Taking it to the TDs
Mick might be on a well-deserved break, but he can still spot a good subject for a post when he sees, or hears, one. This was on yesterday’s RTÉ’s Drivetime. Novelist Joseph O’Connor with a poetical/rapping gem on the problem with clientalistic politics – Taking it to the TDs [mp3 file]. Here’s a sample.
The way it goes in Fianna Fáil, with every party in the Dáil,
We play them off each other and they’ll get our tick.
Clientist traditions, on the ground ambitions,
Combined to make our politics sadly sick.
What all the fuss was fought for,
Wolf Tone was hot for, Connolly was shot for,
Democracy.
Sad that it was bound to, eventually come down to,
Chancers writing letters saying vote for me.We need the system unblocked, according to the Bunreacht,
TDs are there to legislate and nothing more.
They aren’t there to get your grant,
They aren’t there to help your aunt,
They aren’t there for knocking on the voter’s door.But we took it up with TDs, TDs, TDs,
Fine Gael and PDs, Labour too.
They should be taking pause,
Writing better laws,
And leave the feckin’ funerals to me and
You.
Trying putting to the Dubliners version of “Take her up to Monto” and it sounds a treat. Pity that its about TD’s and not MLA’s, though!! But I’m sure someone could reaarange the appropriate lyrics.
It sounds a treat anyway, Monto.
“Pity that its about TD’s and not MLA’s, though!!”
Well that clientism might not be as well established here.. yet.