Slugger O'Toole

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Latest comments from New Blue (see all)

New Blue has commented 100 times (0 in the last month).

1. Comment on UUP pick Westminster candidates
   on 25 February 2010 at 6:43 am

   #6 Greenflag

   Thanks for the wishes, it is appreciated. Hopefully this election can be the start of something new.

   For obvious reasons I will not be posting again for the forseeable future.

   Bill

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2. Comment on Will Nesbitt make DUP electoral victim..?
   on 18 February 2010 at 4:54 pm

   Great to see Mike put his hat in the ring. There are a lot of fresh faces coming forward for this election, maybe this is the start of movement towards ‘accountable and accessable’ politics and politicians in Northern Ireland.

   Fresh faces, fresh voices, new ideas? Could we possibly be seeing the start of forward momentum that will produce real public representation?

   I certainly hope so.

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3. Comment on David Trimble and the importance of Catholics
   on 2 February 2010 at 7:43 pm

   Greenflag

   Surely replacing the NI-State is for the People of NI to decide? In the meantime can we get on with addressing the real political issues?

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4. Comment on Don’t play the old game, Conservatives. Confront, don’t withdraw
   on 25 January 2010 at 2:55 pm

   Comrade

   I am completely in agreement with you, I have posted elsewhere on this thread my thoughts on the ‘secret’ meeting – I would though ask those who think about such things to consider how the meeting was made public, by whom and to what end.

   Fact is that the Conservatives and the UUP have come out and stated very clearly that the intention (and indeed the content) of this ‘secret’ meeting was not to discuss sectarian pacts.

   You know me well enough (I hope) to believe me when I say that such a cynical attempt to move Northern Ireland backwards would not sit well with me (or many within the UUP and Conservatives).

   However….

   The opportunity to further the objective to provide a real ‘left / right / nationalist’ political structure in Northern Ireland is something I would support fully.

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5. Comment on Don’t play the old game, Conservatives. Confront, don’t withdraw
   on 25 January 2010 at 2:18 pm

   #18

   Sammy we can bet all we want, truth is that, unless we were in attendance we cannot honestly say what was or was not discussed in any such meeting.

   To speculate without evidence is to feed the beast of spin.

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6. Comment on Unionist Realignment, Battles (unionist and sea) and Fantasy Creatures
   on 25 January 2010 at 2:09 pm

   Very well put aquifer.

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7. Comment on Unionist Realignment, Battles (unionist and sea) and Fantasy Creatures
   on 25 January 2010 at 1:34 pm

   Stephen Ferguson

   - Whilst a sizeable minority of the population want to live in another country the Unionist/Nationalist split is always going to take precedent over a Left/Right split.

   This is spot on.

   However….

   The issue for people like myself is not the ‘head on’ challenge of Unionism over Nationlism, my issue is the growth of politics that provide opportunity and ‘product’ (see waht I did there?) for the electorate.

   I keep banging on about the Scottish political model – in an ideal world it is where I would like to see Northern Ireland.

   Those who are pro-union (and more importantly the growing number of people who are less than interested in the Nationalist Vs. Unionist battle) should have the opportunity to engage in left / right politics. Not to offer this to the electorate (regardless of that electorates religious or other beliefs)is to treat the electorate with ignorance and disdain.

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8. Comment on Don’t play the old game, Conservatives. Confront, don’t withdraw
   on 25 January 2010 at 6:36 am

   I think The shadow SOS had in-depth conversations with the deputy first minister last week – I may be misinformed though.

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9. Comment on Don’t play the old game, Conservatives. Confront, don’t withdraw
   on 25 January 2010 at 6:28 am

   Garibaldy

   I understand where you are coming from here.

   I don’t (at the moment) have the opportunity to lead the Conservative Party, so I must make the best of what is available.

   ABC123

   To see strong Labour candidates standing in Northern Ireland would be a great step forward.

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10. Comment on Don’t play the old game, Conservatives. Confront, don’t withdraw
    on 25 January 2010 at 6:24 am

    23.New Blue you did not even address my points,

    which party are not democratic ?I have not at any point said that any party is undemocratic

    Do you want 100% vote turn out ?Ideally yes, but it is really unlikely that every citizen feels that they want to engage with the democratic process.

    You speak of a majority without fact they exist, The majority of voters in Northern Ireland cannot vote for the same parties as those in the rest of the union – I am not sure I get what you are asking here.

    A large (very large) minority of the north do not support your union that is democracy, when the majority do not support the union then I will support their democratic wish – that is democracy.

    As a practising Buddhist bitterness is beyond me May you find Nirvana

    And as thus tibet should be free freedom comes with responsibilities

    Posted by alf on Jan 24, 2010 @ 11:52 PM

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