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C. Flower
05-12-2010, 09:06 PM
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/1205/breaking12.html?via=mr


Apologies if there is already a thread on this, but the Irish Times is reporting that a group called Second Republic is to field General Election candidates.

Like some of others amongst the new political groups this year, Second Republic seems to be mainly about frustration about the status quo, rather than any particular political programme or orientation.

Perhaps someone involved would like to post some more detailed information on why this group has formed and what it plans to do.


“Reform directed and owned by the people,” was the message given at the first meeting of a group seeking to re-establish the state as a second republic.


Up to 80 people attended the meeting at the Gresham Hotel in Dublin yesterday where a group called The Second Republic debated plans to establish a national people-led convention to re-examine the institutions of politics in Ireland.
Organiser of the event, Oliver Moran said, “We’re looking for the people to be given a chance to come together and to discuss what has gone wrong in the country and to bring that forward into political reform.”
Mr Moran, a political science graduate, who works for a technology company in Cork said, “We can look at the mistakes that were made, but unless we correct the underlying issues, unless we address the failings in governance, these mistakes will happen again.”
The group plans to ask candidates in forthcoming general election to sign up to the pledge of organising a national, convention, independent to the Oireachtas, to “address the failings of governance and institutions that underlie the current crisis.” The group said it was looking for reform that was “radical enough to give people the sense of a new beginning.”
“The people need to be consulted,” Mr Moran said, “Only the people can give the answers.”
Meanwhile a protest based on the Icelandic “pots and pans” movement took place outside the Dáil at 2pm yesterday.
Up to 60 people gathered on Kildare Street banging pots, pans and drums for a period of two hours in opposition to the government’s bail out of the banks.

Griska
05-12-2010, 09:28 PM
Oh lordy. I'm really dubious of a group without an ideology. They may mean well, but ultimately will be directionless.

Magellan
05-12-2010, 10:44 PM
The Question of ideology needs some examining. It seems to have gotten hijacked. Marxist analysis, currently unfashionable, was pretty hot. Free Market, exemplified more recently in US NeoCons misses so much. Third Way with its sweet Buddhist evocations got distorted by New Labour. Greens got stuffed. So back to the question, what is ideology, is it to do with plans, and vision, if so then I am for it. Clear definition of purpose and of the means to get there. I won't hold a rifle for Ireland now like my Granda did, but I will hold a torch and will do what I can!

Binn Beal
06-12-2010, 10:36 AM
The marxist vision had two good things going for it:
an economic theory that analysed capitalism and projected its demise (now coming to pass), and a political theory with a social conscience that called for the wealth of society to be controlled for the benefit of all.

All these new formations represent a panic attack of well-meaning citizens looking for a way of saving the system, instead of replacing it. They will ultimately provide a home for new FF-style politics, careerists and defenders of the elite.

We should be due some new religions as well about now.
"Countless false profits and countless false dawns."

Swiftjonathan
07-12-2010, 04:25 PM
Second Republic sees itself more as an umbrella group for change rather than promoting a specific ideology. There are a lot of ideas for reform right now, but none of them has popular legitimacy. Perhaps, then, simply a commitment to change itself? This might have a chance of working, given that specific platforms for change are either too narrow or too divisive to gain popular ground. A successful push for change will probably require an umbrella group of some kind, so why not Second Republic?

I don't know where you got the idea that Second Republic would run candidates in the GE. The group has never spoken about doing so. This is just as well, as you can't demand better governance and then simultaneously promote single issue candidates for the Dail!

micko
07-12-2010, 04:36 PM
Marxism predicted the demise of capitalism and it's happening......

Where is it happening?