Patman wrote: What was Lee expecting ffs. Tool.

Totally agree.  All the skeptics were correct.

olivia o'leary said last week use him or lose him, lots of rte were saying similar for months. fg dropped the ball. obviously promised some such in the talks about runing for fg. madness

I feel the man joined to try and make a difference, we're losing a good man there, back to all the langers in the Dail.

Does illustrate what a crock of s**te eating neck like a jockeys bollix you need to be to stick Dail Eireann..

which is why the likes of O'Keeffe, Haely-Rae etc are model tds (the cute-hoor model that is)

The guy has an MSc in Economics form the London School of Economics.  He was, afaik, top of his class in UCD.  His specialist areas, economically speaking, are labour economics and unemployment.

While he may have been naive about the impact he would have, it really shows up the Irish political system, that such a heavyweight economic mind should be reduced to worrying about clamping in his local area.

It's the rugby equivalent of picking BOD for your local second's XV. 

John123 wrote: Patman wrote: What was Lee expecting ffs. Tool. Totally agree.  All the skeptics were correct.

i'd imagine he was expecting what he had been promised by enda before he ran.

In interviews before the by-election he said when asked had he been promised a front bench role. That he wouldnt be going to make coffee or something like that, and that if he felt he wasnt being allowed the room to make a difference he would leave politics.

Lee was one of the few TDs you didn't have to be embarrassed about. Our political system is not set up for representatives like him. Being a TD is about paying your dues, knowing your place and not rocking the boat. I can see how someone, who arrives with fresh vigour and wants to shake things up, would go from enthusiastic to despairing relatively quickly when you're not a product of that system.

Call him naive if you like, but his exit says more about the Irish political system than it does about George Lee.

cud_ wrote: Reflects badly on Lee in my opinion. Sure, things probably were'nt how he imagined them, but what did he expect? With this level of flakiness, I'm glad he never got to be part of government.

Reflects a lot worse on Kenny and the rest of the FG party as well. Very popular opinion forming person gets elected to Leinster House and what do they do with him during the biggest economic crises in Irelands history. Ask him to make tea because he has not 'served' his time

If he had been given the platfom needed he might well have forced the Government to resign.

He might have been naive, but we dont know what kenny promised him !!

fitzy73 wrote: grafter1 wrote: Lee has obviously had enough of politics and i doubt he would allow himself be used in anyway by other members of FG in an attempt to oust Kenny.  He knows he'll do enough damage to Kenny as is. What i'm interested in though is the fact that Lee wouldn't leave right away unless he had something lined up. (He has a wife and a few kids i think) And the question for me is - if he has something lined up - he must have decided that politics wasnt for him probably before Xmas.  I wonder where he'll end up???  The US role with RTE would be ideal as there's no chance he can revert to his old role - because obviously he won't be considered to be independent I *think* he took a career break from RTE, so he'd go back there, no?

Yes, but obviously can't go back to the same job. Did RTE fill his job ?

scotscor wrote: John123 wrote: Patman wrote: What was Lee expecting ffs. Tool. Totally agree.  All the skeptics were correct. i'd imagine he was expecting what he had been promised by enda before he ran. In interviews before the by-election he said when asked had he been promised a front bench role. That he wouldnt be going to make coffee or something like that, and that if he felt he wasnt being allowed the room to make a difference he would leave politics.

Well at least he seems to have put his money where his mouth is, although if he suddenly appears Stateside for RTE I don't think it will reflect quite as well on Mr Lee.
That said, hopefully this will prompt people to start asking questions about our parliamentary system. One of the main reasons the parish pump aspect of politics is so important is due to the fact that for backbench TD's there really is feck all else to do. Reform is badly needed so that TD's are able to properly scrutinize and influence legislation and policy or else we'll keep on stocking the back benches with muppets like Lowry, Healy-Rae etc...and unfortunately, because ultimately this is where they come from, we'll keep on getting ministers of the "calibre" of Cullen, Dempsey, Coughlan, Harney, O'Keeffe etc...

How do i become Irish Ambassador in Canada ? 

John123 wrote: I'm guessing what Grafter said is correct.  Lee has gotten offered Bird's US job on the sly, and that coupled with his "disillusionment" with politics made the decision for him.  I'd say he'd have been treated the same no matter which party he had joined.  Also, Irish political favouritism won't be an issue in the US so he's free to take the job.

 

Surely he is more likely to take Mark Littles job on Prime Time? Little is finished at end of season also

mac22 wrote: How do i become Irish Ambassador in Canada ?

Shag Hilary Weston ?

bobbin wrote: John123 wrote: I'm guessing what Grafter said is correct.  Lee has gotten offered Bird's US job on the sly, and that coupled with his "disillusionment" with politics made the decision for him.  I'd say he'd have been treated the same no matter which party he had joined.  Also, Irish political favouritism won't be an issue in the US so he's free to take the job.   Surely he is more likely to take Mark Littles job on Prime Time? Little is finished at end of season also

He can't i'd say as he would not be considered "Independent"?

taz wrote: bobbin wrote: John123 wrote: I'm guessing what Grafter said is correct.  Lee has gotten offered Bird's US job on the sly, and that coupled with his "disillusionment" with politics made the decision for him.  I'd say he'd have been treated the same no matter which party he had joined.  Also, Irish political favouritism won't be an issue in the US so he's free to take the job.   Surely he is more likely to take Mark Littles job on Prime Time? Little is finished at end of season also He can't i'd say as he would not be considered "Independent"?

 

Doubt that would matter for the Prime Time gig; and doubt it would be an issue for RTE.

Love this on the RTE website:

"On his future, he said he did not know 100% what he would do now, but he would probably return to RTE".

He clearly learned something from his time in politics!

Canterbury wrote: McCloud wrote: Think that will have a big knock on affect for Kenny. Very creless to lose someone of Lee's standing in the public's eyes. Pity a bit of a waste. FG have lost a gem in Lee, madness by Kenny and FG.

Ive found him unimpressive in person-why do you think he's a gem?He was an ok reporter, but did make mistakes from time to time that professionals in the relevnt industry would prob only recognise granted... 

LLCOOLJ14 wrote: Canterbury wrote: McCloud wrote: Think that will have a big knock on affect for Kenny. Very creless to lose someone of Lee's standing in the public's eyes. Pity a bit of a waste. FG have lost a gem in Lee, madness by Kenny and FG. Ive found him unimpressive in person-why do you think he's a gem?He was an ok reporter, but did make mistakes from time to time that professionals in the relevnt industry would prob only recognise granted...

In fairness compared with most of the useless flora that strolls around Leinster House he was impresive. Mind even a cockroach would be more then impressive then some  of them.....

LLCOOLJ14 wrote: Canterbury wrote: McCloud wrote: Think that will have a big knock on affect for Kenny. Very creless to lose someone of Lee's standing in the public's eyes. Pity a bit of a waste. FG have lost a gem in Lee, madness by Kenny and FG. Ive found him unimpressive in person-why do you think he's a gem?He was an ok reporter, but did make mistakes from time to time that professionals in the relevnt industry would prob only recognise granted...

I agree, while I was initially excited by his entry into politics, he's about as inspiring as Steve Borthwick!

LLCOOLJ14 wrote: Canterbury wrote: McCloud wrote: Think that will have a big knock on affect for Kenny. Very creless to lose someone of Lee's standing in the public's eyes. Pity a bit of a waste. FG have lost a gem in Lee, madness by Kenny and FG. Ive found him unimpressive in person-why do you think he's a gem?He was an ok reporter, but did make mistakes from time to time that professionals in the relevnt industry would prob only recognise granted...

I have to say of all the posts LL - yours are some of the best.   I assume with your vast knowledge someday you'll replace Lloyd Blankfein or Jamie Dimon and end of working for a future US president as secretary of state. 

I'm not actually slagging you - just admiring your self confidence - which in my opinion is a good trait

grafter1 wrote: LLCOOLJ14 wrote: Canterbury wrote: McCloud wrote: Think that will have a big knock on affect for Kenny. Very creless to lose someone of Lee's standing in the public's eyes. Pity a bit of a waste. FG have lost a gem in Lee, madness by Kenny and FG. Ive found him unimpressive in person-why do you think he's a gem?He was an ok reporter, but did make mistakes from time to time that professionals in the relevnt industry would prob only recognise granted...  I have to say of all the posts LL - yours are some of the best.   I assume with your vast knowledge someday you'll replace Lloyd Blankfein or Jamie Dimon and end of working for a future US president as secretary of state.  I'm not actually slagging you - just admiring your self confidence - which in my opinion is a good trait

Sorry that wasn't very clear - i meant replace Blankfein or Dimon as head of Goldman or JPM and after a distinguished career in investment banking you'd go into politics ala Rubin, Paulson etc

Something had to give..Bruton and O'Donnell were taking up all the economic policy positions and either Kenny should have shoe-horned him in or let him have some visible and discernible role that would reflect his talents and knowledge.

Having said that Lee has shown a remarkable lack of patience and it must be certain of a another role in RTE outside of the country...he had nailed his political colours to the mast here and cannot function as an objective journalist anymore on this island. 

It just shows how poor the opposition are. I never have and never will vote for FF, but the opposition parties have not provided one plausable alternative to the voters. Its actually disgraceful.

FF will be re-elected at the next general election, and I think it will push me over the edge!!! Emigration looms.

bosh12 wrote: It just shows how poor the opposition are. I never have and never will vote for FF, but the opposition parties have not provided one plausable alternative to the voters. Its actually disgraceful. FF will be re-elected at the next general election, and I think it will push me over the edge!!! Emigration looms.

I've said previously on othe threads that FF have already won the next election.  FF/SF/Ind government is my bet.