In a few weeks weâll have Guards south of the border stopping people trying to go north for a few pints or some basic semblance of freedom. United Ireland me bollix
An absolute scumbag practically threatening us. Beggars belief.
We have it in our hands now, thereâs no point rushing it and fucking it up. Play the long game, a slow gradual unification, bit by bit.
I think there would be a pretty big difference in reaction between if it passed by 1% in say 2 years or if it passed by 20% in 10 years.
I personally think its a bad time to bring it up right now as the UK are making us look like idiots with their vaccination programme.
I actually doubt that it will pass south of the border.
A mixture of people who donât want to do away with the flag, anthem etc and people who donât give a fuck and are worried about the economy, like @TheUlteriorMotive
It would make absolutely zero difference, the people threatening violence are criminal gangs and wouldnât be all that interested in democracy. The good news is that they have almost no support and their capabilities are very limited. Have a look at a recent BBC programme on a killing committed by them in Carrickfergus to get a better idea of what you are dealing with here, and who Jamie Bryson represents.
I donât think anyone is seriously suggesting a border poll in the next 2 years. It would make sense to let the Scots have another go at theirs first and see how things look then, but the conversations should be happening now. The only justification for going for it sooner I can see after last nightâs show is that Bruton is looking fairly shook and Iâd love to see a UI realised before his time expires.
It would pass and it would pass comfortably. Who would actually campaign against it?
Weâd could finagle a bunch of cash of the yankees and the Eurocrats to pay the bills. The UK would have to pay a divorce bill as well. The synergies would be massive youâd have to think
I assume that if we do have a border poll and it does pass that it would be very much a phased transition - so for arguments sake the poll is in 2028 and it passes then there would be x amount of years before it would be fully realised - like 2040 which would allow for political, economic and societal changes to be gradually implemented.
I also assume that London will be kept on the hook to fit their part of the bill for a while and the EU, UN etc would also be amenable to providing financial backing to help get the new state off the ground.
Will it be devolved government split across multiple regions with national government dealing in purely national issues? Would people have issues if the government resided in Belfast?
What are the options on policing and judiciary?
Yes⌠itâs not a political game any more, itâs more cultural and economic. Wee Andy Trimble, lovely guy, was bang on about the younger nordies being in the middle⌠For him rubby gave him his irishness and we have to encourage it through other means for othersâŚ
As of today Iâm a fully fledged signed up supporter of the Irish rubby and hockey teams.
We already have a PSNI man in charge sure
thats a good enough reason to prioritize it
A single soccer ball team would be a good start. All island league should be supported by the government
Joint infrastructure projects also
There will be no border poll for at least 10 years .
Last nightâs show ( which I didnât watch ) sounded abysmal and reflects the utter decline in RTE current affairs output .
It was actually quite good I thought
If there ever was to be a solution, Iâd imagine some sort of federal arrangement would be most likely to succeed.
2030 is realistic.
Agree totally. Varadkarâs stance last night wasnât much different to MLMDâs, with MicheĂĄl Martin taking an auxiliary DUP position based on the time he went to Derry as an Ăgra Fianna FĂĄil member.
That said, actions speak louder than words. Itâs all well and good for Varadkar to state that current institutions need to work better and we must foster stronger relations with the north before formally introducing the reunification debate.
Itâs not something heâs shown any leadership on to date, especially when you consider his main references to the north in recent years have been sneery, baiting interventions, using northern nationalistsâ experiences to goad SF. He should probably reflect on his stance and he will hopefully get a chance to do that in prison.
Bruton is just an outright cunt. As you say, nobody is arguing for a poll tomorrow or in the immediate short term. But itâs something thatâs being discussed in the north, irrespective of what a dinosaur like Bruton thinks. A pity RTE didnât engage with more younger and progressive types instead of the likes of him, Campbell and Bryson.
There will always be ânow is not the timeâ merchants on an issue like this. And in this instance now is not the time to even consider it for the DUP, MicheĂĄl Martin and John Bruton. Genuine attempts should be made to bring them along but they shouldnât and wonât be allowed to veto it. Iâd say the morning the Berlin Wall came tumbling down there was a German version of Bruton arguing that conditions werenât right for reunification.
And donât even get me started on Claire Byrne or The Claire Byrne Show itself. Iâve overused the examples of her show being obsessed with making things out to be âboth sidesâ, even when there arenât two sides to it. Like racism, drink driving or whatever. This issue was different in that there clearly are two sides to the debate. But to censor Joe Brolly for something she allowed others to do unchecked was pathetic. As @TreatyStones said last night, the deference RTE show to the likes of the DUP is sickening when theyâre openly hostile to even civic nationalism like Brolly, never mind SF representatives. I donât know if Byrne is an RTE stooge or just thick as shit. Probably a bit of both.
Good post.
Byrne is a cheap, tabloid, mutton hack masquerading as lamb. More suited to presenting Telly Bingo than any political or social discussion.
Ironically byrne has United the forum, added impetus to the push for a border poll and made joe a certainty for president