It Must be Marching Season

[glens abu]

Would anyone miss the Stormont institutions? Are they advancing the nationalist cause one iota when unionists have a veto on everything anyway (as opposed to advancing Sinn Fein's agenda of simply being in government North and South)?

I'm thinking that either joint authority or even so called direct rule (with strong Dublin involvement) would be much better than the current situation.At least we would be governed by real politicians instead of 17th century fundamrntalists  and bigots who generally haven't a clue

Yeah right enough those REAL politicians are doing a great job in the 26.

But can you argue FOR the politicians in the Assembly?

Not too many of them but then they are who we voted for and the institutions are also what we voted for.

But the question is whether we'd miss them if they weren't there.

Well the alternatives,direct rule or as Tony thinks real politicians from the 26 don't excite me either.

[T Fearon]

I mean real politicians from South and UK who at least have a clue about running health,education,welfare reform etc however imperfectly, with no tribal constituencies to serve

[glens abu]

I mean real politicians from South and UK who at least have a clue about running health,education,welfare reform etc however imperfectly, with no tribal constituencies to serve

You really think they are running the health service,and welfare well in the south?Yes I agree it would be great if we hadn't tribal politics here but wishing it away will not change it.

[muppet]

I mean real politicians from South and UK who at least have a clue about running health,education,welfare reform etc however imperfectly, with no tribal constituencies to serve

You really think they are running the health service,and welfare well in the south?Yes I agree it would be great if we hadn't tribal politics here but wishing it away will not change it.

They are running it, with the expert guidance of the unions.

[T Fearon]

The only way to get rid of tribal politics is to get rid of tribal parties. I do believe Direct Rule/Joint Authority would at the very least switch the focus onto real issues handled by politicians a lot more able and experienced than the Stormont Shower

[glens abu]

The only way to get rid of tribal politics is to get rid of tribal parties. I do believe Direct Rule/Joint Authority would at the very least switch the focus onto real issues handled by politicians a lot more able and experienced than the Stormont Shower

The British Tory party or Labour Party for that matter never had any concern for us Irish so I can't agree with your logic

[T Fearon]

So you'd prefer Poots running (into the ground) the health service as opposed to a real politician from London/Dublin? I'm not saying joint authority/ direct rule would be perfect but it would be a hell of a lot better than the current set up

[imtommygunn]

In real politics you have...

- welfare reform
- health system
- education system with the 12th of July farce

Then before flags and parades you have things like court cases to stop "gay blood"costing loads of money in court.

Police force budget down 26 million due to above farce.

Then before the bigotry you have very questionable ethics of two top boys with housing and planning / the wife.

That's BEFORE the unashamed bigotry both sectarian an racist that is shown.

Not to forget the haas talks.



The whole lot of them are a farce.

[T Fearon]

On way to Clones today, as I was passing through Tandragee, I was delayed in traffic for five minutes as an Orange Parade passed.At least five of the marchers were known to me and I to them and each of them acknowledged me with a wave of the hand.Marchers all well dressed,  respectable and playing non contentious music. To be honest it left me wondering what all the fuss was about.

[muppet]

On way to Clones today, as I was passing through Tandragee, I was delayed in traffic for five minutes as an Orange Parade passed.At least five of the marchers were known to me and I to them and each of them acknowledged me with a wave of the hand.Marchers all well dressed,  respectable and playing non contentious music. To be honest it left me wondering what all the fuss was about.

Some do it as it is tradition and others do it as it is oppression. Your mates and that parade are obviously in the former group.

[LeoMc]

On way to Clones today, as I was passing through Tandragee, I was delayed in traffic for five minutes as an Orange Parade passed.At least five of the marchers were known to me and I to them and each of them acknowledged me with a wave of the hand.Marchers all well dressed,  respectable and playing non contentious music. To be honest it left me wondering what all the fuss was about.

Some do it as it is tradition and others do it as it is oppression. Your mates and that parade are obviously in the former group.

A big difference between the traditional marches in the sticks (5-10 minutes of disruption, but in the main ignored) and the Belfast parades infiltrated by paramilitaries that the OOmare too scared to discipline or kick out.

[T Fearon]

I know all that, but is it not a case of Belfast parades and protests being exploited by paramilitaries on both sides?

[Nally Stand]

I know all that, but is it not a case of Belfast parades and protests being exploited by paramilitaries on both sides?

Do explain

[armaghniac]

Tony, you made a similar post last year about non contentious parades, but it still doesn't make any useful point. It's like the difference between a guy with a guitar in your local pub and Garth Brooks.

[johnneycool]

There is no compromise. Never has been and never will be.

By the sounds of it johnny bell took one too many knocks on the head on the rugby pitch.

New psni guy not too happy with politicians.

Is that the same Jonny Bell as played rugby for Ulster and is not Director at Ravenhill?

negatory....this clown, who, as Curruthers mentioned last night,will, along with the other head unionist men, head back to their comfortable safe surrounds whilst the working class loyalists will fight on the streets

His clown is from Newtowards, a solicitor I presumed with his numpty billboards of his big boat race and the tag line 'give bell a ring'

The DUP are on an intellectual winner with this one.