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WILL POLL-TOPPING MEP Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan be part of the as-yet-untitled alliance of independents being put together by Michael Fitzmaurice and Dublin South TD Shane Ross?
The support of Flanagan and his organisation was instrumental in helping Fitzmaurice secure victory in last October’s Roscommon-South Leitrim by-election, and the two men have been allies for years.
Asked, at the count centre, whether his fellow turf-cutting campaigner’s election could herald the start of a new political movement, Flanagan said that whatever about the rigid form of a party “there does obviously need to be some sort of structure or form put on what independents represent”.
And while the MEP didn’t return TheJournal.ie‘s calls and texts yesterday, he has been tweeting his support for the nascent alliance…
The two are still in close contact, according to Fitzmaurice.
Here’s what he had to say about Ming’s involvement with the project, when he dropped by TheJournal.ie for an interview…
Leadership issues
Shane Ross, speaking to Prime Time last week, suggested the as-yet-untitled grouping might seek to remain outside of Cabinet if it held the balance of power after the next election. The Dublin TD also said he didn’t particularly mind who led the group.
Here’s what Fitzmaurice had to say on those issues…
Originally published: 7am
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He’s been Tangoed.
@Mick McGuinness: For all the worry about Trump’s appointees being in his pocket, the Supreme Court judges seem to be immune to his shenanigans.
This is not the first time they have ruled against him.
I wonder what the security measures are for a Supreme Court Justice? Given how many times they have ruled against Trump’s lawyers, or refused to hear their case, hard core Trump/MAGA supporters must be inclined to take a dim view of the SCOTUS members.
@David A. Murray: If anyone were to murder any member of SCOTUS at the monent, Biden would be appointing their replacement. You’d have to be pretty stu… to do it, if you’re a MAGA bot. Ah. Right. Yeah. Point taken
@Felicity Rawson: Given the GOP’s tactics under Obama and Trump, I wouldn’t be confident Biden would be ‘allowed’ to select any SCOTUS replacement.
@David A. Murray: Democrats have control of the house and senate (at the moment), the GOP would be powerless to stop an appointment
@Colm O’ Shea: Tell that to Manchin and Sinema…..
@Tricia G: just playing devils advocate, those two are not elected to represent the DEMs, they are voted to represent the people of their districts (which are red/purple). Do their constituents want the same thing as the wider DEM party?
They are stuck in a position where they cant be seen as too liberal as it will alienate their voters and they’ll do themselves out of a job.
@Colm O’ Shea: While that’s technically true, the GOP are (almost entirely) completely shameless in leveraging whatever ‘process’ they can dig up to block how things are supposed to work in Congress, until they then do a complete flip when the timing is right. Rick Wilson recently described Congressional politics in these terms: “The Democrats are playing chess. The GOP are responding by simply eating the playing pieces.”
@David A. Murray: love the quote!! Absolutely agree, Dems are playing by the rules and GOP are trying to change the rules to suit themselves. What shocks me is that the electorate is so entrenched that no one seems to see what they are doing and how it conflicts with their morals.
Would be interested to find out what % of the GOP politicians actually believe what they are saying and what % are taking making cynical calculations
Thought this was a Stephen Hawking article based on the pic!
@Nameo Maximus: why? Cos you’re blind?
@Nameo Maximus: lol, I see the similarity
@alan scott: what similarity? Hawkins was a leading intellect with spasticity, Trump was just a sp- (fill in for yourself)
@James Kerins: Can spot a stable genius a mile away
@Colm O’ Shea: it’s called having a sense of humour. Hawking was a intellect for sure. We are just saying that facial expression looks looked hawkings. Read what I actually said.
It seems you just go though the comments each day to look for a argument and by chance you strolled on mine.
Sorry to burst your bubble pal, but I have way more important things to do then get into a argument. Byeeee
@alan scott: as was mine a joke, not trolling but bye. Toodle pip
Maybe the BOZO LIER MURDERER TRUMP WILL BE IN JAIL SOON
have your say