Leo Varadkar's comment on the 6 o'clock new about referendums....

[Toman13]

Seeing as I heard this on the news a couple of hours ago, I can't quote him word for word, but Varadkar made the claim that he always thought that referendums were "undemocratic" because the way people vote (according to him) based on other issues, not on the issue asked, and that if there was a referendum, that other issues like "septic tanks, bailouts, etc." would be a deciding factor.

Now, I usually don't accuse people that I disagree with of smoking something, but of all the gaffes this government made so far, this is the most idiotic. Yes, that's right, even more idiotic than Kenny's "we never looked for a write-down" statement, and even worse than Noonan's "emigration is a lifestyle choice" comment. I am making an appeal to Dublin-West voters: DO NOT VOTE LEO IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

Also, I think that this conclusively proves, along with Noonan's "it's either accept the treaty of leave the Euro" attitude that the Government is going to do everything it can to avoid a referendum, and if it has to have one, that they will scaremonger the sh*te out of people to get the right answer.

[MrFunkyBoogaloo]

http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0129/politics.html#video

[Analyzer]

Varadkar has merely shown the Brussels line on democracy.

If it gets in the way, then declare it to be undemocratic.

Varadkar is the new Gay Mitchell.

I expect to see him on the poster for FG in Dublin next time around.

Which is kind of appropriate. He will be able to follow in the path of another eijjet.

[Bren Boru]

Are you saying that referenda don't turn into protest votes about unrelated issues?
Do you reckon that issues like septic tanks, austerity measures and payments to the IBRC won't be used against the Government in a referendum vote?

I'm not saying that the above are good reason not to have a referendum, but it doesn't make him wrong.

[Crazy horse 6]

Hold on people still think we are living in a democracy?

[Tomas Mor]

He is right. It becomes a referendum on other issues, like Maastrict was on Abortion. Churchill said problem with referendums was that they became votes on separate issues. Here it may be turf cutting, deis schools, fracking gas in Leitrim, health cutbacks, potholes, septic tanks in rural Ireland., farmers grants not big enough, the cat had kittens etc. We elect a government every few years, we are not Switzerland.

[ShoutingIsLeadership]

He was on Marian Finucane earlier (not literally). He was surrounded by agreeable nodding dogs for the most part. Des Peelo was on the panel. The panel was less balanced than a drunk on a see-saw.

[Toman13]

we are not Switzerland.

That's the problem.

[hiding behind a poster]

Seeing as I heard this on the news a couple of hours ago, I can't quote him word for word, but Varadkar made the claim that he always thought that referendums were "undemocratic" because the way people vote (according to him) based on other issues, not on the issue asked, and that if there was a referendum, that other issues like "septic tanks, bailouts, etc." would be a deciding factor.

Now, I usually don't accuse people that I disagree with of smoking something, but of all the gaffes this government made so far, this is the most idiotic. Yes, that's right, even more idiotic than Kenny's "we never looked for a write-down" statement, and even worse than Noonan's "emigration is a lifestyle choice" comment. I am making an appeal to Dublin-West voters: DO NOT VOTE LEO IN THE NEXT ELECTION.

Also, I think that this conclusively proves, along with Noonan's "it's either accept the treaty of leave the Euro" attitude that the Government is going to do everything it can to avoid a referendum, and if it has to have one, that they will scaremonger the sh*te out of people to get the right answer.

He's right, though. Referenda are put to the people to ask very specific questions about amending particular parts of the Constitution. And then people go off and vote Yes or No because of all kinds of utterly unrelated reasons - like whether they like the government or not, local hospitals, bin charges, taxes, and so on. You only have to look at the research carried out in exit polls at referenda to see Varadkar's point borne out.

[Toman13]

Are you saying that referenda don't turn into protest votes about unrelated issues?
Do you reckon that issues like septic tanks, austerity measures and payments to the IBRC won't be used against the Government in a referendum vote?

I'm not saying that the above are good reason not to have a referendum, but it doesn't make him wrong.

He's right, though. Referenda are put to the people to ask very specific questions about amending particular parts of the Constitution. And then people go off and vote Yes or No because of all kinds of utterly unrelated reasons - like whether they like the government or not, local hospitals, bin charges, taxes, and so on. You only have to look at the research carried out in exit polls at referenda to see Varadkar's point borne out.

Writing off what is effectively direct democracy in action as "undemocratic" is like saying that this is no danger with Nuclear weapons. It's stupidity of the highest order.