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The Saker
A bird's eye view of the vineyard

offsite link Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz
Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb

offsite link The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker
Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog.? We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).?

offsite link What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker
by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are

offsite link Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader
2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of

offsite link The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker
Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by

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Public Inquiry
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005

offsite link RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail?supporter? Anthony

offsite link Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony

offsite link Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony

offsite link RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony

offsite link Waiting for SIPO Anthony

Public Inquiry >>

Human Rights in Ireland
Promoting Human Rights in Ireland

Human Rights in Ireland >>

Lockdown Skeptics

The Daily Sceptic

offsite link The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal Mon Dec 23, 2024 07:00 | Toby Young
The Daily Sceptic's Christmas Appeal launches today ? an opportunity for readers to show their appreciation of the work we do. Remember, donating just ?5/month or ?50/year will give you access to a range of premium perks.
The post The Daily Sceptic Christmas Appeal appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link News Round-Up Mon Dec 23, 2024 01:12 | Richard Eldred
A summary of the most interesting stories in the past 24 hours that challenge the prevailing orthodoxy about the ?climate emergency?, public health ?crises? and the supposed moral defects of Western civilisation.
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offsite link Staff at ?100 Million Alan Turing Institute Attack ?Chaotic? Management Amid Diversity Row Sun Dec 22, 2024 19:00 | Richard Eldred
Staff at the ?100 million Alan Turing Institute have erupted in protest over a diversity row, accusing leadership of "tokenistic" hiring and sparking fears that the organisation's credibility is at risk.
The post Staff at ?100 Million Alan Turing Institute Attack ?Chaotic? Management Amid Diversity Row appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link ?Our Irish Leaders Have Contributed to Hatred Against Jews? Sun Dec 22, 2024 17:00 | Richard Eldred
Ireland's Chief Rabbi has blasted the country's leaders for fuelling antisemitism, leaving Jewish children hiding their identities and many others afraid to wear symbols of their faith.
The post ?Our Irish Leaders Have Contributed to Hatred Against Jews? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

offsite link ?Grocery Tax? to Hike Britons? Shopping Bills by ?56 in Labour Net Zero ?Inflation Boost? Sun Dec 22, 2024 15:00 | Richard Eldred
Labour's "grocery tax" is set to punish British families, slapping an extra ?56 onto their shopping bills and driving up inflation, all in the name of Net Zero.
The post ?Grocery Tax? to Hike Britons? Shopping Bills by ?56 in Labour Net Zero ?Inflation Boost? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.

Lockdown Skeptics >>

Independents in Ireland Dare not Speak their Name

category national | politics / elections | news report author Wednesday April 23, 2014 17:33author by Justin Morahan Report this post to the editors

Government says: We decide what to call you

There can be no Independents listed on Irish ballot papers although they are coming in at over 20% in the polls



On the 16 April 2014, an Independent TD, Catherine Murphy, tried to get the Government to agree that Independent candidates in Irish elections would be allowed to describe themselves as "Independent" on the ballot paper. She failed in her efforts. Minister Alex White (Labour) read out a most unconvincing Civil Servant's set of reasons for this decision. Independents in Ireland will therefore continue to be described in the upcoming local and European elections as "Non-Party".

The term "Non-Party" sounds negative, is negative and can give an impression that a candidate would like to be in a party but can't make it.
It also conjures up images of someone who is against everything and for nothing. The opposite is most often the truth.

In the present Dáil, Independent TDs (along with a few notable party members), are by a long shot the outstanding performers. Independents are scoring highly in the polls. Interestingly, the polls describe them as "Independents", not "Non-Party".

The Government parties of Fine Gael and Labour may well be afraid that a new breed of TDs who put their country before party may infest the next Dáil with integrity and non-corruption.

And how horrible it would be if, after achieving power, they were to insist that in future elections all candidates who belong to parties be henceforth described as "Non-Independents" on future ballot papers.

An equitable quid pro quo?

author by Tpublication date Wed Apr 23, 2014 23:19author address author phone Report this post to the editors

The attached image here illustrates what is meant in the above article and it is a good point too.

And the link below has some good discussion on the nature of independents in an election system in terms of effects and influence

Image of ballot paper with independents indicated as "Non Party"
Image of ballot paper with independents indicated as "Non Party"

Related Link: http://independentforum.wordpress.com/dail/
author by seanorpublication date Sat May 17, 2014 10:54author email author address author phone Report this post to the editors

A list, on the web, of each independent candidate, where/what position (EU or local) they're standing for, and WHAT they stand for on different issues would be useful. There are some I wouldn't want to vote for because they don't represent my views on, for example, abortion law. There are others in my area who may represent things I agree with, or not, but it's difficult to tell.

 
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