor then began the investigations into corruption allegations.
These things are well known.
Why do you still spread russian and US Republican Party propaganda lies?
As we learnt last week, even a major NATO power can be shown to have NAZI links pretending it was a mistake, after they were outed by a Jewish truth seeking agency. We Irish have always given folk the benefit of the doubt, we received the best and the worst to our island. However we were sold a pup in this Biden family, where being outed is slowly catching up on them. Biden knew how to spin us, much more than Trump, who’s no saint, but Biden played us fast and loose and makes Charlie Haughley look like Mother Theresa. His son Hunter didn’t lick it of the stones. When the Feds get as close to a serving President and his family, there’s no smoke without fire. A total spoofer trying to Pied Piper Ireland into his egregious foreign policy. I’m no Trump fan, but Biden is an elusive demon.
@Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh: Mother Theresa was an odious creature. Punishing the poor, making money out of farming them and getting her ego fed by the media. So yes very like Haughey.
Keep attacking Joe. Making him nailed on cert.
Gotta love the selective open comment stories.
@Jason Memail
Why did Ireland ignore how a serving POTUS supporting a foreign nation where he and his family earned millions from, and now at war with another, was accepted as unquestionable truth? Would we have accepted the same level of allegiance with financial gain if it was up North? Have we reduced ourselves to an enormous national and cultural blindspot because US companies got cheap tax here? We Irish have prostituted ourselves on the blood of Afghan, Iraqi and now slavic men, women and children with the Sieg Heil propaganda mantra of Russia bad, US good. It’s a blight and a curse on our nation.
@Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh: You are spreading US Republican and russian propaganda.
Despite all the investigations and hearings, no evidence of Biden wrong doing has been found.
But there is plenty of evidence that there are russian operations to create the perception of such wrong doing.
I wonder why?
@Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh: Vogue Williams was on telly so we forgot about him.
@Caoimín Ó Muircheartaigh: I bet ur great craic
It’s not a healthy situation where one of the only two parties becomes the default sane choice. That leads to voting for that party regardless of any flaws, problems, relative corruption, etc., because the other party have collapsed into complete opportunism, extremist rhetoric, denial of fundamental objectivity or unarguable facts, etc. I used to avoid American politics because of the BS and the Hollywood-style theatrics. Now that looks like a Golden Age.
@Numinous20111: you cannot honestly say both parties are normal. The Dems absolutely have their extreme side to them. Open borders, not prosecuting crime, defund the police, late term abortion
@Numinous20111: Very well put! The South Park episode with the turd sandwich vs the giant douche springs to mind.
@Numinous20111: No political party is normal. Anywhere in the world
@mainmsam: That is how US Republicans portray the Democrats.
And just as truthful as how russian propaganda portray Ukraine.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: they both play a stupid game though. If you can’t see that I genuinely feel sorry for you
@mainmsam: All misunderstood red-herrings.
President Joe a person who should be retired , but the lying treacherous sex offender and it s magrats need education
@Robert Halvey: Should be both retired. Not being ageist. Just they’ve both made enough money already. Need to get off their power trips. Only problem next in line could be Santo’s. He’s Twilight Zone material.
Joe Biden is running his campaign for re-election based entirely on the only promise he might keep, him not being Donald Trump.
That might have swayed a lot of people last time, but with his failure to keep his election promises about reigning in big pharma and medicine price gouging, his bumbling and obviously impaired appearance at every public appearance and his incoherent drivel on every issue, means even people that don’t like Trump, can see Biden is totally incompetent and incapable of serving as a politician, much less as president of the United States of America.
The fact that Joe Biden hasn’t got the cognitive capacity to see for himself that he is a liability, not to mention the good sense and judgement to call it a day, speaks for itself.
@Dvsespaña: Always good to have the expert opinion of a doctor. Thank you. Free too. Miracle of a day for all of us.
@: you don’t need to be a doctor to see the man is failing
Let’s face it we all live in our own echo chambers. Bottom line our society is seriously divided and this social media isn’t helping. Can we not dialogue with each other anymore. We make our point by insulting the other view point. Let us look for ways where we can respect each other’s differences and find a way to harmony.
@Jim Lenihan: Not another Centrist….Only joking Jim
@Jim Lenihan: above all places in the world this will never happen in America.
Only word sleepy Joe remembers is extremist.
Come on man anyone disagrees with left is automatically labeled as extremist or racist
@Timo: also a nazi
Somebody get this man a double chocolate chip ice cream.
US democracy is in danger because
Of US politicians.
Not the parties.
We think we have it bad here with the Healy-raes etc??;)
@Keego: u think a 2 party system wherebur told who to vote 4 is a democracy?
@Keego: US democracy – such as it is – is in danger because of the US media.
The media that is owned by corporations or billionaires.
The media that normalised the apalling behaviour and policies of the US Republican Party, and demonised those of the US Democratic Party.
There really should be a age limit on presidents – Biden, Trump… they are so old they are struggling at the job, it’s a joke!
@Jim: And yet Biden has got a lot of legislation passed. Legislation that will actually improve the lives of the ordinary American, and create the foundation for a more successful economy in the decades to come.
Legislation that Trump was never able to even create, never mind get passed through Congress.
@ItWasLikeThatWhenIGotHere: you do know lobbyists write most of the legislation in the US. Money corrupts politics and there are billions if not trillions floating around. Look at Europe or even look at Ireland. Europe is completely corrupted by lobbyists and vested interests.
We have a whip system which is anti democratic in nature. An MP is supposed to vote with the wishes of the people who elected him. In reality we have a MP who is forced by the party whip to vote for legislation that benefits corporate doners to the party. There should be an emergency brake where if the majority of the people disagree with what the government they have the power to put a halt to it. IE Just look at what is happening in the depts of health and housing.
@Washpenrebel: So, which lobbyists wrote the legislation to allow Congress to negotiate with drug companies, to drive down the cost of drugs for the ordinary American?
More likely the Oligarchy in pearl. Not a fan of Trump, but I’d prefer any one hated by the establishment/ corporate politicans
The real treat to democracy is the US debt. The trillions will have to be defaulted eventually. This will cause the currency and financial collapses across the world. They need to plan a phased default rather than a massive one. Don’t matter who is president, it’s the same problem.
Only money will tell whether or not trump is found guilty and allowed become president again
@Christy Dolan: Wow, just incredible how you can acknowledge the reality that corporate interests control politics but don’t see the devastating impact that has on humanity and openly support such a system!
You sir are one dangerous voter..
antifa callin u xtremist..
Their system of government is certainly in peril, but I wouldn’t describe that as democracy. A theocratic oligarchy might be more accurate.
‘Biden or someone close to him may or may not have done something bad.’ Let’s talk about that instead of the overwhelming and documented evidence of a conman and fraudster who incites a riot to overthrow democracy and it is all on tape. This guy not being in cuffs and an orange jumpsuit is the crime we should be talking about. Constantly.
@Ronan Mc: ‘we’ are constantly talking about it! That’s all the news goes on about.. Try looking for Hunter Biden’s Laptop story or Biden Ukrainian payments? There’s very little even when the Presidents son gets charged with guns crimes still not reported on! Open your eyes at stop taking in everything the y trow at us!!
@Ronan Mc: how did he incite a riot?
@mainmsam: do your own research! LOL!
@Ronan Mc: so you’re making things up then
The American senate is not democratic to begin with, 15 republican states with a population less than 40 million get 30 senators, California with over 40 million get 2 senators
@will harte: Americans made it that way. After all they have a 2 party system where blindly vote for a party regardless of who is running.
Never had one, money money money
He’s not wrong. May the good Lord take him to heaven sooner rather than later. A man without a single redeeming characteristic. He attacked Israel the day after it was attacked by Hamas. Whatever your beliefs are on this conflict, it is an extraordinary thing for an American president (ex) to do after something akin to 9/11 in the mind of their ally Israel. He’s a dangerous man.
have your say