Media Profiling of Women in Politics

by C Murray Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:30

The Guardian Daily newspaper did a 'one hundred most poweful women' list yesterday,
the criteria by which the powerful women were defined was by their relation to capital
with the first four Western Capitalist leaders and then going down the financial line.
Angela Merkel topped the list followed by Wu Yi (Vice Premier of China).Ho Ching
Chief exec of Temasek Holdings in Signapore; and Condoleeza Rice (USSecretary of State).

The list compiler pointed out that Western and Eastern Capital dominated the top half
of the list, interesting exceptions were Cherie Blair (The Queen got in) and women
whose relation to capital is defined by their moral role in discussing and defining
equality issues, thus people like Aung San Suu Kyi is not considered powerful, nor
someone like Mary Robinson.

There was also an interesting report on the right-wing manouevreing of Burlusconi,
who has chosen a woman to head up his next siege of Power- Michela Brambilla.
Brambilla heads up a network of rightist 'Freedom Circles' , there are 5,000 with small
groups in the Italian electoral boroughs, they are targetting the 9,000 boroughs and
the Prodi Government (some circles comprise 30-40 'business types').
Michela Brambilla has not made the 2007 list of the world's most powerful women
but she is being positioned for the 2008 list, though the journalists at La Giornalo
held a 24 stoppage due to her overweening politcal influence in the editorial output.

by Don Sun Sep 02, 2007 12:51

Shes a woman last time I check. She has a lot of potential to become an excellent politician. FG had alot of female TD candidates. You cant blame party for the lack of female politicians. Its the fact people dont vote for them. If women dont vote for women then its not going to be proportional to the population. Ih ave theory why women dont usually do well in politics.

by C Murray Sun Sep 02, 2007 13:19

yet- though she did sucker Mc Dowell in Ranelagh climbing the pole, whilst Gormley and
Mc Dowell growled like dogs.This happened during the election campaign, which saw
Mc Dowell climb the same lamp-post years later and put attempt to put up a sign which said
'Leftwing Government, No way' Gormley went for a fight and there was a media scrum.
anyway, we didn't get anything near a left wing government, just a co-opted Green party and
one PD.

I forgot:- Margaretta D'Arcy and Caoimhe Butterly.*

The national debate thing is about how Joan and Liz two able politicians are now at deputy
leadership fight level, whilst Gilmore unopposed and supported by Sexist Tony O Reilly
can flaunt into the leadership of the Labour Party. Able working women politicians end up
in political deserts through supported media manipulation of what is suppoused to be
an internal party process.(in reference to a 48 hour Irish Independent Bombardment
of Gilmore support before the contest had even taken off).

by C Murray Tue Sep 04, 2007 15:35

The Current Minister for Health knows generally how to utilise the media and the
mechanics of the PR system to further her political aims. Last week there were copious
headlines on how Mary Harney (leader of the PD's and Minister for Health) had travelled to
Barrington's hospital in Cork to manage the crisis over breast cancer screenings. The very
clear media message was that the situation was being handled from the very top.

This morning a story broke in the newspapers and radio that 5,000 women were possibly
mis-diagnosed in the Portlaoise Hospital, the Minister for Health has not managed or
commented on the situation. the patients group has confirmed that a percentage of the
5,000 women who now have to be re-scanned and apologised to had sought treatment
under the treatment purchase fund which was a department of health initiative to
remove people from the public waiting list system into the private health care system,
in order to speed up appointments. there are as yet no figures available about how
many of these women were consumers of private health care (using one of the main
health insurance companies).

In fact there is very little emerging from the Department of Health and Children in relation
to the figures, the enquiries (there are two) or the provision of dedicated Breast cancer
screening units to the women in that or any other region.

There is nothing at time of writing emerging about:-

1.The spiralling cost of health insurance (remember the VHI debacle with Bupa)
2. The Treatment Purchase Fund.
3. The reason why the enquiries are backdated to 2003.
4. The reason why the National health care system's waiting lists are so long
forcing people into universal health insurances and treatment purchas fund schemes.

One press release has emerged from the leaders of the enquiries,
The minister has been unavailable for comment.

It exhibits a scandalous lack of care for people who are presenting with query cancer
and breast diseases. The Taoiseach has not commented yet either.
Again , for the second time in one week a hospital with responsibility for a large
number of women patients is being investigated by the HSE and the Dept of Health
and Children. Neither the HSE nor the Minister has sought to deal directly with the issue.
The Patients groups are emphasising the responsibility of the Minister in ensuring patient care
is at the centre of State Policy.

by C Murray Tue Sep 04, 2007 20:33

The general website , including press release section of the Department of Health and Children
has no release on Portlaoise. the last release was on August the thirtieth re:- Barrington's Hospital.
http://www.dohc.ie

The HIQA has released saying that the issue of the estimated 5,250
scans will be investigated, there is no time scale on the investigation.
The Patients advocates groups spoke on radio today about the treatment purchase fund
and the issue of private V public care in relation to cancer treatment. They stated on
Newstalk 106 that many of the women had not been able to access public care and
had to resort to private, but felt more assured by a fully answerable public health care system.
They suggested that patient care should be top of the agenda.

I do not have the link but it was on the Orla Barry show this am.

There has been no association by the Department of Health and Children with the
issue through either press release or public statement.

HIQA are dealing with the reviews (Health Information Equality authority)
http://www.ireland.com (breaking news 16.02)

by Hmmmm Tue Sep 04, 2007 21:20

I have always considered the continuous fat jokes about Ms. Harney to be sexist. Brian Cowan was nearly as fat when he was Mister for Health, and I've yet to hear any fat jokes about him.

by jesus Tue Sep 04, 2007 21:29

Interesting observation, lets all discuss the weight problems of the 'front bench' and how
women's appaearance or 'non-appearance' in public during a scandal befits their leadership role?
why not?

The only health spokesperson to comment was deputy Liz mc Manus who is suitably fecked off.

[Political understatement of the year goes to Dan Boyle Green Party negotiator of the
Programme for government:- " The first three months will be the hardest"- ye think???]

http://www.dohc.ie

by C Murray Wed Sep 05, 2007 16:34

No Press release from the government, last one was 30/08/07. Interesting how she can
just vanish and not second the matter to her junior.
Do the Irish Broadsheets facilitate these attempts to lose issues?

Nearly 6,500 women , between Barringtons and Porlaoise have had their breast scans
messed up and the Minister for Health who supported the state on both the Church/State Indemnity
deal and the flawed legislations emanating from the Justice Department in 2006 has
not made herself available for comment. Maybe she hopes that the women, who have received
inadequate patient care will go away, like those in the nursing homes that were
overcharged by her Department.

http://www.dohc.ie

There is a helpline number printed in today's Irish Times.
will add on..

by C Murray Mon Sep 10, 2007 10:05

Mary Harney is leader of the PD party- Liz O Donnell, having resigned from politics means
that there is no deputy leader announced in PD's .

Today begins the campaign for deputy leader of Labour with Jan O Sullivan and Joan Burton
the declared candidates, E Gilmore (ex -environment spokesperson became unopposed
leader of the Party last week) so Labour will have a woman deputy.

Greens have Mary White TD (interestingly after many years in the Dail, accquiring one woman
in power, funding for GPW must be really focussed)

FF- have no women in either leader or deputy leader position.

FG- have no women in leader or deputy leader position.

SF- have no women in leader or deputy leader position.

The top of the piece details a variety of women, who are highly educated politically but
do not seek the Dail as their constituency (with obvious exceptions, Mary Lou and Pat
Mc Kenna). This Dail and Senate returned amongst the lowest in numbers of women
who represent the political direction of the country- interestingly all of Mr Ahern's
nominations to the senate were men. FG/FF really lag behind on the issue of gender
parity and awareness. We have amongst the lowest representation of women in
positions of power both in the EU and globally, with therefore one of the lowest
particpiation in National decision-making and media representaion in both the EU
and globally.

thats the establishment parties anyway..

by C Murray Wed Sep 19, 2007 16:27

Enda Kenny has culled eight FG ers from his front bench and is making a 'Shadow Cabinet'-
this translates into- retaining the same portfolios that FF/PD/Green are using, and he has
only two women on the front bench. Both have been demoted from their former roles.
Interestingly Olywn Enright TD had been the only education spokesperson to respond to the
OECD report yesterday evening, today she has lost that portfolio- would that indicate
that the leader does not have faith in his female spokespeople (?)

It indicates , at least that FF/FG do not put women TD's and spokespersons into
front bench positions in numbers and possible tokenism. The entire FG cabinet seniors
are men which means media representation of women in politics (opposition) will be
severely reduced in FG. Gilmore did the opposite and increased the visual and senior
role of women spokespeople.

by C Murray Sat Nov 03, 2007 19:28

I was going to stick this comment on the relevant thread (Update on the Health Crisis) but the
Barringtons and Portlaoise Hospital Radiotherapy and mammogram crisis started in comments
on this one, due to the fact that during the Portlaoise crisis wherein up to 5,000 women had
mammogram tests misdiagonised - Mary Harney went Awol for the week that the HSE and
board at Portlaoise started the apologies. Yesterday and today it is reported that so far 7 of
the women who were misdiagnosed are now suffering cancer. Mary Harney's department
press-released for the 6pm news last night offering supports, counselling and family aid
to the victimns of this issue. A high % of the patients had been on the treatment purchase fund
due to waiting list problems and are now facing cancers that could have been treated if the
mammogram and radiography service was actually working.

The 7-8 day absence of the Minister during the first wave of publicity regarding Portlaoise
was completely unaccpetable for families. She had travelled to Cork to PR the Barrington's
Situation where up to 1,000 women had similar diagnostic problems but had completely
avoided all queries on the Portlaoise crisis. The comments attached have the Departmental
and HSE releases for the period when the problems began for theses women and their
families- as is usual with FF/PD incompetence there will be no call for her resignation.
The only TD to comment at the time was deputy Mc Manus. Between two cancer services
between 5,000 and 6,000 women have been negatively impacted, their families have suffered
and will continue to do so. The DOHC has offered all available support to those people.
(I am not buying it- she should resign)
http://www.dohc.ie

by C Q.4U Sat Nov 03, 2007 19:37

C Murray, what political party do you support? Only out of interest

by C Murray Sat Nov 03, 2007 19:46

Is it alright to be a freelance?
It means the opinion you hold is not restricted by a party line or the niceities of Irish politics...
Mary harney fucked up, she should resign. health care is not the privlege of the Rich and these
women are suffering, they are not figures or numbers, they have families and some will have
survivors who will go through the shite of file repression and the usual crap that people who
have to seek answers must go through because there is a deep and abiding incompetence in
DOHC.
The Point:
1.Up to 1,000 women misdiagnosed in Barringtons.
2.Up to 5,000 women misdiagnosed in Portlaoise.
3.During the press release period of the Portlaoise crisis Ms Harney vanished for between
7-8 days. She stage-managed Barringtons (front page in the Times).
4.7 women misdiagnosed are suffering cancer and they have families.
5.Mostly the women had sought treatment through the treatment purchase fund.

If that were me- I would be at the DOHC with my kids seeking the resignation of the Minister
for health who has yet again failed in her duty of care which is her mandate.Tell someone with a mestasing cancer that they will get counselling and family support...

http://www.dohc.ie
http://www.ireland.com

by Answer Sat Nov 03, 2007 22:03

C. M. Sorry if i gave the wrong impression. I didn't mean iin any way to offend you. My apologuies if it came across that way. Yes, I agree the Health system is appalling as well as the other government bodies. An old saying "look after No. ONE!!!!, think that's what our TD's doing

by C Murray Mon Nov 05, 2007 11:14

How many of us turn a blind eye to the health system and that awful failure running it cos the
fiscal policy of the present government is so wonderfully beneficial to the whole economy-
me arse- between 5,000-6,000 women have been failed in Laois and In Cork because Mary
Harney is a professional business woman in a political office & a % of those women have cancer,
we watch the media management of one catastrophe after another at DOHC in horror.
The policy of amalgamation and privatisation is being forced without adequate
community care and emergency centres in areas such as Crumlin, Ranelagh,
Harold's Cross, Dolphin's Barn, Monaghan and Cavan.

No offence taken -Mary Harney's spin department ruined what was a perfectly relaxing walking
trip in the North-West.

http://www.dohc.ie

I think people should regularly go into the government websites and the Oireachtas debates and actually investigate what the tossers are doing, as well as studying the Programme for
Government and the finer details of the Lisbon Treaty too, then compare the media coverage
of the spin departments and press junkets, there is a widening gap between what is happening
to ordinary people and how it is presented politically through media usage.

{They will be suing people for the cheek of getting ill next, cos it fucks up their
profit making programmes}

by C Murray Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:26

The action group concerned in the disaster that is the Portlaoise Hospital Breast Cancer screening
Programme is meeting with the PD leader this morning. Ms Harney wants to resign as PD Leader
and has thrown open the competition for her sucessor. There are slight problems there,
there are no other parliamentary players- so the new leader has to come from the town council
or the Oireachtas. Ms O Malley has now recovered from the Garda enquiry into the Planning at
the arts centre so she may possible try and regain the O Malley chair and bring the party full circle.

The Times will probably photo the victims of PD health policy,( combined with HSE unmandated
interference in Health issues) this morning. This will be the third or fourth sought meeting by
victim support groups in relation to shite health policy- in the main the groups have comprised
women. Be it Hep C, Dr Neary Patients or Barringtons and Portlaoise and still FF/PD support
the health policy of this woman (and green too).

by F. Gale+P.D's Tue Nov 06, 2007 21:19

Correct me if i got it wrong, but isn't the Green + P.D.'s from the F/Gael party? The same really

by ! Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:11

Dept of Finance ex civil servant FF are the powers behind the Grren party , which should be evident in their abuse of their mandate
and their trading of principle for power. Can the Greens ever be trusted again??- meanwhile with regard to FG, yep, some of them
were the early FG conscience and worked very closely with developing a Green Political Party as an off-shoot of FG policy.
This could have been manipulated to form an oppositional rainbow which would have been easier to ignore than Bertie's
chain of fools- however- the Greens, instead decided to excersise lack of judgement and in the full knowledge that FF
are both corrupt and self-serving went into allieance with them= bad (very bad) political judgement, lack of patience, and
a cocky idealistic misapprehension of societal need.

by Fire Wed Nov 07, 2007 16:37

Harney was the first female party leader, the first female tanaiste, and the longest serving female deputy in the Sail. Surely she deserves more credit.

by C Murray Wed Nov 07, 2007 18:02

Yep! she has a lot of credit- ministerial pension scheme, salary raise, protection of hierarchical
structures for her consistent and unbelievable fuck-ups. its not about putting women into power,
it is about women recognising that they have power in their communities and friendships and
wondering why it does not translate into women specific issues not making the agenda in
the Dail ,where mostly they have seats by virtue of their family relations or inheritance and
not through merit-which is why there is a list of women who have influenced Irish Political
Life at the start of the article - and only a couple have 'political power'. the women in the list
generally have achieved through standing outside of the power-structures (most notably
Justice Mary Laffoy- who is excellent)

by Passing comment Sat Nov 17, 2007 09:45

Apart from the ongoing row betwixt Mr O Brien (Dennis- friend of Charlie, friend of Bertie, owner
of most radio stations in the capital incl. 98,106,spin) has asked both The Board and O Reilly
'to stand Down (Unison/Irish independent) cos they do not 'understand the internet'.

O there are so many ways to go with this.

O Brien is not 'young'
He is not resident.
He only understands what he can buy.
He is as sexist as O Reilly and sets the paralysis of Dublin's Listening agenda,
which means US accents on the 'pop' stations and vox pop's by West Brits on the
Intelligent channels. This is because O Reilly thinks he gets the internet but really he wants
to exploit it while skirting controversy on newstalk occassionnally. Middle Aged capitalist
wants to rut O reilly to chew up his share would be more honest and both are very close to
FF.

O Reilly meanwhile has for the second time in so many months lead with a headline
"Jobs For the Boys"- the last one was about FG whose front bench lacks women, who
have been relegated to the second benches (Referee Enda imagines that this will accomplish
populism, cos men are more weighty and taken more seriously than us hysterical girlies)
John Gormley has promoted two male P.A's at salaries of over 82,000 to lick his arse and
tell him that he is doing ok- personally I think that he needs a woman with gonads to tell him
the truth of how pissed off we are- but the Greens have always subscribed to tokenism and
underusing women such as Pat mc Kenna, Kristina Mc Elroy,et al. The greens don't like annoying
women, Mary White has not once opened her mouth and she is deputy leader. O Reilly
really does enjoy that headline which he over-uses and attempts to red rag people with
his pseudo-liberationist understanding of women and therefore maybe O Brien was
right afterall...